Functional and genomic characterization of ligninolytic bacillus strains for improved jute fibre delignification.
Barai S, Majumdar B, Mukherjee P, Chattopadhyay L, Kar G
Bioremediation
Jute bags, rugs, and twine you buy are processed with industrial chemicals that pollute waterways — these bacteria could make the whole supply chain dramatically cleaner.
Jute is a plant used to make burlap, rope, and eco-friendly bags, but its fibers are bound up in a stubborn woody glue called lignin that's hard to remove. Scientists found three types of naturally occurring soil bacteria that produce enzymes capable of dissolving that lignin without toxic chemicals. Combining these bacteria with other microbes that soften jute through a process called retting could replace the current polluting industrial methods entirely.
Key Findings
Jute fiber contains 13.3–15% lignin — significantly higher than comparable bast fibers like flax and ramie — making it especially difficult to process for textile use.
Three Bacillus strains (B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. licheniformis) were confirmed to produce lignin-degrading enzymes (MnP and LiP) and had their key ligninolytic genes identified via whole-genome sequencing.
Combining these lignin-degrading strains with previously characterized pectin-dissolving strains (PJRB 1-3) is projected to simultaneously reduce fiber lignin content and shorten retting time in a single microbial consortium.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers identified three Bacillus bacteria species capable of breaking down lignin — the tough, woody material in jute plant fibers — offering a greener alternative to the harsh chemicals currently used to process jute for textiles.
Abstract Preview
Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth, imparting rigidity to plant cell walls but poses a challenge in the processing of lignocellulosic biomass such as jute (Corchorus spp.). Compar...
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Jute is a long, rough, shiny bast fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus Corchorus, of the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is Corchorus olitorius, but such fiber is considered inferior to that derived from Cor...