A cellulase-producing bacterium was isolated from soil and identified as Cellulomonas sp. YJ5. Maximal cellulase activity was obtained after 48 h of incubation at 30 degrees C in a medium containing 1.0% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), 1.0% algae powder, 1.0% peptone, 0.24% (NH4)2SO4, 0.20% K2HPO4, and 0.03% MgSO(4).7H2O. The cellulase was purified after Sephacryl S-100 chromatography twice with a recovery of 27.9% and purification fold of 17.5. It was, with N-terminal amino acids of AGTKTPVAK, stable at pH 7.5-10.5 and 20-50 degrees C with optimal pH and temperature of 7.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. Cu2+, Fe2+, Hg2+, Cr3+, and SDS highly inhibited, but cysteine and beta-mercaptoethanol activated, its activity. Substrate specificity indicated it to be an endo-beta-1,4-glucanase.