HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION OF ENDO-BETA-1,4-D-GLUCANASE FROM CLOSTRIDIUM-CELLULOVORANS IN CLOSTRIDIUM-ACETOBUTYLICUM ATCC-824 FOLLOWING TRANSFORMATION OF THE ENGB GENE

Heterologous expression of the Clostridium cellulovorans engB gene by Clostridium acetobutylicum BKW-1 was detected as zones of hydrolysis o n carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) Trypticase glucose yeast plates staine d with Congo red. The extracellular cellulase preparation from C. acet obutylicum BKW-1 has a specific activity towards CMC which is more tha n fourfold that present in C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Western blot (i mmunoblot) analysis using the C. cellulovorans anti-EngB primary antib ody demonstrated that an additional 44-kDa protein band was present in the supernatant derived from C. acetobutylicum BKW-1 but was not pres ent in ATCC 824 or ATCC 824(pMTL500E).