coli TOP10. The resulting pCR4-16S rDNA vectors were analyzed by DNA sequencing (GATC Biotech, Germany) and the blast program was used to compare the sequences with the data in GenBank. All the colonies formed on 2YT or YPD agar were scraped from the plates into 5 mL 2YT (2YT plates) or YPD medium (YPD plates)

and centrifuged (3381 g for 15 min). DNA was extracted according to Matson et al. (2007), with some modifications. The pellet of bacteria was suspended in 1 × TE buffer (1 mM Tris-HCL, 0.1 mM EDTA pH 8.0, Sigma-Aldrich) containing 1% w/v polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), 2% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 30% phenol, and 500 mg Zirconia/Silica Beads Compound Library (Stratech Scientif Unit). The cells were broken by three cycles of homogenization at 376 g for 30 s (Mikro-Dismembrator U, Sartorius) and chilling on ice for 30 s. The lysate was purified with the Blood and Tissue Kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer’s instructions (for the method described for crude lysate purification). Genomic DNA was partially digested with Sau3AI see more and fragments ranging

in size from 5 to 10 kb were purified from the agarose gel with the QIAEX II Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen). The digested DNA fragments were ligated into the BamHI-linearized vector YEp356 (Myers et al., 1986) and the ligation products introduced into E. coli Max Efficiency DH5α competent cells (Invitrogen). Each colony was collected into a well of a 96-well plate containing 2YT

medium/50 μg mL−1 ampicillin and incubated at 37 °C for 16 h before replication and long-term storage at −80 °C. The quality of the library was determined on 96 randomly selected clones. The plasmids were isolated and then digested with EcoRI and HindIII. The digestion products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. CYTH4 The colonies in 96-well plates were replicated on the following media for enzyme detection. α-Amylase activity was detected after incubation for 24 h at 37 °C on 2YT agar containing 0.5% soluble starch. The medium was then covered with Gram’s iodine solution (Sigma-Aldrich), and α-amylase-producing colonies were identified by the absence of dark blue stain (due to the starch–iodine complex) in the zone surrounding them. Xylanase and endoglucanase were detected on 2YT agar containing an appropriate chromogenic substrate (respectively, AZCL-xylan or AZCL-HE-cellulose, Megazyme). Colonies producing these activities were identified by the blue color produced. β-Glucosidase was detected on 2YT agar containing 0.5% esculin (Sigma-Aldrich) and 0.1% ammonium iron (III) citrate (Sigma-Aldrich) after incubation at 37 °C for 24 h. Bacteria with β-glucosidase activity hydrolyze the substrate esculin to glucose and esculetin, which combines with ferric ions to yield a dark-brown color in the agar around the bacteria. The plasmid of the positive clone (named P11-6B) was isolated and analyzed by DNA sequencing (GATC Biotech).