title: Microbial community analysis with a high PHA storage capacity.
abstract: Activated sludge was submitted to aerobic dynamic substrate feeding for the production of biodegradable plastics. Two sequencing batch reactors were operated with acetate or propionate as sole carbon substrates. With acetate a homopolymer of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was obtained and with propionate a copolymer of hydroxybutyrate and hydroxyvalerate P(HB/HV) was produced. Three main morphotypes were identified in both sludges: two belong to the Alphaproteobacteria class and the third to the Betaproteobacteria class. Bacilli belonging to Betaproteobacteria were shown by FISH analysis, applied in combination with Nile Blue post-staining, to be the main responsible for PHAs storage. The latter were affiliated to Azoarcus genus within Betaproteobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, CQFB/REQUIMTE, FCT/Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Serafim
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levantesi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tandoi
authors.forename: M A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D010969:Plastics / Q000378:metabolism; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D010969:Plastics; D012722:Sewage