title: Metabolic and genetic diversity of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria isolated from composted municipal sludge on poly-epsilon-caprolactones.
abstract: Thirty mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria were isolated from thermobiotically digested sewage sludge in culture medium supplemented with poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL). The ability of each purified isolate to degrade PCL and to produce polymer-degrading extracellular enzymes was assessed. Isolates were characterized based on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), 16S rDNA sequence-based phylogenetic affiliation and carbohydrate-based nutritional versatility. Mesophilic isolates with ability to degrade PCL were attributed to the genera Acinetobacter, Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, and Staphylococcus. Thermophilic isolates were members of the genus Bacillus. Despite the restricted phylogenetic and genotypic diversity observed for thermophiles, their metabolic versatility and wide range of growth temperatures suggest an important activity of these organisms during the whole composting process.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoologia and Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Universidade de Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tiago
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veríssimo
authors.forename: Célia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Manaia
mesh_terms: D002208:Caproates / Q000378:metabolism*; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D002208:Caproates; D007783:Lactones; D012722:Sewage; C121056:caprolactone