BioProject

Genomic analysis of the model lignocellulosic biomass degrading bacteria C. phytofermentans indicates that it can degrade, transport, and utilize a wide-range of carbohydrates as possible growth substrates. More...

Genomic analysis of the model lignocellulosic biomass degrading bacteria C. phytofermentans indicates that it can degrade, transport, and utilize a wide-range of carbohydrates as possible growth substrates. Previous experiments characterized the expression of the degradation and transport machinery using custom whole genome oligonucleotide microarrays. The results indicate that C. phytofermentans utilizes ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters for carbohydrate uptake and does not use the sole phosphoenolpyruvate-phosphotransferase system (PTS) for any of the tested substrates. While some ABC transporters are specific for a single carbohydrate, the expression profiles indicate that others may be capable of transporting multiple substrates. Distinct sets of Carbohydrate Active Enzymes (CAZy) genes were also up-regulated on specific substrates indicative of C. phytofermentans ability to selectively degrade plant biomass. We also identified a highly expressed cluster of genes which includes seven extracellular glycoside hydrolases and two ABC transporters with unknown specificity. These results lead to the hypothesis that when grown on plant biomass, C. phytofermentans is capable of degrading and transporting all major carbohydrate components of the plant cell. To test this, C. phytofermentans was grown on cornstover and switchgrass. Results from this expression data and HPLC analysis indicates that C. phytofermentans is utilizing multiple substrates. with multiple sugar ABC transporter clusters and glycoside hydrolases being expressed. Interestingly all of the transporters were initially identified on disaccharides or oligio-saccharides, and none of the transporters identified as monosaccharide specific transporters were expressed. This could be an indication that C. phytofermentans prefers to transport oligiosacchrides over monosaccharides. The results presented here corroborate the genomic data which indicates the breath of the carbohydrate degradation, transport, and utilization machinery of C. phytofermentans. Overall design: C. phytofermentans was cultured anaerobically on switchgrass and corn stover to determine specific expression patterns. The data in this series consists three independent RNA preparations from replicate cultures. Less...