Degumming of ramie fibers by alkalophilic bacteria and their polysaccharide-degrading enzymes

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 89 - 94
• Main Authors: Zheng, Lianshuang, Du, Yumin, Zhang, Jiayao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Alkalophilic bacteria; Applied sciences; Bacillus - enzymology; Bacillus - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Degumming; Enzyme engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Miscellaneous; Other techniques and industries; Pectate lyase; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Polysaccharides - metabolism; Ramie fibers; Resins, Plant - isolation & purification; Textiles; Xylanase; Alkalophilic bacteria; Ramie fibers; Degumming; Pectate lyase; Xylanase; Polysaccharide-lyases; Enzymatic treatment; Alkalophily; Plant fiber; Lyases; Endo-1,4-β-xylanase; Bacillaceae; Fiber crop; Urticaceae; Bacillales; Natural gum; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Bacillus; Bacteria; Textile industry; Textile fiber; Enzyme; Industrial microbiology; Glycosidases; Microorganism culture; Hydrolases; Spermatophyta; Carbon-oxygen lyases; O-Glycosidases; Polysaccharide
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/S0960-8524(00)00154-1

Three strains of alkalophilic bacteria, Bacillus sp. NT-39, NT-53 and NT-76, were selected for the degumming of ramie fibers and production of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. After 48 h of incubation with the strains, the loss of the gum might amount to 5.0% or more of the fibers and a number of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes were secreted to the culture supernatants. The residual gum of the fibers decreased to 9.4% after 5 h of enzymatic degumming. Analysis of gum contents and enzyme activities revealed that pectate lyase and xylanase played an important role in the degradation of residual gum. Enzymatic degumming resulted in an increment of 5.4 ISO units in fiber brightness, whereas the reduction in bundle breaking tenacity of the fibers was less than 5.0%. The results confirmed that degumming of ramie fibers by alkalophilic bacteria and their enzymes had substantial advantages.