title: Correlation analysis of enzyme activities and deconstruction of ammonia-pretreated switchgrass by bacterial-fungal communities.
abstract: The mixed microbial communities that occur naturally on lignocellulosic feedstocks can provide feedstock-specific enzyme mixtures to saccharify lignocelluloses. Bacterial-fungal communities were enriched from switchgrass bales to deconstruct ammonia-pretreated switchgrass (DSG). Correlation analysis was carried out to elucidate the relationship between microbial decomposition of DSG by these communities, enzymatic activities produced and enzymatic saccharification of DSG using these enzyme mixtures. Results of the analysis showed that β-glucosidase and xylosidase activities limited the extent of microbial deconstruction and enzymatic saccharification of DSG. The results also underlined the importance of ligninase activity for the enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. The bacterial-fungal communities developed in this research can be used to produce enzyme mixtures to deconstruct DSG, and the results from the correlation analysis can be used to optimize these enzyme mixtures for efficient saccharification of DSG to produce second-generation biofuels.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Falcon Heights, MN 55108, United States.
authors.forename: Abhiney
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Sacred Heart University, Department of Biology, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, United States.
authors.forename: Sandra H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bediako
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, 157A Life Sciences Facility, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States. Electronic address: hhenson@clemson.edu.
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Henson
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology; D018533:Biomass; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D008897:Panicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D004798:Enzymes; D000641:Ammonia
keywords: Bacterial-fungal consortia; Biofuels; Lignocellulose degradation; Mesophilic; Thermophilic