Use of Congo red-polysaccharide interactions in enumeration and characterization of cellulolytic bacteria from the bovine rumen.
The interaction of the direct dye Congo red with intact beta-D-glucans provides the basis for a rapid and sensitive assay system for bacterial strains possessing beta-(1 leads to 4),(1 leads to 3)-D-glucanohydrolase, beta-(1 leads to 4)-D-glucanohydrolase, and beta-(1 leads to 3)-D-glucanohydrolase activities. A close correspondence was observed between cellulolytic activity and beta-(1 leads to 4)-D-glucanohydrolase and beta-(1 leads to 4),(1 leads to 3)-D-glucanohydrolase activities in isolates from the bovine rumen. Many of these isolates also possessed beta-(1 leads to 3)-D-glucanohydrolase activity, and this characteristic may have taxonomic significance.
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D002417:Cattle; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D003224:Congo Red; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D003224:Congo Red; D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase