Cellulase producing bacteria were isolated from both soil and ward poultry, using CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) agar medium and screened by iodine method. Cellulase activity of the isolated bacteria was determined by DNS (dinitrosalicylic) acid method. The highly cellulolytic isolates (BTN7A, BTN7B, BMS4 and SA5) were identified on the basis of Gram staining, morphological cultural characteristics, and biochemical tests. They were also identified with 16S rDNA analysis. The phylogenetic analysis of their 16S rDNA sequence data showed that BTN7B has 99% similarity with Anoxybacillus flavithermus, BMS4 has 99% similarity with Bacillus megaterium, SA5 has 99% homology with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and BTN7A was 99% similar with Bacillus subtilis. Cellulase production by these strains was optimized by controlling different environmental and nutritional factors such as pH, temperature, incubation period, different volumes of media, aeration rate and carbon source. The cellulase specific activity was calculated in each case. In conclusion four highly cellulolytic bacterial strains were isolated and identified and the optimum conditions for each one for cellulase production were determined. These strains could be used for converting plant waste to more useful compounds.
Keywords: 16S rDNA; Cellulase producing bacteria; Isolates; Optimization.