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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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