Isolation of cellulolytic microorganisms from sika deer feces

Herbivores rely on gastrointestinal microorganisms to decompose and utilize natural lignocellulosic materials．Here cellulose-degrading microorganisms were isolated from feces of sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) to screen for highly efficient cellulose-degrading microorganisms．The feces samples were crushed, re-suspended in enrichment medium with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) as the sole carbon source．The sample suspension was diluted and spread on selection medium．Cellulose hydrolysis circle was measured by Gram’s iodine staining．Ratios of D (diameter of cellulose hydrolysis circle) to d (colony diameter) were used to determine cellulose degradation ability of the isolated microorganisms．Altogether 106 cellulose-degrading microorganisms were obtained, including 72 bacteria, 22 fungi and 12 actinomycetes．Bacterial 16S rDNA and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing revealed that the isolated microorganisms were mainly distributed in Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Ascomycota．