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Strain stability in biological systems treating recalcitrant organic compounds
E A C Emanuelsson1, I I R Baptista, A Mantalaris
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College of London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BY, United Kingdom.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|September 24, 2005
Summary
Investigating single microbial strain stability in bioreactors revealed differing behaviors. One strain remained stable during 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) biodegradation, while another disappeared during monochlorobenzene (MCB) degradation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Bioremediation
Background:
- Molecular probing enhances microbial community analysis in waste bio-treatment.
- Studies often focus on mixed cultures, with limited data on single strain stability.
- Understanding single strain dynamics is crucial for optimizing bioreactor performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microbial community dynamics and single strain stability in two distinct bioreactors.
- To compare the stability of Xanthobacter aut. GJ10 during 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) degradation with Burkholderia sp. JS150 during monochlorobenzene (MCB) degradation.
- To correlate strain stability with bioreactor functional stability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized universal and strain-specific 16S rRNA oligonucleotide probes for microbial community analysis.
- Monitored the stability of pure bacterial strains (GJ10 and JS150) in separate bioreactors.
- Assessed bioreactor functional stability during the degradation of DCE and MCB.
Main Results:
- The DCE-fed bioreactor demonstrated high stability, with GJ10 comprising ~95% of cells throughout the process.
- The MCB-fed bioreactor, while functionally stable, showed the disappearance of strain JS150 within one week.
- Strain GJ10 maintained stability even with the introduction of foreign microorganisms.
Conclusions:
- Single bacterial strain stability in bioreactors can vary significantly based on the substrate and degradation pathway.
- The DCE degradation pathway supports higher strain stability compared to the MCB pathway.
- This highlights the importance of considering specific microbial physiology for successful bioremediation strategies.
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