Molecular Characterization and Cellulolytic Capacity of Chaetomium globosum Isolates

Abstract

Chaetomium species are saprophytic fungi, havethe ability to degrade cellulose with hydrolytic enzymes. Hydrolytic enzymes are a cluster of enzymes, which have the flexibility of breaking down complicated molecules into smaller molecules. The objective of this study was to clarify the genetic diversity among the isolated Chaetomium population by using PCR-based methods, along with the study of their cellulolytic activities. Chaetomium spp. were isolated from twenty-eight samples of Cuminum cyminum and Pimpinella anisum, and identified morphologically and molecularly by ITS1 and ITS4 primers. The sequencing indicated that all the isolates of Chaetomium had a 99% sequence identity with Chaetomium globosum sequences from GenBank. Molecular techniques with Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region sequencing and specific genes random primers polymerase chain reaction (SGRP-PCR) showed the existence of high DNA polymorphism of Chaetomium globosum. All isolates were tested for their ability of cellulases production. Nine of the thirteen isolates of Chaetomium globosumcould produce cellulases. There are variations between C. globosum isolates and the source of the isolates and their habitat do not correlate to their ability to secrete cellulases.