A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites

Cellulose is the most abundant polymer in the world and termites are the most important metazoan cellulose processors. Termites are divided into lower and higher termites, with the latter being the most derived and most specious. Although termites are known for their ability to digest wood, members...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina, Harrison, Nigel A., Su, Nan Yao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2014
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/1/A%20phylogenetic%20study%20of%20endo.pdf
_version_ 1848848273299734528
author Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina
Harrison, Nigel A.
Su, Nan Yao
author_facet Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina
Harrison, Nigel A.
Su, Nan Yao
author_sort Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Cellulose is the most abundant polymer in the world and termites are the most important metazoan cellulose processors. Termites are divided into lower and higher termites, with the latter being the most derived and most specious. Although termites are known for their ability to digest wood, members of the family Termitidae (higher termites) are nutritionally diverse in their use of cellulose. This study investigated the evolution of endogenous cellulases in 25 species of higher termites, using phylogenetic inferences from mitochondrial (16S) and nuclear (28S) ribosomal RNA and endo-β-1,4-glucanase sequences. The translated endo-β-1,4-glucanase amino acid order in all 41 sequences obtained showed high similarity to endo-β-1,4-glucanases in the glycosyl hydrolase family 9. The inferred endo-β-1,4-glucanase phylogenetic tree showed congruency with the mitochondrial/nuclear tree, with the fungus-growers being the most basal group and the soil/litter- and wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeders being the most distal diphyletic feeding groups. The bacterial comb-grower formed a separate clade from the fungus-growers and is sister groups with the soil/litter- and wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeders. There was also a strong diphyletic relationship between endo-β-1,4-glucanases of upper layer soil-feeders and the other soil-feeders. Within the monophyletic wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeding termites’ subclade, the nasutitermitines were polyphyletic and a strong diphyletic relationship was observed in the most distal lichen- and the grass/litter-feeders groups.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T09:31:53Z
format Article
id upm-36227
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T09:31:53Z
publishDate 2014
publisher Springer
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling upm-362272015-08-24T01:07:06Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/ A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina Harrison, Nigel A. Su, Nan Yao Cellulose is the most abundant polymer in the world and termites are the most important metazoan cellulose processors. Termites are divided into lower and higher termites, with the latter being the most derived and most specious. Although termites are known for their ability to digest wood, members of the family Termitidae (higher termites) are nutritionally diverse in their use of cellulose. This study investigated the evolution of endogenous cellulases in 25 species of higher termites, using phylogenetic inferences from mitochondrial (16S) and nuclear (28S) ribosomal RNA and endo-β-1,4-glucanase sequences. The translated endo-β-1,4-glucanase amino acid order in all 41 sequences obtained showed high similarity to endo-β-1,4-glucanases in the glycosyl hydrolase family 9. The inferred endo-β-1,4-glucanase phylogenetic tree showed congruency with the mitochondrial/nuclear tree, with the fungus-growers being the most basal group and the soil/litter- and wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeders being the most distal diphyletic feeding groups. The bacterial comb-grower formed a separate clade from the fungus-growers and is sister groups with the soil/litter- and wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeders. There was also a strong diphyletic relationship between endo-β-1,4-glucanases of upper layer soil-feeders and the other soil-feeders. Within the monophyletic wood/lichen/grass/litter-feeding termites’ subclade, the nasutitermitines were polyphyletic and a strong diphyletic relationship was observed in the most distal lichen- and the grass/litter-feeders groups. Springer 2014 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/1/A%20phylogenetic%20study%20of%20endo.pdf Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina and Harrison, Nigel A. and Su, Nan Yao (2014) A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites. Insectes Sociaux, 61 (1). pp. 29-40. ISSN 0020-1812; ESSN: 1420-9098 10.1007/s00040-013-0321-7
spellingShingle Bujang, Nurmastini Sufina
Harrison, Nigel A.
Su, Nan Yao
A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title_full A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title_fullStr A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title_full_unstemmed A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title_short A phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
title_sort phylogenetic study of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in higher termites
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/36227/1/A%20phylogenetic%20study%20of%20endo.pdf