MRI: Isolation and Characterization of Anaerobic Zoosporic Fungi from Natural Environments

现在已经确定，产生游动孢子的真菌能够削弱纤维并破坏饲料的木质化组织，是食草动物瘤胃厌氧微生物群的一个组成部分。这些真菌产生纤维素酶、木聚糖酶和其他酶，这些酶可以分解植物细胞壁材料的复杂聚合物。迄今为止，厌氧动物孢子真菌的分离仅限于瘤胃液和粪便。然而，有充分的证据表明，这些真菌能够在宿主动物之外生存和生长。本项目旨在从池塘、沼泽和垃圾填埋场等自然厌氧环境中分离、检测和表征动物孢子真菌。这个项目的结果将用于建立实验，以确定这些真菌在降解天然存在的难降解纤维材料中的可能作用。

It is now well established that zoospore-producing fungi that are able to weaken fiber and disrupt lignified tissues of forage are an integral part of the anaerobic microbial population of the rumen of herbivores. These fungi produce cellulases, xylanases and other enzymes that break down the complex polymers of plant cell wall material. To date, isolations of anaerobic zoosporic fungi have been limited to rumen fluid and feces. However, there is ample evidence to suggest that these fungi are able to survive and grow outside the host animal. The objective of this project is to isolate, examine and characterize zoosporic fungi from natural anaerobic environments such as ponds, marshes and landfills. %%% Results from this project would be used to set up experiments to determine the possible role of these fungi in the degradation of naturally-occurring recalcitrant fibrous material.