Publication Date
7-1987
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Larry Elliott, Joe Winstead & Martin Houston
Degree Program
Department of Biology
Degree Type
Master of Science
Abstract
In past attempts, the experimental germination of the seeds of Euonymus americanus L. in vitro has had little success. However, treatment of seeds with rumen fluid containing viable microflora has been successful in stimulating germination. In the presence of the cellulolytic rumen bacterium. Clostridium cellobioparum ATCC 15832, seeds of E. americanus were stimulated to germinate. Subsequent studies were designed to determine whether the bacterium synthesized a cellulolytic enzyme responsible for initiating germination. The cell-free endocellulase from C. cellobioparum was demonstrated to induce germination of the seeds. To support the hypothesis that endocellulase from C. cellobioparum was responsible for triggering germination, a 1, 4- β – endo-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4) from Pennicillium funiculosum was used to treat the seeds. Also, Ruminococcus flavefaciens strain FD-1 was found to initiate germination of E. americanus seeds. Thus, cellulose activity is indicated in the degradation of the testa of the seed allowing imbibition and germination.
Disciplines
Biology | Life Sciences
Recommended Citation
Howard, Gary Thomas, "The Effect of Cellulolytic Rumen Bacteria or Their Cell-Free Extracts on the Germination of Euonymus americanus L." (1987). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 1431.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1431