Hydrolysis of complex substrates by mixed microbial communities involves the breakdown of large, complex molecules into simpler compounds through enzymatic action. These microbial communities, comprising diverse species with complementary metabolic capabilities, work synergistically to degrade various substrates such as plant biomass, organic waste, and pollutants. The process is crucial in natural ecosystems and industrial applications, such as wastewater treatment and biofuel production, where efficient substrate hydrolysis facilitates further microbial metabolism and energy extraction. Understanding and optimising these microbial interactions can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of biodegradation processes.
This project aims to identify and characterise those microorganisms associated with breakdown of aromatic compounds using bioreactor scale enrichments fed with complex substrates such as lignin.
- Project team: Paul Evans, Ruochen Chao, Kate Bowerman
- Collaborators: Jianhua Guo, Min Zhang (UNSW)