The aim of this study is to analyze the functional activity of an endo-β-1, 4-glucanase from the wood dwelling lower termite Coptotermes gestroi. Full length cDNA sequences of the endo-β-1,4-glucanase were obtained by primer walking in conjunction with Rapid Amplification cDNA Ends. With the obtained full length sequences, primers for amplifying open reading frame (ORF) excluding the signal peptide and glycophosphatidylinositol anchor were designed. Amplified endo-β-1,4-glucanase fragment was cloned and expressed using pET30(+) expression vector in BL21 E.coli strain. Expression of endo-β-1,4-glucanase was confirmed by Western blotting and the result revealed that only full ORF was expressed. The cellulase activity of protein preparations from the induced and non-induced cells was analyzed with Congo Red assay with the cellulase from Aspergillus niger (Sigma Aldrich) as a positive control. The activity of C. gestroi endo-β-1,4-glucanase was significantly higher than those observed in the positive control and the enzyme preparation from non-induced cells. Therefore, this study confirmed that C. gestroi endo-β-1,4-glucanase had a function of cellulose hydrolysis.

분리한 보리호분층을 이용하여 (1-3)-β-glu-canase 와 (1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase 의GA3 에 대한 반응특성을 조사하였다 GA3 처리에 의해 호분충과 배양액 내의 단백질 함량, (1-3)-β-glucanase및(1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase 활성 등이 모두 증가하였다. 그러나 GA3 처리에 의한 효소활성 및 효소분비 증가 정도는 효소에 따라 큰 차이를 보였다. (1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase 가(1-3)-β-glucanase 보다 효소활성 증가 정도와 분비증가 정도 모두 컸다. 이와 같은 결과는 발아초기 (1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase 의 중요한 생리작용과 관계가 있을 것으로 생각되었다