Species-specific Primer and Probe Sets for Detection of Syntrophic Long-chain Fatty Acid-degrading Bacteria in Anaerobic Digestion Using Quantitative PCR.

ABSTRACT

Lipid-rich wastes are energy-dense substrates for anaerobic digestion. However, long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), key intermediates in lipid degradation, inhibit methanogenic activity. In this study, TaqMan-based qPCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA gene of the cardinal LCFA-degrading bacterial species Syntrophomonas palmitatica and S. zehnderi were developed and validated. A trial experiment showed the advantage of species-specific quantification versus genus-specific quantification in assessing bacterial capacity for lipidic waste degradation. These qPCR assays will serve as monitoring tools for estimating the LCFA-degrading capacity of anaerobic digester communities and developing an effective strategy to enrich LCFA-degrading bacteria.