medium-preparation-for-cultivation-microorganisms-under-strictly

Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions

In contrast to aerobic organisms, strictly anaerobic microorganisms require the absence of oxygen and usually a low redox potential to initiate growth. As ...

extraction-cofactor-f420-for-analysis-polyglutamate-tail-length-from

Extraction of Cofactor F<sub>420</sub> for Analysis of Polyglutamate Tail Length from Methanogenic Pure Cultures and Environmental Samples

The cofactor F420 plays a central role as a hydride carrier in the primary and secondary metabolism of many bacterial and archaeal taxa. The cofactor is ...

Universität Innsbruck

With regard to renewable sources of energy, bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass has long been recognized as a desirable endeavor. However, the highly heterogeneous structure of lignocellulose restricts the exploitation of its promising potential in biogas plants. Hence, effective pre-treatment methods are decisive prerequisites to overcome these challenges in order to improve the utilization ratio of (ligno) cellulosic substrates during fermentation. In the present study, the application of Trichoderma viride in an aerobic upstream process prior to anaerobic digestion led up to a threefold increase in the yield of methane and total gas in a lab-scale investigation. Due to its highly efficient cellulolytic activities, T. viride seemed to be responsible for an improved nutrient availability that positively influenced the anaerobic microbiocenosis. Aerobic pre-treatment of organic matter with T. viride is therefore a promising solution to achieve higher methane yields and degradation performances without any additional energy demand, nor undesired by-product inhibition. 

Biological pre-treatment: Enhancing biogas production using the highly cellulolytic fungus Trichoderma viride.

With regard to social and environmental sustainability, second-generation biofuel and biogas production from lignocellulosic material provides considerable potential, since lignocellulose represents an inexhaustible, ubiquitous natural resource, and is therefore one important step towards independence from fossil fuel combustion. However, the highly heterogeneous structure and recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose restricts its commercial utilization in biogas plants. Improvements therefore rely on effective pretreatment methods to overcome structural impediments, thus facilitating the accessibility and digestibility of (ligno)cellulosic substrates during anaerobic digestion. While chemical and physical pretreatment strategies exhibit inherent drawbacks including the formation of inhibitory products, biological pretreatment is increasingly being advocated as an environmentally friendly process with low energy input, low disposal costs, and milder operating conditions. Nevertheless, the promising potential of biological pretreatment techniques is not yet fully exploited. Hence, we intended to provide a detailed insight into currently applied pretreatment techniques, with a special focus on biological ones for downstream processing of lignocellulosic biomass in anaerobic digestion.

Biological Pretreatment Strategies for Second-Generation Lignocellulosic Resources to Enhance Biogas Production.

Although soil-borne methanogens are known to be highly diverse and adapted to extreme environments, their application as potential (anaerobic) inocula to improve anaerobic digestion has not been investigated until now. The present study aimed at evaluating if soil-derived communities can be beneficial for biogas (methane, CH) production and endure unfavorable conditions commonly associated with digestion failure. Nine study sites were chosen and tested for suitability as inoculation sources to improve biogas production via  measurements (CH fluxes, physical and chemical soil properties, and abundance of methanogens) and during a series of anaerobic digestions with (a) combinations of both sterile or unsterile soil and diluted fermenter sludge, and (b) pH-, acetate-, propionate-, and ammonium-induced disturbance. Amplicon sequencing was performed to assess key microbial communities pivotal for successful biogas production. Four out of nine tested soil inocula exerted sufficient methanogenic activity and repeatedly allowed satisfactory CH/biogas production even under deteriorated conditions. Remarkably, the significantly highest CH production was observed using unsterile soil combined with sterile sludge, which coincided with both a higher relative abundance of methanogens and predicted genes involved in CH metabolism in these variants. Different bacterial and archaeal community patterns depending on the soil/sludge combinations and disturbance variations were established and these patterns significantly impacted CH production.  spp. seemed to play a key role in CH formation and prevailed even under stressed conditions. Overall, the results provided evidence that soil-borne methanogens can be effective in enhancing digestion performance and stability and, thus, harbor vast potential for further exploitation.

Soil-Derived Inocula Enhance Methane Production and Counteract Common Process Failures During Anaerobic Digestion.

We isolated a filamentous, thermophilic, and first anaerobic representative of the genus Thermoactinomyces, designated strain AMNI-1, from a biogas plant in Tyrol, Austria and report the results of a phenotypic, genetic, and phylogenetic investigation. Strain AMNI-1 was observed to form a white branching mycelium that aggregates into pellets when grown in liquid medium. Cells could primarily utilize lactose, glucose, and mannose as carbon and energy sources, with acetate accelerating and yeast extract being mandatory for growth. The optimum growth temperature and pH turned out to be 55 °C and pH 7.0, respectively, with an optimum NaCl concentration of 0-2% (w/v). 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison indicated that the genetic relatedness between strain AMNI-1 and Thermoactinomyces intermedius, Thermoactinomyces khenchelensis, and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris was less than 97%. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 44.7 mol%. The data obtained suggest that the isolate represents a novel and first anaerobic species of the genus Thermoactinomyces, for which the name Thermoactinomyces mirandus is proposed. The type strain is AMNI-1 (= DSM 110094 = LMG 31503). The description of the genus Thermoactinomyces is emended accordingly.

Proposal of Thermoactinomyces mirandus sp. nov., a filamentous, anaerobic bacterium isolated from a biogas plant.

Lignin intermediates resulting from lignocellulose degradation have been suspected to hinder anaerobic mineralisation of organic materials to biogas. Phenyl acids like phenylacetate (PAA) are early detectable intermediates during anaerobic digestion (AD) of aromatic compounds. Studying the phenyl acid formation dynamics and concomitant microbial community shifts can help to understand the microbial interdependencies during AD of aromatic compounds and may be beneficial to counteract disturbances.

Mira Mutschlechner

Department of Microbiology

Universität Innsbruck

Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions

Extraction of Cofactor F₄₂₀ for Analysis of Polyglutamate Tail Length from Methanogenic Pure Cultures and Environmental Samples

Mira Mutschlechner

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Microbiology

Universität Innsbruck

Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions

Extraction of Cofactor F420 for Analysis of Polyglutamate Tail Length from Methanogenic Pure Cultures and Environmental Samples

Department of Microbiology

Extraction of Cofactor F₄₂₀ for Analysis of Polyglutamate Tail Length from Methanogenic Pure Cultures and Environmental Samples