Cloning of cellulase gene from Ruminococcus albus using a shuttle vector

The present study describes the cloning of a cellulase gene isolated from the rumen cellulolytic bacteria Rumincoccus albus into the shuttle vector pBS42.. 8.98 kb recombinant plasmid carrying an insert of 3.7 kb was found to have cellulolytic activity as assessed by Congo red assay. The cellulolytic activity of the recombinant cells was assessed by carboxy methyl cellulose - viscosity reduction methods, ability to release reducing sugar and ability to utilize substrates like cellobiose and carboxy methyl cellulose. Cellulase activity increased with the growth of the culture and also when cellobiose was used as a substrate.