scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

Taxonomic Distinction of Saccharolytic Thermophilic Anaerobes: Description of Thermoanaerobacterium xylanolyticum gen. nov., sp. nov., and Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum gen. nov., sp. nov.; Reclassification of Thermoanaerobium brockii, Clostridium thermosulfurogenes, and Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum E100-69 as Thermoanaerobacter brockii comb. nov., Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes comb. nov., and Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus comb. nov., Respectively; and Transfer of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum 39E to Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus

TL;DR: Two thermophilic, anaerobic, xylan-degrading bacteria, strains B6A-RIT (T = type strain) and LX-11T, were isolated from Frying Pan Springs in Yellowstone National Park as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Two thermophilic, anaerobic, xylan-degrading bacteria, strains B6A-RIT (T = type strain) and LX-11T, were isolated from Frying Pan Springs in Yellowstone National Park. These organisms grew chemoorganotrophically by utilizing xylan and starch but not cellulose, as well as a number of di- and monosaccharides, including glucose and xylose. Both organisms had the same optimum temperature and pH for growth (60°C and pH 6.0). The fermentation products included acetate, ethanol, lactate, CO2, and H2. Both organisms were rod shaped and deposited sulfur on their cells. The major difference between the two isolates was in spore formation; strain LX-11T sporulated, whereas strain B6A-RIT were compared with other thermophilic, anaerobic, xylan-degrading bacteria by performing DNA-DNA hybridizations and total protein analyses in order to determine the relationships of these organisms. Three different groups were identified, and new taxonomic assignments are proposed. Clostridium thermocellum LQRI was least closely related to the other seven strains studied and is placed in group I, retaining its original taxonomic assignment. Clostridium thermosulfurogenes 4BT and new isolates B6A-RIT are closely related and fall into group II, for which the new genus Thermoanaerobacterium is proposed. Isolate LX-11T is designated Thermoanaerobacterium xylanolyticum sp. nov., and isolate B6A-RIT is designated Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum sp. nov. Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes 4BT (originally C. thermosulfurogenes) is the type strain of the type species of the genus. Group III strains are placed in the genus Thermoanaerobacter; this group includes Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus JW200T, Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum 39E and E100-69T, and Thermoanaerobium brockii HTD4T. Thermoanaerobium brockii HTD4T is renamed Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus comb. nov. C. thermohydrosulfuricum 39E is nearly identical to Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus JW200T, and these organisms are considered members of the same species. Therefore, C. thermohydrosulfuricum 39E is renamed Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E; strain JW200 is the type strain of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus.
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The need for such a process, the cellulases of clostridia, their presence in extracellular complexes or organelles (the cellulosomes), the binding of the cellulosome to cellulose and to the cell surface, cellulase genetics, regulation of their synthesis, cocultures, ethanol tolerance, and metabolic pathway engineering for maximizing ethanol yield are discussed.
Abstract: Biomass conversion to ethanol as a liquid fuel by the thermophilic and anaerobic clostridia offers a potential partial solution to the problem of the world's dependence on petroleum for energy. Coculture of a cellulolytic strain and a saccharolytic strain of Clostridium on agricultural resources, as well as on urban and industrial cellulosic wastes, is a promising approach to an alternate energy source from an economic viewpoint. This review discusses the need for such a process, the cellulases of clostridia, their presence in extracellular complexes or organelles (the cellulosomes), the binding of the cellulosomes to cellulose and to the cell surface, cellulase genetics, regulation of their synthesis, cocultures, ethanol tolerance, and metabolic pathway engineering for maximizing ethanol yield.

888 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that values of DeltaGr(0) for many microbially mediated reactions are highly temperature dependent, and that adopting values determined at 25 degrees C for systems at elevated temperatures introduces significant and unnecessary errors.
Abstract: Thermophilic and hyperthermophilic Archaea and Bacteria have been isolated from marine hydrothermal systems, heated sediments, continental solfataras, hot springs, water heaters, and industrial waste They catalyze a tremendous array of widely varying metabolic processes As determined in the laboratory, electron donors in thermophilic and hyperthermophilic microbial redox reactions include H2, Fe(2+), H2S, S, S2O3(2-), S4O6(2-), sulfide minerals, CH4, various mono-, di-, and hydroxy-carboxylic acids, alcohols, amino acids, and complex organic substrates; electron acceptors include O2, Fe(3+), CO2, CO, NO3(-), NO2(-), NO, N2O, SO4(2-), SO3(2-), S2O3(2-), and S Although many assimilatory and dissimilatory metabolic reactions have been identified for these groups of microorganisms, little attention has been paid to the energetics of these reactions In this review, standard molal Gibbs free energies (DeltaGr(0)) as a function of temperature to 200 degrees C are tabulated for 370 organic and inorganic redox, disproportionation, dissociation, hydrolysis, and solubility reactions directly or indirectly involved in microbial metabolism To calculate values of DeltaGr(0) for these and countless other reactions, the apparent standard molal Gibbs free energies of formation (DeltaG(0)) at temperatures to 200 degrees C are given for 307 solids, liquids, gases, and aqueous solutes It is shown that values of DeltaGr(0) for many microbially mediated reactions are highly temperature dependent, and that adopting values determined at 25 degrees C for systems at elevated temperatures introduces significant and unnecessary errors The metabolic processes considered here involve compounds that belong to the following chemical systems: H-O, H-O-N, H-O-S, H-O-N-S, H-O-C(inorganic), H-O-C, H-O-N-C, H-O-S-C, H-O-N-S-C(amino acids), H-O-S-C-metals/minerals, and H-O-P For four metabolic reactions of particular interest in thermophily and hyperthermophily (knallgas reaction, anaerobic sulfur and nitrate reduction, and autotrophic methanogenesis), values of the overall Gibbs free energy (DeltaGr) as a function of temperature are calculated for a wide range of chemical compositions likely to be present in near-surface and deep hydrothermal and geothermal systems

678 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review summarizes a decade of research that finds that it may be possible to understand microbial biodiversity within hot spring cyanobacterial mats by using principles similar to those developed by evolutionary ecologists to understand biodiversity of larger species.
Abstract: This review summarizes a decade of research in which we have used molecular methods, in conjunction with more traditional approaches, to study hot spring cyanobacterial mats as models for understanding principles of microbial community ecology. Molecular methods reveal that the composition of these communities is grossly oversimplified by microscopic and cultivation methods. For example, none of 31 unique 16S rRNA sequences detected in the Octopus Spring mat, Yellowstone National Park, matches that of any prokaryote previously cultivated from geothermal systems; 11 are contributed by genetically diverse cyanobacteria, even though a single cyanobacterial species was suspected based on morphologic and culture analysis. By studying the basis for the incongruity between culture and molecular samplings of community composition, we are beginning to cultivate isolates whose 16S rRNA sequences are readily detected. By placing the genetic diversity detected in context with the well-defined natural environmental gradients typical of hot spring mat systems, the relationship between gene and species diversity is clarified and ecological patterns of species occurrence emerge. By combining these ecological patterns with the evolutionary patterns inherently revealed by phylogenetic analysis of gene sequence data, we find that it may be possible to understand microbial biodiversity within these systems by using principles similar to those developed by evolutionary ecologists to understand biodiversity of larger species. We hope that such an approach guides microbial ecologists to a more realistic and predictive understanding of microbial species occurrence and responsiveness in both natural and disturbed habitats.

585 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences of the 72 clones developed from the sludge at pH 6.0 shows that 85.7% of the clones were closely affiliated with genus Thermoanaerobacterium in family Thermoanobacteriaceae; the remaining 14.3% were with an uncultured Saccharococcus sp.

360 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A thermophilic H 2 -producing bacterial strain was isolated from a biohydrogen reactor fed with palm oil mill effluent and identified as Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum using 16S rRNA gene analysis, which showed a high yield and production rate.

241 citations