Abstract
Ulva spp. is a green macroalgae with high cell wall polysaccharide content. Ulvan and cellulose are the major polysaccharides present in Ulva spp. breakdown products of which have potential applications in the biofuel and fine chemical industry. Bacteria attached to Ulva spp. potentially possess enzymes that have the capability to depolymerize these polysaccharides. Ulvan and cellulose depolymerizing bacterial communities associated with fresh and rotting green macroalgae Ulva spp. collected from Aberystwyth shore (Wales, United Kingdom) were studied with the aim of understanding the breakdown of these polysaccharides in nature. Polysaccharide breakdown capability was investigated by the screening of these organisms for various enzymes involved in the breakdown of cellulose and ulvan. Positive organisms were identified using the 16S rRNA homology approach by amplification and sequencing of their 16S rRNA gene using universal primers, followed by homology analysis using NCBI BLAST. Phylum Proteobacteria with class Gammaproteobacteria predominated the community and was represented by species of orders Oceanospirillales, Vibrionales, Alteromonadales and phylum Bacteroidetes was represented singly by a species belonging to order Flavobacteriales. A synergistic mechanism was observed towards the breakdown of these polysaccharides with different sets of organisms contributing towards different enzymes required for the complete saccharification of ulvan and cellulose.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 136-142 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Applied Biotechnology & Bioengineering |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 09 Mar 2017 |