Genome analyses highlight the different biological roles of cellulases

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genome analyses highlight the different biological roles of cellulases

AU - Medie, Felix Mba

AU - Davies, Gideon J.

AU - Drancourt, Michel

AU - Henrissat, Bernard

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - Cellulolytic enzymes have been the subject of renewed interest owing to their potential role in the conversion of plant lignocellulose to sustainable biofuels. An analysis of similar to 1,500 complete bacterial genomes, presented here, reveals that similar to 40% of the genomes of sequenced bacteria encode at least one cellulase gene. Most of the bacteria that encode cellulases are soil and marine saprophytes, many of which encode a range of enzymes for cellulose hydrolysis and also for the breakdown of the other constituents of plant cell walls (hemicelluloses and pectins). Intriguingly, cellulases are present in organisms that are usually considered as non-saprophytic, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Legionella pneumophila, Yersinia pestis and even Escherichia coli. We also discuss newly emerging roles of cellulases in such non-saprophytic organisms.

AB - Cellulolytic enzymes have been the subject of renewed interest owing to their potential role in the conversion of plant lignocellulose to sustainable biofuels. An analysis of similar to 1,500 complete bacterial genomes, presented here, reveals that similar to 40% of the genomes of sequenced bacteria encode at least one cellulase gene. Most of the bacteria that encode cellulases are soil and marine saprophytes, many of which encode a range of enzymes for cellulose hydrolysis and also for the breakdown of the other constituents of plant cell walls (hemicelluloses and pectins). Intriguingly, cellulases are present in organisms that are usually considered as non-saprophytic, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Legionella pneumophila, Yersinia pestis and even Escherichia coli. We also discuss newly emerging roles of cellulases in such non-saprophytic organisms.

KW - CELLULOSE SYNTHASE

KW - SYNCHROTRON X-RAY

KW - ACETOBACTER-XYLINUM

KW - NEUTRON FIBER DIFFRACTION

KW - MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS

KW - HYDROGEN-BONDING SYSTEM

KW - CLASSIFICATION

KW - ENDO-1,4-BETA-D-GLUCANASE

KW - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE

KW - PLANT-CELL WALLS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857193370&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nrmicro2729

DO - 10.1038/nrmicro2729

M3 - Literature review

SN - 1740-1526

VL - 10

SP - 227-U

JO - Nature reviews. Microbiology

JF - Nature reviews. Microbiology

IS - 3

ER -