Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Genome and transcriptome of Clostridium phytofermentans catalyst for the direct conversion of plant feedstocks to fuels

ABSTRACT: Clostridium phytofermentans was recently isolated from forest soil and is distinguished by its capacity to directly ferment plant cell wall polysaccharides into ethanol as the primary product, suggesting that it possesses unusual catabolic pathways. The objective of the present study was to understand the molecular mechanisms of biomass conversion to ethanol in a single organism, Clostridium phytofermentans, by analyzing its complete genome and transcriptome during growth on plant carbohydrates. The saccharolytic versatility of C. phytofermentans is reflected in a diversity of genes encoding ATP-binding cassette sugar transporters and glycoside hydrolases, many of which may have been acquired through horizontal gene transfer. These genes are frequently organized as operons that may be controlled individually by the many transcriptional regulators identified in the genome. Preferential ethanol production may be due to high levels of expression of multiple ethanol dehydrogenases and additional pathways maximizing ethanol yield. The genome also encodes three different proteinaceous bacterial microcompartments with the capacity to compartmentalize pathways that divert fermentation intermediates to various products. These characteristics make C. phytofermentans an attractive resource for improving the efficiency and speed of biomass conversion to biofuels. C. phytofermentans was cultured anaerobically on different carbohydrates sources to determine carbohydrates specific expression patterns. The data in this series consists two independent RNA preparations from replicate cultures.

ORGANISM(S): Clostridium phytofermentans

SUBMITTER: Jeffrey Blanchard

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-52495 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:The complexity of the plant cell walls creates many challenges for microbial decomposition. Clostridium phytofermentans, an anaerobic bacterium isolated from forest soil, directly breaks down and utilizes many plant cell wall carbohydrates. The objective of this research is to understand constraints on rates of plant decomposition by C. phytofermentans and identify molecular mechanisms that may overcome these limitations. Experimental evolution via repeated serial transfers during exponential growth was used to select for C. phytofermentans genotypes that grow more rapidly on cellobiose, cellulose and xylan. To identify the underlying mutations an average of 13,600,000 paired-end 100bp paired end reads were generated per population resulting in ~300 fold coverage of each site in the genome. A mixture of alleles fixed in the population down to frequencies of 5% could be identified with statistical confidence. Many mutations are in carbohydrate-related genes including the promoter regions of glycoside hydrolases and amino acid substitutions in ABC transport proteins involved in carbohydrate uptake, signal transduction sensors that detect specific carbohydrates, proteins that affect the export of extracellular enzymes, and regulators of unknown specificity. Protein structural modeling of the ABC transporter complex proteins suggests that mutations in these genes may alter the recognition of carbohydrates by substrate-binding proteins and communication between the intercellular face of the transmembrane proteins and the ATPase binding protein. Experimental evolution was effective in identifying molecular constraints on the rate of cellulose and hemicellulose fermentation and selected for putative gain of function mutations that do not typically appear in traditional molecular genetic screens. The results reveal new strategies for evolving and engineering microorganisms for faster growth on plant carbohydrates. Experimental evolution via repeated serial transfers during exponential growth was used to select for C. phytofermentans genotypes that grow more rapidly on cellobiose. Microarray analysis was performed on 1 time point from the evolved lines and the initial founder

Project description: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. 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.

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Genome and transcriptome of Clostridium phytofermentans catalyst for the direct conversion of plant feedstocks to fuels

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