It is widely noticed that microbial consortia have the potential to enhance the degradation and conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. What are the underlying mechanisms?
Lignocellulose degradation is an enzymatic process. Microbes, including bacteria and fungi, secrete enzymes into the woody plant tissues. These enzymes promote chemical reactions that break down the plant structural components into molecules that the microbes can absorb across their cell membranes. Each species of microbe can secrete a specific set of enzymes, targeting specific chemical bonds. The greater the diversity of the microbes, the greater the diversity of the enzymes. Thus a diverse microbial consortia will lead to faster degradation.
Agree with Janice Kerr. Microbes produce biocatalyst which are able to degrade complex lignocellulosic material. Mostly these enzymes commonly know as Lignin Modifying Enzymes (LMEs) includes lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP)and laccase.
To add to the above mentioned mechanism.A microbial consortia could help in generation of new products from complex substrates which can then be utilized
For.eg
Consider a single culture of Bacteria1 and a consortia with Bacteria 1 and 2.Now consider a complex lignocellulosic substrate [AB]
Scenario1
[AB]-------Bacteria1------->could not utilise
Scenario2
[AB]-------Bacteria2------->generates simpler products A and B
now
product A or B----------Bacteria1------>utilized
True, it is an enzymatic process.
Team effort of microbes (Phanerochaete, Pleurotus) and enzymes (Laccase,cellulase,amylase).
Enzymatic synergism is one thing. Metabolic cross-feeding is also important. One bacteria can produce growth activators for others or help to remove growth repressors/inhibitors against others. Some studies find that cocultures have different gene expression profiling and proteomics profiling,commpared to pure cultures.This suggests that molecular regulation is also involve in consortia, such as quorum sensing.
I have written an article which can partially responds to your questio :
Article: Modeling of competitive mutualistic relationships. Application to cellulose degradation by Streptomyces sp. strains.
Jacques Thierie, Michel J Penninckx
[show abstract]
Current Microbiology 01/2008; 55(6):507-11. · 1.82 Impact Factor
Unfortunately, the full text is not On researchgate
In addition to Janice Kerr comment I remind the existence of interrelationship among both different microbes and enzymatic systems. For example, the lignocellulose-degrading fungi will permanently produce hydrolases without catabolite repression owning to consumption sugars by other microbes.
Yes. thats true. As sugar is being released due to hydrolysis, other organisms in the system immediately ferment it and that results in the release of other desired products in the fermentation vessel. However, combination of different organisms in a fermentation mixture may require a compromise in fermentation conditions in a situation whereby the organisms have different optimum growth conditions
Again:
I have written an article which can partially responds to your questio :
Article: Modeling of competitive mutualistic relationships. Application to cellulose degradation by Streptomyces sp. strains.
Jacques Thierie, Michel J Penninckx
[show abstract]
Current Microbiology 01/2008; 55(6):507-11. · 1.82 Impact Factor
Unfortunately, the full text is not On researchgate
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