Analysis of the bacterial community found in clay wall material used in the construction of traditional Japanese buildings

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry biotechnology, and biochemistry, 2008-02, Vol.72 (2), p.557-561
• Main Authors: Kitajima, S.(Kyoto Inst. of Technology (Japan)), Shono, T, Ujihara, T, Sato, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidobacterium; Aluminum Silicates; ARCILLA; ARGILE; ARN RIBOSOMAL; ARN RIBOSOMIAL; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; CLAY; clay wall; Clostridiales; CLOSTRIDIO; CLOSTRIDIUM; Construction Materials; DNA Primers; FERMENTACION; FERMENTATION; FILOGENIA; Firmicutes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geobacter; Japan; kyokabe; NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE; Oryza sativa; PHYLOGENIE; PHYLOGENY; Proteobacteria; RIBOSOMAL RNA; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; SECUENCIA NUCLEOTIDICA; SEQUENCE NUCLEOTIDIQUE; tsuchikabe
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.70671

Clay wall (also called mud wall in English and tsuchikabe in Japanese) material is used in traditional Japanese buildings. Clay wall material is manufactured by fermenting a mixture of clay, sand, and rice straw. A culture-independent study based on 16s rRNA sequences revealed that Clostridiales of Firmicutes, alpha-, gamma- and delta-proteobacteria of Proteobacteria, and Acidobacterium of Acidobacteria exist in the clay wall material. Of these, we focused on Clostridium and Geobacter and their possible roles in the degradation of the cellulose component of the straw and the reduction of ferric iron in the clay during fermentation.