Specialized cell surface structures in cellulolytic bacteria

Factors affecting adhesion of Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85 and adherence-defective mutants to cellulose

Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85, formerly Bacteroides succinogenes, adheres to crystalline cellulose present in the culture medium. When the cells are suspended in buffer, adhesion is enhanced by increasing the ionic strength. Heat, glutaraldehyde, trypsin, and pronase treatments markedly reduce the extent of adhesion. Treatment with dextrinase, modification of amino and carboxyl groups with Formalin or other chemical agents, and inclusion of either albumin (1%) or Tween 80 (0.5%) do not decrease the degree of adhesion. Adherence-defective mutants isolated by their inability to bind to cellulose exhibited different growth characteristics. Class 1 mutants grew on glucose, cellobiose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose. Class 3 mutants grew on glucose and cellobiose but not on amorphous or crystalline cellulose. No substantial changes were detected in the endoglucanase, cellobiosidase, and cellobiase activities of the wild type and the mutants. These data suggest that adhesion to crystalline cellulose is specific and that it involves surface proteins.

Improved assay for quantitating adherence of ruminal bacteria to cellulose

A quantitative technique suitable for the determination of adherence of ruminal bacteria to cellulose was developed. This technique employs adherence of cells to cellulose disks and alleviates the problem of nonspecific cell entrapment within cellulose particles. By using this technique, it was demonstrated that the adherence of Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD1 to cellulose was inhibited by formaldehyde, methylcellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose. Adherence was unaffected by acid hydrolysates of methylcellulose, glucose, and cellobiose.

Purification and characterization of a chloride-stimulated cellobiosidase from Bacteroides succinogenes S85

A cellobiosidase with unique characteristics from the extracellular culture fluid of the anaerobic gram-negative cellulolytic rumen bacterium Bacteroides succinogenes grown on microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) in a continuous culture system was purified to homogeneity by column chromatography. The enzyme was a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 75,000 and an isoelectric point of 6.7. When assayed at 39 degrees C and pH 6.5, the activity of the enzyme with p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-cellobioside as the substrate was stimulated by chloride, bromide, fluoride, iodide, nitrate, and nitrite, with maximum activation (approximately sevenfold) occurring at concentrations ranging from 1.0 mM (Cl-) to greater than 0.75 M (F-). The presence of chloride (0.2 M) did not affect the Km but doubled the Vmax. In the presence of chloride (0.2 M), the pH optimum of the enzyme was broadened, and the temperature optimum was increased from 39 to 45 degrees C. The enzyme released terminal cellobiose from cellotriose and cellobiose and cellotriose from longer-chain-length cellooligosaccharrides and acid-swollen cellulose, but it had no activity on cellobiose. The enzyme showed affinity for cellulose (Avicel) but did not hydrolyze it. It also had a low activity on carboxymethyl cellulose.