Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course
The conversion of biomass to biofuels presents a solution to one of the largest global challenges of our era, climate change. A critical part of this pipeline is the process of breaking down cellulosic sugars from plant matter to be used by microbes containing biosynthetic pathways that produce biof...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Microbiology
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1723 |
| _version_ | 1818567647489425408 |
|---|---|
| author | Jesus F. Barajas Maren Wehrs Milton To Lauchlin Cruickshanks Rochelle Urban Adrienne McKee John Gladden Ee-Been Goh Margaret E. Brown Diane Pierotti James M. Carothers Aindrila Mukhopadhyay Jay D. Keasling Jeffrey L. Fortman Steven W. Singer Constance B. Bailey |
| author_facet | Jesus F. Barajas Maren Wehrs Milton To Lauchlin Cruickshanks Rochelle Urban Adrienne McKee John Gladden Ee-Been Goh Margaret E. Brown Diane Pierotti James M. Carothers Aindrila Mukhopadhyay Jay D. Keasling Jeffrey L. Fortman Steven W. Singer Constance B. Bailey |
| author_sort | Jesus F. Barajas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The conversion of biomass to biofuels presents a solution to one of the largest global challenges of our era, climate change. A critical part of this pipeline is the process of breaking down cellulosic sugars from plant matter to be used by microbes containing biosynthetic pathways that produce biofuels or bioproducts. In this inquiry-based course, students complete a research project that isolates cellulase-producing bacteria from samples collected from the environment. After obtaining isolates, the students characterize the production of cellulases. Students then amplify and sequence the 16S rRNA genes of confirmed cellulase producers and use bioinformatic methods to identify the bacterial isolates. Throughout the course, students learn about the process of generating biofuels and bioproducts through the deconstruction of cellulosic biomass to form monosaccharides from the biopolymers in plant matter. The program relies heavily on active learning and enables students to connect microbiology with issues of sustainability. In addition, it provides exposure to basic microbiology, molecular biology, and biotechnology laboratory techniques and concepts. The described activity was initially developed for the Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM) program, a research-based immersive laboratory course at the US Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute. Originally designed as an accelerated program for high-potential, low-income, high school students (11th–12th grade), this curriculum could also be implemented for undergraduate coursework in a research-intensive laboratory course at a two- or four-year college or university. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:26:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-398f5e54588c411ca5f1dbbd33d8bc7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:26:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-398f5e54588c411ca5f1dbbd33d8bc7a2022-12-21T23:13:41ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852019-01-0120210.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1723Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory CourseJesus F. Barajas0Maren Wehrs1Milton To2Lauchlin Cruickshanks3Rochelle Urban4Adrienne McKee5John Gladden6Ee-Been Goh7Margaret E. Brown8Diane Pierotti9James M. Carothers10Aindrila Mukhopadhyay11Jay D. Keasling12Jeffrey L. Fortman13Steven W. Singer14Constance B. Bailey15Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA 94608Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Oakland Technical High School, Oakland, CA 94611Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore CA 94551Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720The conversion of biomass to biofuels presents a solution to one of the largest global challenges of our era, climate change. A critical part of this pipeline is the process of breaking down cellulosic sugars from plant matter to be used by microbes containing biosynthetic pathways that produce biofuels or bioproducts. In this inquiry-based course, students complete a research project that isolates cellulase-producing bacteria from samples collected from the environment. After obtaining isolates, the students characterize the production of cellulases. Students then amplify and sequence the 16S rRNA genes of confirmed cellulase producers and use bioinformatic methods to identify the bacterial isolates. Throughout the course, students learn about the process of generating biofuels and bioproducts through the deconstruction of cellulosic biomass to form monosaccharides from the biopolymers in plant matter. The program relies heavily on active learning and enables students to connect microbiology with issues of sustainability. In addition, it provides exposure to basic microbiology, molecular biology, and biotechnology laboratory techniques and concepts. The described activity was initially developed for the Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM) program, a research-based immersive laboratory course at the US Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute. Originally designed as an accelerated program for high-potential, low-income, high school students (11th–12th grade), this curriculum could also be implemented for undergraduate coursework in a research-intensive laboratory course at a two- or four-year college or university.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1723 |
| spellingShingle | Jesus F. Barajas Maren Wehrs Milton To Lauchlin Cruickshanks Rochelle Urban Adrienne McKee John Gladden Ee-Been Goh Margaret E. Brown Diane Pierotti James M. Carothers Aindrila Mukhopadhyay Jay D. Keasling Jeffrey L. Fortman Steven W. Singer Constance B. Bailey Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| title | Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course |
| title_full | Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course |
| title_fullStr | Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course |
| title_short | Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulase Producers for Biomass Deconstruction: A Microbiology Laboratory Course |
| title_sort | isolation and characterization of bacterial cellulase producers for biomass deconstruction a microbiology laboratory course |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1723 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jesusfbarajas isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT marenwehrs isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT miltonto isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT lauchlincruickshanks isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT rochelleurban isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT adriennemckee isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT johngladden isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT eebeengoh isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT margaretebrown isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT dianepierotti isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT jamesmcarothers isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT aindrilamukhopadhyay isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT jaydkeasling isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT jeffreylfortman isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT stevenwsinger isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse AT constancebbailey isolationandcharacterizationofbacterialcellulaseproducersforbiomassdeconstructionamicrobiologylaboratorycourse |