Anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria from wetwood of living trees

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5831769

Warshaw, J E; Leschine, S B; Canale-Parola, E

Obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from the wetwood of elm and maple trees. The isolation of these bacteria involved inoculation of selective enrichment cultures with increment cores taken from trees showing evidence of wetwood. Cellulolytic bacteria were present in the cores from seven of nine trees sampled, as indicated by the disappearance of cellulose from enrichment cultures. With two exceptions, cellulolytic activity was confined to the darker, wetter, inner section of the cores. Cellulolytic bacteria were also present in the fluid from core holes. The cellulolytic isolates were motile rods that stained gram negative. Endospores were formed by some strains. The physiology of one of the cellulolytic isolates (strain JW2) was studied in detail. Strain JW2 fermented cellobiose, D-glucose, glycerol, L-arabinose, D-xylose, and xylan in addition to cellulose. In a defined medium, p-aminobenzoic acid and biotin were the only exogenous growth factors required by strain JW2 for the fermentation of cellobiose or cellulose. Acetate and ethanol were the major nongaseous end products of cellulose fermentation. The guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA of strain JW2 was 33.7 mol%. Cellulolytic bacteria have not previously been reported to occur in wetwood. The isolation of such bacteria indicates that cellulolytic bacteria are inhabitants of wetwood environments and suggests that they may be involved in wetwood development.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-81ER10878
• OSTI ID: 5831769
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 50:4; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090222* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULOLYTIC ACTIVITY
CELLULOSE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PROCESSING
SACCHARIDES
SOLVOLYSIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WOOD