Sorption of Cellulases in Biofilm Enhances Cellulose Degradation by Bacillus subtilis.

ABSTRACT: Biofilm commonly forms on the surfaces of cellulosic biomass but its roles in cellulose degradation remain largely unexplored. We used Bacillus subtilis to study possible mechanisms and the contributions of two major biofilm components, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and TasA protein, to submerged biofilm formation on cellulose and its degradation. We found that biofilm produced by B. subtilis is able to absorb exogenous cellulase added to the culture medium and also retain self-produced cellulase within the biofilm matrix. The bacteria that produced more biofilm degraded more cellulose compared to strains that produced less biofilm. Knockout strains that lacked both EPS and TasA formed a smaller amount of submerged biofilm on cellulose than the wild-type strain and also

SUBMITTER: Deng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9329931 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature