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Isolation and characterization of xanthan-degrading Enterobacter sp. nov. LB37 for reducing the viscosity of xanthan in petroleum industry

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Abstract

A Gram-negative, straight rod and facultative anaerobic bacterium was isolated from soil sample. It exhibits the phenotypic characteristics consistent with its classification in the genus Enterobacter. The isolate ferment glucose to acid and gas. Arginine dihydrolase, ornithin decarboxylase and gelatinase but not deoxyribonuclease was produced by this isolate. There was no hydrogen sulfide production. On the basis of the phenotypic data, together with phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequences, this strain should represent a novel species of the genus Enterobacter and was designated as LB37. The strain LB37 could degrade xanthan molecules resulting in the rapid decrease of the viscosity of xanthan solution used in oil drilling process. Endoxanthanase activity was also detected in the culture supernatant. To our knowledge, it is the first report on the microbes being involved in the xanthan degradation for oil industry. The isolate LB37 would be useful for potential application in enhanced oil recovery and oil drilling field.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371742), Program for Liaoning Innovative Research Team in University (LT2011008), Special Fund for Agroscientific Research in the Public Interest (201303095), Science and technology Department of Liaoning and Dalian (2009402009, 2010415011, 2013B11NC078).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoyi Chen, Mi Wang, Fan Yang, Wenzhu Tang & Xianzhen Li

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  1. Xiaoyi Chen
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  2. Mi Wang
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  3. Fan Yang
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  4. Wenzhu Tang
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  5. Xianzhen Li
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Correspondence to Xianzhen Li.

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Chen, X., Wang, M., Yang, F. et al. Isolation and characterization of xanthan-degrading Enterobacter sp. nov. LB37 for reducing the viscosity of xanthan in petroleum industry. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 30, 1549–1557 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-013-1578-8

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