文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Analysis of Aspergillus niger isolated from ancient palm leaf manuscripts and its deterioration mechanisms

作者：Chu, Shimin[1,2] Lin, Lanying[2] Tian, Xingling[1]

第一作者：Chu, Shimin

通信作者：Tian, XL[1]

机构：[1]China Acad Cultural Heritage, Beijing 100029, Peoples R China;[2]Chinese Acad Forestry, Res Inst Wood Ind, Beijing 100091, Peoples R China

年份：2024

卷号：12

期号：1

外文期刊名：HERITAGE SCIENCE

收录：;Scopus(收录号：2-s2.0-85196080099);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:001249168500001)，A&HCI(收录号:WOS:001249168500001)】；

基金：The authors express their gratitude to Liusan Li, Li Li, Xiangdong Li, and Bingfeng Zhang for their assistance with this study.

语种：英文

外文关键词：Palm leaf manuscripts; Aspergillus niger; Deterioration; Cellulose; Micromechanics

摘要：Palm leaf manuscripts (PLMs), venerable historical artefacts containing Buddhist scriptures, history, mathematics and literature, which are carried by palm leaves (Corypha umbraculifera) and are highly susceptible to microbial degradation during prolonged storage. This degradation results in significant alterations to both the appearance and material properties of PLMs, but the precise mechanism underlying this deterioration remains a mystery. To this end, the present study focused on ancient PLMs from Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, China. The objective of present study was to isolate, culture and identify the microorganisms typically found in these manuscripts and to use them to biodegrade the carriers of PLMs. Detailed observations of the biodegradation behavior of these microorganisms on the carriers of PLMs were carried out, together with characterizations of the hierarchical structure and mechanical properties of the leaf fiber cell walls. This comprehensive analysis provided insights into the deterioration mechanisms of the carriers of PLMs. The study revealed the presence of the common fungus Aspergillus niger on ancient PLMs. Aspergillus niger can secrete cellulase, lipase, and acidic substances after colonizing on the carriers of PLMs. These substances sequentially damage the carrier's epidermal cells, mesophyll cells, and leaf fibers, leading to the separation of different tissue structures. At the molecular level, the lipids on the surface of the leaves were degraded initially, and sequential depolymerization of hemicellulose, amorphous cellulose, and crystalline cellulose occurred. Additionally, this study firstly applied nanoindentation technology in the research of PLMs. The mechanical properties of the cell walls underwent notable alterations due to the modifications in chemical and crystalline structure of the carriers of PLMs upon the biodegradation of Aspergillus niger. Specifically, the hardness and elastic modulus of leaf fiber cell walls showed an initial increasing and then decreasing trend, consistent with the trend of cellulose crystallinity, which also provided a new reference for assessing the degree of deterioration of PLMs.