Screening for lignin degrading bacteria by means of 14C-labelled lignins

Abstract

Several Nocardia and Pseudomonas spp., as well as some unidentified bacteria, isolated from lake water containing high loads of waste lignin, were tested for their capacity to release 14CO2 from specifically 14C-labelled dehydropolymer of coniferyl alcohol (DHP) or corn stalk lignins. The bacteria were selected according to their ability to degrade phenolic compounds. However, only some of them could release significant amounts of 14CO2 from the labelled lignin. The tested Nocardia spp. were more active than the Pseudomonas spp. and the unidentified bacteria. The most active strains belonged to N. autotrophica. These strains released CO2 significantly from the methoxyl group and transformed the other carbons from the phenylpropane skeleton of lignin also into CO2. Other less demethylating strains also released little CO2 from the other carbons of the lignin molecule. From corn stalk materials which were specifically labelled in the lignin part, only small amounts of labelled CO2 were released.

Response of fungal and actinobacterial communities to water-level drawdown in boreal peatland sites

“…A minority of sequences were similar to members of Rhodococcus, Nocardia and Mycobacterium, which are commonly found in soil and water and include human pathogens, saprophytes (Ryan, 2004) and decomposers able to process complex aromatics (van der Geize and Dijkhuizen, 2004), lignin (Trojanowski et al, 1977;Haider et al, 1978) and complex hydrocarbons such as petroleum distillates (Aislabie et al, 1998).…”

Biochemical aspects and formation of phenolic compounds by coir pith degraded by Pleurotus sajor caju

“…But the present study confirms that when the coir pith was treated with the mushroom Pleurotus sajor caju, the nutrient content of coir pith such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium showed the variation and it get increased. In addition to the fungi, several reports brought strong evidence of some bacteria can degrade lignin effectively (Crawford, 1978;Haider et al, 1978;Kawakami., 1976;Trojanowski et al, 1977). Cullen and Kersten (2004) reported that the enzymes from white rot fungi that catalyse the initial depolymerization of lignin are extra cellular and unusually non specific.…”

Cultivable bacteria from bulk water, aggregates, and surface sediments of a tidal flat ecosystem

“…Isolation of Actinobacteria and Bacilli from various habitats of the Wadden Sea with different biopolymers shows that these strains are capable of degrading a variety of polymeric substances. Actinobacteria are well known to be able to degrade various polymeric substances such as cellulose and lignin and also rubber and polyester (Haider et al 1978;Godden and Penninckx 1984;Jendrossek et al 1997). F. vesiculosus, cellulose, starch, chitin, and laminarin are typical for coastal marine environments which may explain why Actinobacteria prosper in the Wadden Sea and why they were isolated so frequently.…”