Beyond Cultivation: Combining Culture-Dependent and Culture-Independent Techniques to Identify Bacteria Involved in Paint Spoilage

Due to globally increasing problems concerning biodeterioration of paints, it is worthwhile enhance the determination colony forming units (CFU) as a gold standard method via more rapid and culture-independent techniques. Here, we combined traditional culture-dependent techniques with subsequent sequencing, quantitative qPCR, serial quantification (most probable number; MPN) detect paint degrading bacteria in general sulfate-reducing (SRB) particular. During our investigation three water-based paints that showed visible contamination, found high bacterial counts up 107 CFU mL−1. Subsequent sequencing allowed identification common degraders including Bacillus sp. Pseudomonas sp., but less frequently detected such Rhodococcus Delftia spp. were also be present. MPN, well dsrA-targeted qPCR SRB, only positive results for two out samples. These coincided inherent physicochemical properties offering suitable conditions microbial growth or not. The MPN can used diversity aerobic anaerobic reproducible. A combination NGS help fully elucidate spoiled by recovering unculturable ones.