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Metabolism of tannin-protein complex by facultatively anaerobic bacteria isolated from koala feces

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Abstract

The metabolic pathways involved in degradation of tannin-protein complex (T-PC) were investigated in various facultatively anaerobic bacteria, with specific reference to fecal isolates from the koala including T-PC-degrading enterobacteria (T-PCDE),Streptococcus bovis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, andK. oxytoca. It was demonstrated that T-PCDE andS. bovis biotype I were capable of degrading protein complexed with gallotannin (a hydrolyzable tannin), but not that complexed with quebracho (a condensed tannin). Subsequent studies showed that these strains metabolized gallic acid to pyrogallol. Strains ofKlebsiella pneumoniae andK. oxytoca, which did not degrade T-PC, also metabolized gallic acid into pyrogallol. Pyrogallol was not degraded by any strains studied, but it was not detected in fresh feces of the koalas. The majority of strains isolated from feces could degrade phloroglucinol. Based on these findings, we propose that members of the gut microflora of the koala cooperate in the degradation of T-PC.

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Author notes

  1. Ro Osawa

    Present address: Department of Food Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, 18-15, 3-chome, Kuramotocho, 770, Tokushima, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterinary Service & Research, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Fig Tree Pocket, 4069, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Ro Osawa

  2. Centre for Molecular Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Science, Gardens Point Campus, 4001, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Terry P. Walsh

  3. CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, ACT 2602, Lyneham, Australia

    Steven J. Cork

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  1. Ro Osawa
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  2. Terry P. Walsh
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  3. Steven J. Cork
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Osawa, R., Walsh, T.P. & Cork, S.J. Metabolism of tannin-protein complex by facultatively anaerobic bacteria isolated from koala feces. Biodegradation 4, 91–99 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702325

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702325

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