Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Extremely thermophilic cellulolytic anaerobes from icelandic hot springs

  • Published:
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Anaerobic enrichment cultures with Avicel as substrate and inoculated with biomat samples from Icelandic hot springs were cultured at 70 ° or 78 °C and examined for the presence of microorganisms that produce extracellular cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes. From four enrichments grown at 78 °C eighteen strains were isolated. Five of the strains were screened for their substrate utilization, and on the basis of differences in morphology and substrates used, the two most unique strains were selected for further characterization. All cellulolytic cultures were rod-shaped and non-sporeforming. Motility was not observed. Cells stained gram-negative at various stages of the growth phase. During growth on Avicel, most cultures produced acetate as the major fermentation product, with smaller amounts of lactic acid and ethanol. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen were also produced. The phenotypic characteristics of the enrichment cultures and of isolates are described and assessed in relation to temperature and pH in the hot spring environment. A comparison is made between Icelandic strains isolated in our laboratory and strains isolated from hot springs from other parts of the world. The biotechnological potential of this group of bacteria is briefly discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angelidaki I, Petersen SP & Ahring BK (1990) Effects of lipids on thermophilic anaerobic digestion and reduction of lipid inhibition upon addition of bentonite. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 33: 469–472

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant MP (1972) Commentary on the Hungate technique for culture of anaerobic bacteria. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 25: 1324–1328

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cook GM, Janssen PH & Morgan HW (1991) Endospore formation byThermoanaerobium brockii HTD4. Sys. Appl. Microbiol. 14: 240–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Cord Ruwisch R (1985) A quick method for the determination of dissolved and precipitated sulfides in cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria. J. Microbiol. Methods 4: 33–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Donnison AM, Brockelsby CM, Daniel RM & Morgan HW (1986)Caldocellum saccharolyticum gen. nov. sp. nov., a new caldoactive cellulolytic bacterium isolated from a New Zealand thermal spring. Poster Paper Abstract, 14th International Congress of Microbiology, Manchester, England

  • Gerhardt P (1981) Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson JA, Morgan HW & Daniel RM (1990) A survey of cellulolytic anaerobic thermophiles from hot springs. System Appl. Microbiol. 13: 72–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungate RE (1969) A roll-tube method for cultivation of strict anaerobes. Methods Microbiol. 3: 117–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin F, Yamasato K & Toda K (1988)Clostridium thermocopriae sp. nov., a cellulolytic thermophile from animal feces, compost, soil, and a hot spring in Japan. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 38: 279–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristjansson JK & Stetter KO (1992) Thermophilic Bacteria In: Kristjansson JK (Ed) Thermophilic bacteria. (pp 1–18). CRC Press: London

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin CC & Cassida Jr. LE (1984) Gelrite as a gelling agent in media for growth of thermophilic organisms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47: 427–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Ruyet P, Dubourguier HC, Albagnac G & Prensier G (1985) Characterization ofClostridium thermolacticum sp. nov., a hydrolytic thermophilic anaerobe producing high amounts of lactate. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 6: 196–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Madden RH (1983) Isolation and characterization ofClostridium stercorarium sp. nov., cellulolytic thermophile. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 33: 837–840

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathrani IM & Ahring BK (1991) Isolation and characterization of a strictly xylan-degradingDictyoglomus from a man-made, thermophilic anaerobic environment. Arch. Microbiol. 157: 133–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathrani IM, Nielsen P, Sonne-Hansen J, Kristjansson JK & Ahring BK (1993) Influence of pH and temperature on enumeration of cellulose and hemicellulose-degrading thermophilic anaerobes in neutral and alkaline Icelandic hot springs. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59: 1963–1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendez BS, Pettinari MJ, Ivanier SE, Ramos CA & Sinereriz F (1991)Clostridium thermopapyrolyticum sp. nov., a cellulolytic thermophile. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41: 281–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesbah MU, Premachandran U & Whitman B (1989) Precise measurement of the G + C content of deoxyribonucleic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39: 159–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Mladenovska Z, Mathrani IM & Ahring BK (1995) Isolation and characterization ofCaldicellulosiruptor lactoaceticus sp. nov., an extremely thermophilic, cellulolytic anaerobic bacterium. Arch. Microbiol. 163: 223–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen P, Mathrani IM & Ahring BK (1993a)Thermoanaerobium acetigenum spec. nov., a new anaerobic extremely thermophilic, xylanolytic non-spore-forming bacterium isolated from an Icelandic hot spring. Arch. Microbiol. 159: 460–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen P, Mathrani IM & Ahring BK (1993b) Temperature-dependent enumeration and characterization of anaerobic, xylandegrading bacteria present in two Icelandic hot springs. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 12: 79–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Rainey FA, Janssen PH, Morgan HW & Stackebrandt E (1993a) A biphasic approach to the determination of the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of some anaerobic, cellulolytic, thermophilic, rod-shaped bacteria. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 64: 341–355

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rainey FA, Ward NL, Morgan HW, Toalster R & Stackebrandt E (1993b) Phylogenetic analysis of anaerobic thermophilic bacteria: Aid for their reclassification. J. Bacteriol. 175: 4772–4779

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rainey FA, Donnison AM, Janssen PH, Saul D, Rodrigo A, Bergquist PL, Daniel RM, Stackebrandt E & Morgan HW (1994) Description ofCaldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus gen. nov., sp. nov: An obligately anaerobic extremely thermophilic, cellulolytic Bacterium FEMS Microbiol Lett 120: 263–266

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schink B & Zeikus JG (1983)Clostridium thermosulfurogenes sp.nov., a new thermophile that produces elemental sulfur from thiosulfate. J. Gen. Microbiol. 129: 1149–1158

    Google Scholar 

  • Sissons CH, Sharrock KR, Daniel RM & Morgan HW (1987) Isolation of Cellulolytic Anaerobic Extreme Thermophiles from New Zealand Thermal Sites. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53: 832–838

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonne-Hansen J, Mathrani IM & Ahring BK (1993) Xylanolytic anaerobic thermophiles from Icelandic hot-springs. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 38: 537–541

    Google Scholar 

  • Svetlichny VA, Svetlichnaya TP, Chernykh NA & Zavarzin GA (1990)Anaerocellum thermophilum gen. nov., sp. nov., an extreme thermophilic cellulolytic eubacterium isolated from hot springs in the Valley of Geysers. Mikrobiologiya 59: 871–879

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamaoka J, & Komagata K (1984) Determination of DNA base composition by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 25: 125–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Taya M, Hinoki H, Susuki Y, Yagi T, Yap MGS, & Kobayashi T (1985) New thermophilic anaerobes that decompose crystalline cellulose. J. Ferment. Technol. 63: 383–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Taya M, Hinoki H, Yagi T & Kobayashi T (1988) Isolation and characterization of an extremely thermophilic, cellulolytic, anaerobic bacterium. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 29: 474–479

    Google Scholar 

  • Teather RM & Wood PJ (1982) Use of Congo Red-polysaccharide interactions in enumeration and characterization of cellulolytic bacteria from the bovine rumen. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43: 777–780

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Visuvanathan S, Moss MT, Stanford JL, Hermon-Taylor J & McFaddon JJ (1989) Simple enzymatic method for isolation of DNA from diverse bacteria. J. Microbiol. Methods 10: 59–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiegel J (1992) The obligately anaerobic thermophilic bacteria. In: Kristjansson JK (Ed) Thermophilic bacteria (pp 106–184). CRC Press. London

    Google Scholar 

  • Yanling H, Youfang D & Yanquan L (1991) Two cellulolyticClostridium species:Clostridium cellulosi sp. nov., andClostridium cellulofermentans sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41: 306–309

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sylvia Bredholt

    Present address: MATFORSK, The Norwegian Food Research Institute, Osloveien 1, N-1430, Ås, Norway

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, 115, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    Sylvia Bredholt, Indra M. Mathrani & Birgitte K. Ahring

Authors
  1. Sylvia Bredholt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Indra M. Mathrani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Birgitte K. Ahring
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bredholt, S., Mathrani, I.M. & Ahring, B.K. Extremely thermophilic cellulolytic anaerobes from icelandic hot springs. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 68, 263–271 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874135

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874135

Key words

Search

Navigation