Open AccessBacterial degradation of natural rubber: a privilege of actinomycetes?
Author(s) -
Jendrossek Dieter,
Tomasi Gianpaolo,
Kroppenstedt Reiner M
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1997.tb10368.x
Subject(s) - micromonospora , bacteria , natural rubber , nocardia , actinomycetales , streptomyces , microbiology and biotechnology , mycelium , biology , biodegradation , strain (injury) , spore , segmented filamentous bacteria , rhodococcus , chemistry , activated sludge , botany , organic chemistry , ecology , sewage treatment , genetics , anatomy , engineering , waste management
Using natural rubber latex as the sole source of carbon and energy 50 rubber‐degrading bacteria were isolated. Out of those 50 isolates, 33 were identified as Streptomyces species and 8 as Micromonospora species. Screening of 1220 bacteria obtained from different culture collections revealed 46 additional rubber‐degrading bacteria ( Streptomyces 31 strains, Micromonospora 5, Actinoplanes 3, Nocardia 2, Dactylosporangium 1, Actinomadura 1, unidentified 3). All rubber‐degrading isolates were identified as members of the actinomycetes, a large group of mycelium‐forming Gram‐positive bacteria. Interestingly no Gram‐negative bacterium could be isolated. In most strains expression of extracellular rubber‐degrading enzymes was repressed by glucose and/or succinate. The reduction of the average molecular mass of solution‐cast films of natural rubber from 640.000 to 25.000 in liquid culture upon bacterial growth indicates the participation of an endo ‐cleavage mechanism of degradation.