FIG 5.

Characterization of the stabilized MELMC after its growth on individual agricultural residues (i.e., perturbation analysis). (A) Microbial cell density (optical density at 600 nm), viable and cultivable bacterial cells (CFU per milliliter), average substrate weight loss (percent), and relative abundances of Pseudomonas sp. (Ps) and Paenibacillus sp. (Pa) after growth of the MELMC on sugarcane bagasse (SCB), corn stover (CS), and rice husk (RH). Error bars represent standard deviations from three biological replicates, and statistical differences are indicated with lowercase letters (P ≤ 0.01 by ANOVA). (B) Microbial cells attached to the agricultural residues (yellow arrows), evidenced by scanning electron microscopy. (C) Secreted endoenzymatic activities (OD values) on six chromogenic polysaccharide hydrogels (595 nm) (blue) and two insoluble biomass substrates (517 nm) (red) after MELMC growth on SCB, CS, and RH. Statistical differences are indicated with lowercase letters (P ≤ 0.01 by ANOVA).