[Contribution to the study of the origin of cellulase activities of the gut in earthworm Eisenia fetida andrei]

In order to determine the origin of cellulases in the gut of the earthworm Eisenia fetida andrei, the wall tissues of the different parts of the disinfected gut are cultured in vitro. Enzymatic activities (FPase: filter paper activity; CMCase: carboxymethycellulase, cellobiase) were measured both in the tissues and in the culture medium: the following activities were found, carboxymethycellulase (CMCase), filter paper activity (FPase). The first located in the crop, gizzard and midgut wall, the second in the foregut and midgut wall. The cellobiase was detected only in the crop and gizzard tissues, whereas it is present in each part of the gut of holoxenic worms. This fact indicates that this enzyme is mainly produced by microorganisms ingested. These results allow us to propose the hypothesis of the existence of synergy, for the cellulose hydrolysis between tissular enzymes and cellulolytic microorganisms.