STUDIES OF CLOSTRIDIUM-CELLULOLYTICUM ATCC-35319 UNDER DIALYSIS AND COCULTURE CONDITIONS

The degradation of cellulose by Clostridium cellulolyticum has been st udied in several ways: (1) in batch fermentation in 50-ml sealed-cap f lasks, referred to as the control; (2) in batch fermentation with pH a t 7.2; (3) fermentation in dialysis which permits elimination of all t he products of metabolism; (4) fermentation in dialysis with a constan t bubbling of nitrogen; (5) in co-culture with Clostridium A22 in batc h. with and without pH regulation and with dialysis. H-2, CO2, acetate , ethanol and lactate were the major end-products of cellobiose and ce llulose fermentation. Compared to batch culture, growth of Cl. cellulo lyticum on cellobiose increased by a factor of 10 in dialysed culture. The end products from the dialysed culture were detected in a small r ange compared to the concentration for the batch culture. Related to t he biomass, CMCase activities were of the same level, showing a direct relation between the biomass formation and the cellulase production. The percentage of cellulose degradation (50%) by Cl. cellulolyticum wa s greater when dialysis of end products with a constant bubbling of ni trogen tool; place during the course of fermentation (6 d) in comparis on with cultures in 50-ml sealed-cap flasks (23%), in a fermenter (36% ) or using dialysis without N-2 bubbling (40%). The presence of two mi cro-organisms produced no further enzyme activities and hence the perc entage of cellulose degradation was quite similar in mono- and co-cult ure. No synergistic action was found between two cellulolytic strains.