Document Detail


Molecular insight into lignocellulose digestion by a marine isopod in the absence of gut microbes.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20212162     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The digestion of lignocellulose is attracting attention both in terms of basic research into its metabolism by microorganisms and animals, and also as a means of converting plant biomass into biofuels. Limnoriid wood borers are unusual because, unlike other wood-feeding animals, they do not rely on symbiotic microbes to help digest lignocellulose. The absence of microbes in the digestive tract suggests that limnoriid wood borers produce all the enzymes necessary for lignocellulose digestion themselves. In this study we report that analysis of ESTs from the digestive system of Limnoria quadripunctata reveals a transcriptome dominated by glycosyl hydrolase genes. Indeed, > 20% of all ESTs represent genes encoding putative cellulases, including glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (GH7) cellobiohydrolases. These have not previously been reported in animal genomes, but are key digestive enzymes produced by wood-degrading fungi and symbiotic protists in termite guts. We propose that limnoriid GH7 genes are important for the efficient digestion of lignocellulose in the absence of gut microbes. Hemocyanin transcripts were highly abundant in the hepatopancreas transcriptome. Based on recent studies indicating that these proteins may function as phenoloxidases in isopods, we discuss a possible role for hemocyanins in lignin decomposition.
Authors:
Andrew J King; Simon M Cragg; Yi Li; Jo Dymond; Matthew J Guille; Dianna J Bowles; Neil C Bruce; Ian A Graham; Simon J McQueen-Mason
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-03-08
Journal Detail:
Title:  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America     Volume:  107     ISSN:  1091-6490     ISO Abbreviation:  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.     Publication Date:  2010 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-03-24     Completed Date:  2010-04-16     Revised Date:  2010-09-24    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7505876     Medline TA:  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  5345-50     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 374, York YO10 5YW, UK.
Data Bank Information
Bank Name/Acc. No.:
GENBANK/FJ940756;  FJ940757;  FJ940758;  FJ940759;  FJ940760;  FJ940761;  GU066826;  GU066827;  GU066828;  GU166295;  GU166296;  GU166297;  GU166298
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Biomass
Catechol Oxidase / genetics,  metabolism
Cellulases / genetics,  metabolism
Ecosystem
Enzyme Precursors / genetics,  metabolism
Expressed Sequence Tags
Gastrointestinal Tract / metabolism,  microbiology
Gene Expression Profiling
Glycoside Hydrolases / genetics,  metabolism
Hemocyanin / genetics,  metabolism
Hepatopancreas / metabolism
Isopoda / anatomy & histology,  genetics*,  metabolism*,  microbiology
Lignin / metabolism*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Wood
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
BB/G016178/1//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Enzyme Precursors; 11132-73-3/lignocellulose; 9005-53-2/Lignin; 9013-72-3/Hemocyanin; EC 1.10.3.-/pro-phenoloxidase; EC 1.10.3.1/Catechol Oxidase; EC 3.2.1.-/Cellulases; EC 3.2.1.-/Glycoside Hydrolases

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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