Termite cellulases: potential target for screening of natural termiticides

Among the methods tested for termite eradication, termiticides derived from plants are particularly noteworthy. These termiticides represent an effective strategy for insect management, causing minimal environmental harm and posing less risk to human health than widely used chemical controls. The present study aims to obtain crude protein extracts from termites and to characterize their cellulolytic activities for their use in the bioprospecting of natural termiticides. Adult individuals were collected in wood fragments, identified, selected, and sectioned to obtain two protein extracts: one sample contains the entire exoskeleton. The other contains only the abdominal portion of the termites. The extract obtained exclusively from the termite abdomen (ABE) presented the highest concentration of proteins (670 mg/mL) compared to the crude extract of whole termites (EWT) (495 mg/mL) and the extract of the fungus Trichoderma viride isolated from termites (TvE) (397 mg/mL). All extracts showed enzymatic activities of total cellulase, endoglucanase, and exoglucanase. However, TvE showed the highest activities for all kinds of enzymes. Although the cellulolytic activities of the crude termite extracts were relatively low, they were measurable and stable. This stability permits their use in screening potential natural termiticides.