Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Effect of Temperature on the Structure and Function of a Cellulose-Degrading Microbial Community

  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature on the structure and straw degradation capability of a microbial community grown from wheat straw compost. Two cellulolytic microbial communities, WDC1 and WDC2, were obtained from compost. The communities had been cultured under 50 and 60 °C by continuous enrichment, respectively. The wheat straw degradation capabilities were 45.69 % (WDC1) and 59.5 % (WDC2). By changing the culture temperatures, two new stable communities were obtained: WDC1-6N (WDC1, cultivated at 60 °C for eight generations) and WDC2-5N (WDC2, cultivated at 50 °C for eight generations). The wheat straw degradation capabilities for the new communities were 59.75 and 52.60 %, respectively. The results showed that compared to 50 °C, the wheat straw degradation capability of the communities cultured at 60 °C was stronger. Sequencing of selected denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) bands and analysis of DGGE profiles indicated that the WDC2 structure was significantly different from the structure of WDC1. This was so even though the two communities were enriched from the same compost. With the change of culture temperature, the community structures underwent significant transitions. Included communities were thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria, and any cellulolytic bacteria (e.g., Clostridium thermocellum) that were active and abundant at conditions under 60 °C. These results have the potential to significantly aid in the enrichment of a cellulose-degrading community from the environment and to enhance the community capability to conduct straw biotransformation.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alvira, P., Tomás-Pejó, E., Ballesteros, M., & Negro, M. J. (2010). Pretreatment technologies for an efficient bioethanol production process based on enzymatic hydrolysis: a review. Bioresource Technology, 101, 4851–4861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Demain, A. L., Newcomb, M., & Wu, J. H. D. (2005). Cellulase, Clostridia, and ethanol. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 69, 124–154.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jin, W., Cheng, Y. F., Mao, S. Y., & Zhu, W. Y. (2011). Isolation of natural cultures of anaerobic fungi and indigenously associated methanogens from herbivores and their bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials to methane. Bioresource Technology, 102, 7925–7931.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sizova, M. V., Izquierdo, J. A., Panikov, N. S., & Lynd, L. R. (2011). Cellulose- and xylan-degrading thermophilic anaerobic bacteria from biocompost. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77, 2282–2291.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Vazana, Y., Morais, S., Barak, Y., Lamed, R., & Bayer, E. A. (2010). Interplay between Clostridium thermocellum family 48 and family 9 cellulases in cellulosomal versus noncellulosomal states. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76, 3236–3243.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Levin, D. B., Islam, R., Cicek, N., & Sparling, R. (2006). Hydrogen production by Clostridium thermocellum 27405 from cellulosic biomass substrates. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 31, 1496–1503.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Shiratori, H., Ikeno, H., Ayame, S., Kataoka, N., Miya, A., Hosono, K., et al. (2006). Isolation and characterization of a new Clostridium sp. that performs effective cellulosic waste digestion in a thermophilic methanogenic bioreactor. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72, 3702–3709.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kato, S., Haruta, S., Cui, Z. J., Ishii, M., Yokota, A., & Igarashi, Y. (2004). Clostridium straminisolvens sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic, aerotolerant and cellulolytic bacterium isolated from a cellulose-degrading bacterial community. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 54, 2043–2047.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Odom, J. M., & Wall, J. D. (1983). Photoproduction of H2 from cellulose by an anaerobic bacterial coculture. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 45, 1300–1305.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Haruta, S., Cui, Z., Huang, Z., Li, M., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2002). Construction of a stable microbial community with high cellulose-degradation ability. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 59, 529–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kato, S., Haruta, S., Cui, Z. J., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2004). Effective cellulose degradation by a mixed-culture system composed of a cellulolytic Clostridium and aerobic non-cellulolytic bacteria. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 51, 133–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kato, S., Haruta, S., Cui, Z. J., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2005). Stable coexistence of five bacterial strains as a cellulose-degrading community. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71, 7099–7106.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Feng, Y., Yu, Y., Wang, X., Qu, Y., Li, D., He, W., et al. (2011). Degradation of raw corn stover powder (RCSP) by an enriched microbial consortium and its community structure. Bioresource Technology, 102, 742–747.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lv, Z., Yang, J., Wang, E., & Yuan, H. (2008). Characterization of extracellular and substrate-bound cellulases from a mesophilic sugarcane bagasse-degrading microbial community. Process Biochemistry, 43, 1467–1472.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wongwilaiwalin, S., Rattanachomsri, U., Laothanachareon, T., Eurwilaichitr, L., Igarashi, Y., & Champreda, V. (2010). Analysis of a thermophilic lignocellulose degrading microbial consortium and multi-species lignocellulolytic enzyme system. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 47, 283–290.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Chin, K. J., Lukow, T., & Conrad, R. (1999). Effect of temperature on structure and function of the methanogenic archaeal community in an anoxic rice field soil. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 65, 2341–2349.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Glissman, K., Chin, K. J., Casper, P., & Conrad, R. (2004). Methanogenic pathway and archaeal community structure in the sediment of eutrophic Lake Dagow: effect of temperature. Microbial Ecology, 48, 389–399.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gordon, G. L., & Phillips, M. W. (1989). Degradation and utilization of cellulose and straw by three different anaerobic fungi from the ovine rumen. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 55, 1703–1710.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Singh, J., Batra, N., & Sobti, R. C. (2001). A highly thermostable, alkaline CMCase produced by a newly isolated Bacillus sp. VG1. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 17, 761–765.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wang, X., Haruta, S., Wang, P., Ishii, M., Igarashi, Y., & Cui, Z. (2006). Diversity of a stable enrichment culture which is useful for silage inoculant and its succession in alfalfa silage. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 57, 106–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Narisawa, N., Haruta, S., Cui, Z. J., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2007). Effect of adding cellulolytic bacterium on stable cellulose-degrading microbial community. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 104, 432–434.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Yang, H., Wu, H., Wang, X., Cui, Z., & Li, Y. (2011). Selection and characteristics of a switchgrass-colonizing microbial community to produce extracellular cellulases and xylanases. Bioresource Technology, 102, 3546–3550.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Abecia, L., Fondevila, M., Balcells, J., Lobley, G. E., & McEwan, N. R. (2007). The effect of medicated diets and level of feeding on caecal microbiota of lactating rabbit does. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 103, 787–793.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang, X. J., Yuan, X. F., Wang, H., Li, J., Wang, X. F., & Cui, Z. J. (2011). Characteristics and community diversity of a wheat straw-colonizing microbial community. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10, 7853–7861.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Panswad, T., Doungchai, A., & Anotai, J. (2003). Temperature effect on microbial community of enhanced biological phosphorus removal system. Water Research, 37, 409–415.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Flint, J. F., Drzymalski, D., Montgomery, W. L., Southam, G., & Angert, E. R. (2005). Nocturnal production of endospores in natural populations of epulopiscium-like surgeonfish symbionts. Journal of Bacteriology, 187, 7460–7470.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Srivastava, S. K., Ali, A., & Khanna, S. (1991). Purification, characterization and cloning of an endo-1,4-B-glucanase from Ruminococcus sp. Biotechnology Letters, 13, 907–912.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lü, Y., Wang, X., Li, N., Wang, X., Ishii, M., Igarashi, Y., et al. (2011). Characterization of the effective cellulose degrading strain CTL-6. Journal of Environmental Sciences (China), 23, 649–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Sasaki, K., Haruta, S., Tatara, M., Yamazawa, A., Ueno, Y., Ishii, M., et al. (2006). Microbial community in methanogenic packed-bed reactor successfully operating at short hydraulic retention time. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 101, 271–273.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Ueno, Y., Sasaki, D., Fukui, H., Haruta, S., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2006). Changes in bacterial community during fermentative hydrogen and acid production from organic waste by thermophilic anaerobic microflora. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 101, 331–343.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Kröber, M., Bekel, T., Diaz, N. N., Goesmann, A., Jaenicke, S., Krause, L., et al. (2009). Phylogenetic characterization of a biogas plant microbial community integrating clone library 16 S-rDNA sequences and metagenome sequence data obtained by 454-pyrosequencing. Journal of Biotechnology, 142, 38–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ratkowsky, D. A., Lowry, R. K., McMeekin, T. A., Stokes, A. N., & Chandler, R. E. (1983). Model for bacterial culture growth rate throughout the entire biokinetic temperature range. Journal of Bacteriology, 154, 1222–1226.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Avrahami, S., Liesack, W., & Conrad, R. (2003). Effects of temperature and fertilizer on activity and community structure of soil ammonia oxidizers. Environmental Microbiology, 5, 691–705.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kato, S., Haruta, S., Cui, Z. J., Ishii, M., & Igarashi, Y. (2008). Network relationships of bacteria in a stable mixed culture. Microbial Ecology, 56, 403–411.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Key Projects in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan Period (no. 2011BAD15B01) and supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (no. 2011M500452).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Yucai Lü, Xiaofen Wang & Zongjun Cui

  2. Alan G. MacDiarmid Research Institute of Renewable Energy/Research Institute for New Energy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China

    Yucai Lü & Dachun Gong

  3. College of Hydraulic & Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China

    Ning Li

Authors
  1. Yucai Lü
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ning Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dachun Gong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiaofen Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zongjun Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaofen Wang.

Additional information

Yucai Lü and Ning Li contributed equally to this article and are joint first authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lü, Y., Li, N., Gong, D. et al. The Effect of Temperature on the Structure and Function of a Cellulose-Degrading Microbial Community. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 168, 219–233 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-012-9731-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-012-9731-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation