title: Detection and quantitation of colored deposit-forming Meiothermus spp. in paper industry processes and end products.
abstract: Colored biofilms cause problems in paper industry. In this work we used real-time PCR to detect and to quantitate members of the genus Meiothermus from the process samples and end products from 24 machines manufacturing pulp, paper and board in four countries. The results obtained from 200 samples showed the importance of members of the genus Meiothermus as ubiquitous biofoulers in paper machines. This genus was the dominant biofouler in some mills. From < or =10(4) to 10(11) copies of Meiothermus 16S rRNA genes were found per gram of process deposit (wet weight). Meiothermus spp. were found in paper and board products with colored defects and connection between deposit-forming microbes and end-product spots was shown. 16S rRNA gene sequences of 29 biofilm producing bacterial isolates from different mills were determined. Based on sequence data, 25 of the isolates were assigned to the genus Meiothermus, with Meiothermus silvanus and M. ruber as the most frequent species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, Helsinki, 00014 Finland.
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekman
authors.forename: Mirva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosonen
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jokela
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolari
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korhonen
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salkinoja-Salonen
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D010209:Paper; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013824:Thermus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S