Pure culture and metagenomic approaches to investigate cellulose and xylan degradation

Lignocellulose is composed of lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. Lignocellulose waste is a sustainable and renewable resource available for use in biotechnological applications. Efficient enzyme production and enzymes with high catalytic activity are needed for the use of lignocellulose. The study of cellulases and xylanases that degrade cellulose and xylan into constituent monosaccharides is required to advance industrial application of these enzymes. The use of a traditional pure culture approach to discover and characterize cellulases and xylanases from novel actinomycete isolates and the use of metagenomics to uncover previously unidentified cellulase genes was undertaken. Actinomycetes were cultivated from soil samples and the isolate with the best cellulase and xylanase activity was subjected to strain improvement through protoplast fusion. Enhanced enzymatic activity was found in one fusant. Differential release of sugars from xylan was observed through gas chromatographic analysis between the parental and fusant cultures. Genome shuffling was observed in 16S rRNA genes after protoplast fusion. Finally, one putative endo-β-1,4-glucanase was discovered in a metagenomic library created from cellulose-enriched potting soil.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Applied Bioscience

Grantor

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Ng, Sita

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Strap, Janice
• Bonetta, Dario

• Lignocellulose
• Cellulase
• Xylanase
• Metagenomics
• Actinomycete

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10155/89

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/89