Isolation and Screening of Cellulose-Degrading Microorganisms from Different Ecological Niches

Abstract

Increased interest in developing cellulose-based ethanol over the last few years was the main reason behind inflated research to find cellulose-degrading microorganisms. Several methods have been developed in the past for efficient isolation and characterization of cellulolytic microorganisms. However, it is critical to choose a specific method from a list of qualitative methods for the characterization of cellulose degrading microorganisms. In this chapter, we have extensively listed various qualitative methods used for the isolation and characterization of the cellulolytic microorganisms isolated from different ecological niches such as soil, decaying wood, gut, and rumen.