An Antitermitic Compound-Producing Endophytic Bacterium from Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Termites present a significant hazard to wooden structures, agriculture and urban environments. Termiticides are now required to meet more stringent environmental standards. Microbial metabolites with antitermitic properties are considered practical alternatives for termite control. Here, we report an antitermitic compound-producing endophytic bacterium HDZK-BYB36 isolated from the termite-resistant tree, Port-Orford-cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). The morphological, physio-biochemical, and 16S rDNA characteristics of the bacterium were investigated, as well as its antimicrobial and antitermitic activities. The antitermitic compounds from the strain HDZK-BYB36 were analyzed by GC-MS. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that HDZK-BYB36 was a subspecies of Paenibacillus aliginolyticus, sharing 98.72% identity with P. alginolyticus DSM 5050^T. The HDZK-BYB36 demonstrated robust antimicrobial and termiticidal activities. It produced at least 4 antitermitic compounds, namely nootkatone, τ-muurolol, torreyol and α-cadinol, as determined by GC-MS analysis. The isolation of HDZK-BYB36 presents an effective and innovative resource for generating antitermitic compounds, providing a sustainable approach towards the prevention and control of termites.