MULTILAYER ADHESION TO FILTER-PAPER OF 2 MESOPHILIC, CELLULOLYTIC CLOSTRIDIA

Adhesive properties of a recently isolated, mesophilic, cellulolytic Clostridium (strain A22) and of Clostridium cellulolyticum (ATCC 35319) were described. For study of these properties, a method with Whatman No. 1 filter paper was developed, allowing faster kinetic analysis measuring "unbound" cells. This method was confirmed with [methyl-H-3] thymidine to measure directly "bound" cells. The results of kinetic analysis indicated for the two clostridia a two-step adhesion process. In the first step, cell-cellulose interaction was observed. In the second step, cell-cell interaction was determined with an aggregation of cells away from the surface. This result was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Competition between strain A22 and C. cellulolyticum for adhesion sites was investigated. The two clostridia have the same specific adhesion sites was investigated. The two clostridia have the same specific adhesion sites on cellulose (filter paper), and unspecific interactions between two strains occur.