Abstract

Cellulase enzyme has its importance not only industrially but also medically. The present study focuses on the isolation and identification of cellulose degraders from the marine environment. Marine sediments from Central Institute of Fisheries Education were used as samples for the isolation of cellulose degraders. Bacillus licheniformis was isolated and identified as the most effective marine cellulose degrader. Further this organism was used for the extraction and purification of the cellulase enzyme by Solid State Fermentation. The cellulase enzyme activity was found to be 129 μmoles/ml/min. The enzyme was partially purified using the Aqueous Two Phase method. The obtained enzyme was further used for its various applications. Production of Bioethanol using the cellulase enzyme indicated that cellulase enzyme enhances the production of bioethanol and the other application was the degradation of polymicrobial bioflims using the obtained cellulase enzyme. Medically the celluase enzyme helps in the treatment of phytobezoars found in the human stomach. This work demonstrates that the marine environment can be a very useful source for the production of the cellulase enzyme which has a very diverse importance not only industrially but also environmentally and medically.