Bio-Prospecting Laccases in the Bacterial Diversity of Activated Sludge From Pulp and Paper Industry.
Activated sludge is an artificial ecosystem known to harbor complex microbial communities. Bacterial diversity in activated sludge from pulp and paper industry was studied to bioprospect for laccase, the multicopper oxidase applicable in a large number of industries due to its ability to utilize a wide range of substrates. Bacterial diversity using 454 pyrosequencing and laccase diversity using degenerate primers specific to conserved copper binding domain of laccase like multicopper oxidase (LMCO) genes were investigated. 1231 OTUs out of 11,425 sequence reads for bacterial diversity and 11 OTUs out of 15 reads for LMCO diversity were formed. Phylum Proteobacteria (64.95 %) with genusThauera(13.65 %) was most abundant followed by phylum Bacteriodetes (11.46 %) that included the dominant generaPaludibacter(1.93 %) andLacibacter(1.32 %). In case of LMCOs, 40 % sequences showed affiliation with Proteobacteria and 46.6 % with unculturable bacteria, indicating considerable novelty, and 13.3 % with Bacteroidetes. LMCOs belonged to H and J families.
Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Basic Medical Sciences Building, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India.
Vijaya
V
Gupta
Department of Biotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Neena
N
Capalash
Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Basic Medical Sciences Building, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India.
Naveen
N
Gupta
Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Basic Medical Sciences Building, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India.
Prince
P
Sharma
Activated sludge; Bacteria; Diversity; LMCO; Paper industry