pectins and laminaran

Two facultatively aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria capable of degrading pectin, xylan, laminarin and some other polysaccharides were obtained from the acidic Sphagnum peat bog Bakchar, in western Siberia, Russia, and were designated strains TPT18(T) and TPT56(T). Cells of these isolates are Gram-negative, non-motile, long rods that are covered by large capsules. On ageing, they transform into spherical L-forms. Strains TPT18(T) and TPT56(T) are acido- and psychrotolerant organisms capable of growth at pH 4.2-8.2 (with an optimum at pH 6.0-6.5) and at 2-33 degrees C (with an optimum at 20 degrees C). The major fatty acids are iso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH and summed feature 3 (iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH and/or C(16 : 1)omega7c); the quinones are MK-7 and MK-6. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the novel strains share 97 % sequence similarity and belong to the family Sphingobacteriaceae; however, they are related only distantly to members of the genera Pedobacter (91.8-93.3 % similarity) and Sphingobacterium (89.6-91.2 % similarity). The DNA G+C content of strains TPT18(T) and TPT56(T) is 42.4 and 46.1 mol%, respectively. The low DNA-DNA hybridization value (42 %) and a number of phenotypic differences between strains TPT18(T) and TPT56(T) indicated that they represent two separate species. Since the two isolates are clearly distinct from all currently described members of the family Sphingobacteriaceae, we propose a novel genus, Mucilaginibacter gen. nov., containing two novel species, Mucilaginibacter gracilis sp. nov. and Mucilaginibacter paludis sp. nov. The type strains of Mucilaginibacter gracilis and Mucilaginibacter paludis are respectively TPT18(T) (=ATCC BAA-1391(T) =VKM B-2447(T)) and TPT56(T) (=ATCC BAA-1394(T) =VKM B-2446(T)).

Topics: Aerobiosis; Bacterial Capsules; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bacteroidetes; Base Composition; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Ribosomal; Fatty Acids; Genes, rRNA; Glucans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Locomotion; Molecular Sequence Data; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Pectins; Phylogeny; Polysaccharides; Quinones; RNA, Bacterial; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Siberia; Soil Microbiology; Sphagnopsida; Temperature; Wetlands; Xylans

Many filamentous fungi produce an array of extracellular enzymes that acting in cell walls release elicitors of the plant defense response These enzymes may therefore be important in biocontrol applications. The aim of this study was to characterize extracellular degradative enzymes produced by a non-pathogenic binucleate isolate of Rhizoctonia AG-G. The fungus was grown in liquid culture supplemented with pectin, polygalacturonic acid or glucose as a carbon sources and filtrates of the culture media were analyzed for the detection of pectinolytic and glucan hydrolytic enzymes. Using only pectin as a carbon source, secretion of polygalacturonases and methylesterases was found. When the liquid medium was supplemented with polygalacturonic acid, only polygalacturonase activity was detected. However, when glucose was used as carbon source beta-1,3 and beta-1,6 glucanases activities were detected, using laminarin and pustulan as substrates, but none of the pectinolytic activities were found. These enzymes were partially purified and characterized. The beta-(1,3)(1,6) glucanase and polygalacturonase enzymes showed to be active against cell wall polysaccharides from potato sprouts. These enzymes may have an important role in fungus-plant cell wall interaction. This is the first study about the production of extracellular enzymes by non-pathogenic binucleate Rhizoctonia AG-G.

Topics: Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; Cell Wall; Culture Media; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase; Glucans; Glucose; Glycoside Hydrolases; Pectins; Polygalacturonase; Polysaccharides; Rhizoctonia; Solanum tuberosum; Substrate Specificity