Isolation of the polysaccharidase-producing bacteria from the gut of sea snail, Batillus cornutus

Abstract

This study was conducted to isolate microorganisms from the gut of the marine turban shell, Batillus cornutus, which inhabits the mainland of South Korea and primarily feeds on brown algae. We were interested in isolating such gut bacteria by considering their potential to produce the polysaccharidases required for digestion of brown seaweeds and isolated three different bacteria from the gut of Batillus cornutus. The isolated bacteria were identified as Bacillus sp. JMP-A, Bacillus sp. JMP-B and Staphylococcus sp. JMP-C. The organisms were evaluated for their ability to produce polysaccharidases such as cellulase, alginate lyase, laminarinase and kelp-lyase. Bacillus sp. JMP-A and Bacillus sp. JMP-B showed a clear zone of CMC hydrolysis with a radius 1.10 (±0.057) and 3.88 cm (±0.088), respectively, whereas Staphylococcus sp. JMP-C showed no zone of CMC hydrolysis. SEM analysis confirmed that the ability of the bacterial isolates to degrade kelp differs and is correlated with kelp-lyase production. The cell free extract of the Bacillus sp.JMP-A isolate showed the highest activities of CM-cellulase, α-cellulase, laminarinase and kelp-lyase, which were 22.76, 27.10, 66.59 and 64.36 U/mg, respectively. Meanwhile, the amount of sugars released was higher during the saccharification of kelp by dialyzed intracellular enzymes of the bacterial isolates than when dialyzed extracellular enzyme was used. Experimental results of dialyzed enzymatic saccharification of the kelp demonstrated that use of partially purified enzymes was effective for glucose production.

Enrichment of bacteria and alginate lyase genes potentially involved in brown alga degradation in the gut of marine gastropods

“…Tannin-protein-complex-degrading enterobacteria were detected in the feces of koala that eat eucalypts 25 . Similarly, several bacterial alginate degraders were found in the gut microbiota of brown algae-eating marine invertebrates such as sea snails 26 , sea urchins 27 , and abalones 28–32 . Therefore, the gut microbiota of phytophagous or omnivorous marine invertebrates may be suitable gene resources for the degradation of macroalgae components.…”

“…The midgut glands in the two gastropods and the gastric teeth in the sea hare have alginate-degrading activities 42–44 , and ALGs were isolated from the homogenates of their midgut glands 42,44,45 . Three bacterial isolates from B. cornutus guts were reported to degrade algal components such as alginate and laminaran 26 ; however, no study on alginate degrading bacteria has been performed for D. auricularia . No literature has reported on the gut microbial communities of the two gastropods so far.…”

A Multifunctional Polysaccharide Utilization Gene Cluster in Colwellia echini Encodes Enzymes for the Complete Degradation of κ-Carrageenan, ι-Carrageenan, and Hybrid β/κ-Carrageenan

“…Like terrestrial herbivores, marine herbivores harbor endosymbiotic microorganisms that produce enzymes needed for the hydrolysis of plant cell wall polysaccharides, notably, cellulose and hemicellulose but also more-complex sulfated carbohydrates. In marine iguanas, the fecal microbiota produce enzymes specific for utilization of marine polysaccharides (6), turban shell (Batillus cornutus) feeding on brown algae harbor intestinal bacteria producing cellulases, alginate lyases, laminarinases, and "kelp lyases" (7), and alginolytic bacteria may be found in the gut of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus sp.) and abalones (Haliotis sp.)…”

Metaphylogenomic and Potential Functionality of the Limpet Patella pellucida’s Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiome

“…Symbiotic microorganisms associated with marine animals, both invertebrates such as sea snails, sea cucumbers, sea urchins [ 9 , 10 , 11 ] as well as vertebrates e.g., marine iguanas or sea cows [ 6 , 7 ], have recently become a focus for research leading to the discovery of various bioactive compounds exploitable by industry. By possessing a large arsenal of enzymes which display unique properties, e.g., stability in high salt concentrations, adaptation to cold temperatures, extreme pH tolerance as well as specificity for a broad range of substrates [ 12 ], some of these beneficial microbes have the potential to improve the efficiency of biomass conversion, a main bottleneck in today’s biorefinery processes [ 13 ].…”