No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi
Anaerobic fungi (AF, phylum Neocallimastigomycota) are best known for their ability to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass through mechanic and enzymatic means. While their biotechnological potential is well-recognized, applied research on AF is still hampered by the time-cons...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.978028/full |
| _version_ | 1798001288800108544 |
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| author | Julia Vinzelj Akshay Joshi Akshay Joshi Diana Young Ljubica Begovic Nico Peer Lona Mosberger Katharina Cécile Schmid Luedi Heribert Insam Veronika Flad Magdalena Nagler Sabine Marie Podmirseg |
| author_facet | Julia Vinzelj Akshay Joshi Akshay Joshi Diana Young Ljubica Begovic Nico Peer Lona Mosberger Katharina Cécile Schmid Luedi Heribert Insam Veronika Flad Magdalena Nagler Sabine Marie Podmirseg |
| author_sort | Julia Vinzelj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anaerobic fungi (AF, phylum Neocallimastigomycota) are best known for their ability to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass through mechanic and enzymatic means. While their biotechnological potential is well-recognized, applied research on AF is still hampered by the time-consuming and cost-intensive laboratory routines required to isolate, maintain, and preserve AF cultures. Reliable long-term preservation of specific AF strains would aid basic as well as applied research, but commonly used laboratory protocols for AF preservation can show erratic survival rates and usually exhibit only moderate resuscitation success for up to one or two years after preservation. To address both, the variability, and the preservation issues, we have set up a cross-laboratory, year-long study. We tested five different protocols for the preservation of AF. The experiments were performed at three different laboratories (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) with the same three morphologically distinct AF isolates (Anaeromyces mucronatus, Caeocmyces sp., and Neocallimastix cameroonii) living in stable co-culture with their naturally occurring, syntrophic methanogens. We could show that handling greatly contributes to the variability of results, especially in Anaeromyces mucronatus. Cryopreservation of (mature) biomass in liquid nitrogen had the highest overall survival rates (85–100%, depending on the strain and laboratory). Additionally, preservation on agar at 39°C had surprisingly high survival rates for up to 9 months, if pieces of agar containing mature AF thalli were resuscitated. This low-cost, low-effort method could replace consecutive batch cultivation for periods of up to 6 months, while long-term preservation is best done by cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen. Regardless of the method, however, preserving several replicates (>three) of the same strain is highly advisable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:33:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b3d924ea67704050af4b1ca10e529a95 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:33:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b3d924ea67704050af4b1ca10e529a952022-12-22T04:26:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2022-09-011310.3389/fmicb.2022.978028978028No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungiJulia Vinzelj0Akshay Joshi1Akshay Joshi2Diana Young3Ljubica Begovic4Nico Peer5Lona Mosberger6Katharina Cécile Schmid Luedi7Heribert Insam8Veronika Flad9Magdalena Nagler10Sabine Marie Podmirseg11Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Biocatalysis and Process Technology Unit, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wäedenswil, SwitzerlandMicro- and Molecular Biology, Central Department for Quality Assurance and Analytics, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, Freising, GermanyDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaInstitute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Biocatalysis and Process Technology Unit, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wäedenswil, SwitzerlandInstitute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Biocatalysis and Process Technology Unit, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wäedenswil, SwitzerlandDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaMicro- and Molecular Biology, Central Department for Quality Assurance and Analytics, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, Freising, GermanyDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaAnaerobic fungi (AF, phylum Neocallimastigomycota) are best known for their ability to anaerobically degrade recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass through mechanic and enzymatic means. While their biotechnological potential is well-recognized, applied research on AF is still hampered by the time-consuming and cost-intensive laboratory routines required to isolate, maintain, and preserve AF cultures. Reliable long-term preservation of specific AF strains would aid basic as well as applied research, but commonly used laboratory protocols for AF preservation can show erratic survival rates and usually exhibit only moderate resuscitation success for up to one or two years after preservation. To address both, the variability, and the preservation issues, we have set up a cross-laboratory, year-long study. We tested five different protocols for the preservation of AF. The experiments were performed at three different laboratories (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) with the same three morphologically distinct AF isolates (Anaeromyces mucronatus, Caeocmyces sp., and Neocallimastix cameroonii) living in stable co-culture with their naturally occurring, syntrophic methanogens. We could show that handling greatly contributes to the variability of results, especially in Anaeromyces mucronatus. Cryopreservation of (mature) biomass in liquid nitrogen had the highest overall survival rates (85–100%, depending on the strain and laboratory). Additionally, preservation on agar at 39°C had surprisingly high survival rates for up to 9 months, if pieces of agar containing mature AF thalli were resuscitated. This low-cost, low-effort method could replace consecutive batch cultivation for periods of up to 6 months, while long-term preservation is best done by cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen. Regardless of the method, however, preserving several replicates (>three) of the same strain is highly advisable.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.978028/fullNeocallimastigomycotacryopreservationanaerobic fungilong-term storageshort-term storagepreservation techniques |
| spellingShingle | Julia Vinzelj Akshay Joshi Akshay Joshi Diana Young Ljubica Begovic Nico Peer Lona Mosberger Katharina Cécile Schmid Luedi Heribert Insam Veronika Flad Magdalena Nagler Sabine Marie Podmirseg No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi Frontiers in Microbiology Neocallimastigomycota cryopreservation anaerobic fungi long-term storage short-term storage preservation techniques |
| title | No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| title_full | No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| title_fullStr | No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| title_full_unstemmed | No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| title_short | No time to die: Comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| title_sort | no time to die comparative study on preservation protocols for anaerobic fungi |
| topic | Neocallimastigomycota cryopreservation anaerobic fungi long-term storage short-term storage preservation techniques |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.978028/full |
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