Project description:The biodegradation of lignite (brown coal) by microorganisms has the potential for bioremediation of contaminated mining sites and to generate alternative ways to valorize lignite, such as by producing humic acids or building block chemicals. Previously, a lignite-degrading strain of Trichoderma was isolated, but the genomic and transcriptomic basis of its lignite-degrading ability remained unknown. Here we report that the sequenced genome of the T. cf. simile WF8 strain encoded for enzymes with roles in the degradation of lignite, and potentially tolerance to lignite-breakdown products. There was only a small number of annotated unique genes in the T. cf. simile WF8 genome compared to other fungi, and likely the expression of gene families shared with other fungi is a key factor in lignite biosolubilization by T. cf. simile. The transcriptomes were analyzed of T. cf. simile cultured at two time-points with the lignite-breakdown model compounds 4-phenoxybenzoic acid (which was growth inhibitory), and phenetole and 9-10-dibutoxyanthracene (neither of which inhibited growth), and showed ~20% of genes up-regulated by one or more of these compounds. The analysis highlights candidates for characterization and engineering enzyme over-expressing T. cf. simile strains with potentially improved degradation capacity, e.g., laccases and peroxidases, or tolerance and catabolism of breakdown products, e.g., cytochrome P450s, and ring cleavage dioxygenases.
Project description:Analyses of new genomic, transcriptomic or proteomic data commonly result in trashing many unidentified data escaping the ‘canonical’ DNA-RNA-protein scheme. Testing systematic exchanges of nucleotides over long stretches produces inversed RNA pieces (here named “swinger” RNA) differing from their template DNA. These may explain some trashed data. Here analyses of genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic data of the pathogenic Tropheryma whipplei according to canonical genomic, transcriptomic and translational 'rules' resulted in trashing 58.9% of DNA, 37.7% RNA and about 85% of mass spectra (corresponding to peptides). In the trash, we found numerous DNA/RNA fragments compatible with “swinger” polymerization. Genomic sequences covered by «swinger» DNA and RNA are 3X more frequent than expected by chance and explained 12.4 and 20.8% of the rejected DNA and RNA sequences, respectively. As for peptides, several match with “swinger” RNAs, including some chimera, translated from both regular, and «swinger» transcripts, notably for ribosomal RNAs. Congruence of DNA, RNA and peptides resulting from the same swinging process suggest that systematic nucleotide exchanges increase coding potential, and may add to evolutionary diversification of bacterial populations.