A novel beta-1,4-endoglucanase gene was cloned from Dictyoglomus thermophilum, designated as Cel5H for being a member of glycoside hydrolase family 5. The purified recombinant endoglucanase showed high hydrolytic activities on carboxylmethyl cellulose with a broad optimal temperature of 50-85 degrees C and an optimal pH of 5.0. Furthermore, this enzyme was highly thermostable with a half-life of 336 h at 70 degrees C and retained more than 80% of the initial activity after 135 days incubation at 50 degrees C. To enhance the performance of the thermophilic endoglucanase, chimeric enzymes containing Cel5H and syncretic cellulose binding module (CBM) were constructed. The results showed that all the CBMs were effective. In addition, Cel5H was highly tolerant against high salt concentration and distinguished from salt-tolerant bacteria since it was independent of high salt concentration. Three-dimensional structure of Cel5H was developed by homology modeling methods and surface electrostatic analysis was performed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.