title: Microbial aerobic conversion of grass cell wall polysaccharides: screening and strain characterization.
abstract: A screening for microorganisms able to metabolize insoluble plant cell wall constituents was performed. As plant material, grass (Poaceae) was chosen. The selectivity of the screening medium was increased by previously extracting soluble sugars and proteins with 1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7. About 45 bacterial and 44 fungal strains were isolated. A gravimetrical method had to be optimized to determine microbial growth and the grass cell wall material converted, since conventional methods couldn't be applied due to interference of the grass particles. The selected fungi are the most promising group for the degradation of insoluble plant cell wall polymers; up till 30% conversion within 7 days was observed with the best fungal strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Faculty of Agricultural and Applied Biological Science, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hallemeersch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van de Mierop
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vandamme
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002688:Chitinases; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002688:Chitinases