Degradation of Corn Stover by Composite Microbial Consortia QY12-A4 and Purification of Antioxidant Lignin from Its Products

doi:10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2026-0026

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective Corn stover is a rich renewable biomass resource, with its lignin attracting significant attention for value-added applications. The effective utilisation strategies for corn stover are explored to develop the antioxidant lignin. Method A microbial consortiun for corn stover degradation was constructed by the solid-state fermentation (SSF) with serial subculture at high temperature. The stability of the microbial consortium and the diversity of its microbial community were analyzed using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The capacity of the microbial consortium to degrade corn stover was evaluated by measuring the fermentation weight loss rate and analyzing the components after SSF. Lignin (SSF-A) was extracted from SSF using the alkali extraction and acid precipitation method. SSF-A was separated and purified using macroporous adsorption resin D101 column chromatography and Sephadex G-50 gel filtration column chromatography. Result Using corn stover as the substrate, a high-temperature-resistant microbial consortium QY12-A4 was obtained through high-temperature subculturing and domestication. At the genus level, QY12-A4 tended to be stable, and the dominant genera were Nonomuraea, Thermobacillus, Caldibacillus, and Cohnella. The weight loss rate of corn stover fermented by QY12-A4 was 25.26%±1.49% (w/w). The extraction rate of SSF-A was 12.56%±0.90% (w/w), with a total phenolic content of 18.94%±0.41% (w/w) and IC₅₀ for ABTS cationic radical scavenging activity of (158.00±4.24) μg/mL. GL2-1, GL2-2, and GL2-3 from SSF-A with progressively decreasing molecular weight were obtained by column chromatography technology. Among them, GL2-3 exhibited the highest total phenolic content of 19.65%±0.16% (w/w), with the UV transmittance <5.0% in the 200–320 nm wavelength range, and the greatest antioxidant activity, manifested as an ABTS cation radical scavenging activity with an IC₅₀ of (90.50±3.54) μg/mL, reducing power with an IC₅₀ of (1.38±0.02) mg/mL, and relative ORAC value of (3.14±0.03) mmol TE/g. Conclusion The microbial consortium QY12-A4 can effectively degrade the lignocellulose in corn stover. Column chromatography technology is an effective method for obtaining low-molecular-weight lignin with high antioxidant activity. This provides a valuable reference for the value-added utilisation of lignin from corn stover.

Key words: corn stover, microbial consortia, lignin, column chromatography, antioxidant activity

LI Bo-yu, JIAN Chun-chen, HOU Jia-jun, QIAN Ming-yan, YANG Wen-qin, ZHANG Sheng-long, ZANG Chuan-gang, MA Fu-kai, ZHENG Long, GUAN Hong. Degradation of Corn Stover by Composite Microbial Consortia QY12-A4 and Purification of Antioxidant Lignin from Its Products[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2026, 42(7): 292-303.

Figures/Tables 10

References 43

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样品 Sample	覆盖率 Good’s coverage （%）	香农指数 Shannon index	辛普森指数 Simpson index
QY12-A1	100	2.620	0.132
QY12-A2	100	2.590	0.117
QY12-A3	100	2.730	0.142
QY12-A4	100	2.490	0.153

样品 Sample	覆盖率 Good’s coverage （%）	香农指数 Shannon index	辛普森指数 Simpson index
QY12-A1	100	2.620	0.132
QY12-A2	100	2.590	0.117
QY12-A3	100	2.730	0.142
QY12-A4	100	2.490	0.153

组分 Fraction	总酚 Total phenols （%， w/w）	总糖 Total sugars （%， w/w）	糖醛酸 Uronic acids （%， w/w）
L1	10.30±0.86e	19.30±1.10b	3.56±0.21a
L2	17.37±0.18b	15.09±0.20c	2.07±0.22c
GL2-1	12.75±0.02d	21.59±0.27a	2.73±0.06b
GL2-2	15.85±0.51c	14.63±0.81c	1.47±0.30c
GL2-3	19.65±0.16a	12.68±0.61d	2.32±0.08d

组分 Fraction	总酚 Total phenols （%， w/w）	总糖 Total sugars （%， w/w）	糖醛酸 Uronic acids （%， w/w）
L1	10.30±0.86e	19.30±1.10b	3.56±0.21a
L2	17.37±0.18b	15.09±0.20c	2.07±0.22c
GL2-1	12.75±0.02d	21.59±0.27a	2.73±0.06b
GL2-2	15.85±0.51c	14.63±0.81c	1.47±0.30c
GL2-3	19.65±0.16a	12.68±0.61d	2.32±0.08d

组分 Fraction	ABTS ABTS （IC₅₀ μg/mL）	总还原力 Reducing power （mg/mL）	相对ORAC值 Relative ORAC value （mmol TE/g）
L1	241.60±10.75a	3.38±0.04a	1.50±0.07d
L2	120.50±3.54c	1.33±0.01d	2.44±0.08c
GL2-1	218.00±11.31b	2.65±0.07b	1.95±0.07b
GL2-2	127.50±0.71c	1.51±0.04c	2.41±0.02b
GL2-3	90.50±3.54b	1.38±0.02d	3.14±0.03a
Trolox	58.00±5.66e	0.26±0.01e	-