Project description:Phylogenetic, microbiological and comparative genomic analysis was used to examine the diversity among members of the genus Caldicellulosiruptor with an eye towards the capacity of these extremely thermophilic bacteria for degrading the complex carbohydrate content of plant biomass. Seven species from this genus (C. saccharolyticus, C. bescii (formerly Anaerocellum thermophilum), C. hydrothermalis, C. owensensis, C. kronotskyensis, C. lactoaceticus, and C. kristjanssonii) were compared on the basis of 16S rRNA phylogeny and cross-species DNA-DNA hybridization to a whole genome C. saccharolyticus oligonucleotide microarray. Growth physiology of the seven Caldicellulosiruptor species on a range of carbohydrates showed that, while all could be cultivated on acid pre-treated switchgrass, only C. saccharolyticus, C. besci, C. kronotskyensis, and C. lactoaceticus were capable of hydrolyzing Whatman No. 1 filter paper. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the secretomes from cells grown on microcrystalline cellulose revealed that species capable of crystalline cellulose hydrolysis also had diverse secretome fingerprints. The two-dimensional secretome of C. saccharolyticus revealed a prominent S-layer protein that appears to be also indicative of highly cellulolytic Caldicellulosiruptor species, suggesting a possible role in cell-substrate interaction. These growth physiology results were also linked to glycoside hydrolase and carbohydrate-binding module inventories for the seven bacteria, deduced from draft genome sequence information. These preliminary inventories indicated that the absence of a single glycoside hydrolase family and carbohydrate binding motif family appear to be responsible for some Caldicellulosiruptor species’ diminished cellulolytic capabilities. Overall, the genus Caldicellulosiruptor appears to contain more genomic and physiological diversity than previously reported, and is well suited for biomass deconstruction applications.
