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Rudra Gouda M, Kumaranag K, Ramakrishnan B, Subramanian S. Deciphering the complex interplay between gut microbiota and crop residue breakdown in forager and hive bees ( Apis mellifera L.). CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100233. [PMID: 38572354 PMCID: PMC10990707 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates A. mellifera gut microbiota diversity and enzymatic activities, aiming to utilize identified isolates for practical applications in sustainable crop residue management and soil health enhancement. This study sampled honey bees, analyzed gut bacterial diversity via 16S rRNA gene, and screened isolates for cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, and pectinolytic activities, with subsequent assessment of enzymatic potential. The study reveals that cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic bacterial isolates, mainly from γ-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes, have significant potential for crop residue management. Some genera, like Aneurinibacillus, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Serratia, Stenotrophomonas, Apilactobacillus, Lysinibacillus, and Pseudomonas, are very good at breaking down cellulose and hemicellulase. Notable cellulose-degrading genera include Cedecea (1.390 ± 0.57), Clostridium (1.360 ± 0.86 U/mg), Enterobacter (1.493 ± 1.10 U/mg), Klebsiella (1.380 ± 2.03 U/mg), and Serratia (1.402 ± 0.31 U/mg), while Aneurinibacillus (1.213 ± 1.12 U/mg), Bacillus (3.119 ± 0.55 U/mg), Enterobacter (1.042 ± 0.14 U/mg), Serratia (1.589 ± 0.05 U/mg), and Xanthomonas (1.156 ± 0.08 U/mg) excel in hemicellulase activity. Specific isolates with high cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic activities are identified, highlighting their potential for crop residue management. The research explores gut bacterial compartmentalization in A. mellifera, emphasising gut physiology's role in cellulose and hemicellulose digestion. Pectinolytic activity is observed, particularly in the Bacillaceae clade (3.229 ± 0.02), contributing to understanding the honey bee gut microbiome. The findings offer insights into microbiome diversity and enzymatic capabilities, with implications for biotechnological applications in sustainable crop residue management. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing research to uncover underlying mechanisms and ecological factors influencing gut microbiota, impacting honey bee health, colony dynamics, and advancements in crop residue management.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.N. Rudra Gouda
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - K.M. Kumaranag
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - B. Ramakrishnan
- Division of Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
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Ramanathan N, Sreeramulu B, Mani M, Sundaram J. Potential of insect endogenous cellulases for lignocellulosic break down deciphered using molecular docking studies. Nat Prod Res 2023:1-9. [PMID: 37967019 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2280169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Insects possess cellulolytic system capable of producing variegate enzymes with multifarious specificities to break down complex lignocellulosic products. Astonishingly, endoglucanases, exoglucanases and β-glycosidases act sequentially in a synergistic system to facilitate the breakdown of cellulose to utilisable energy source glucose. In silico docking studies of endo-β-1,4-glucanase from 19 different insects belonging to six different orders identified that it possesses high affinity for all the six substrates, including CMC, cellulose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentose and cellohexaose. Additionally, β-glucosidase from nearly all the reported insect sources also showed considerable affinity towards cellobiose. Van der Waals, conventional hydrogen bonds and carbon-hydrogen bonds stabilise the interaction between the enzyme and different substrates. Molecular dynamics simulations also held up the stability of various complexes. Efficient breakdown of lignocelluloses-based substrates becoming a major focus of industrial and academic communities worldwide, this study can perhaps complement the propensity of insect cellulases for prospected applications.
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Okmane L, Nestor G, Jakobsson E, Xu B, Igarashi K, Sandgren M, Kleywegt GJ, Ståhlberg J. Glucomannan and beta-glucan degradation by Mytilus edulis Cel45A: Crystal structure and activity comparison with GH45 subfamily A, B and C. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 277:118771. [PMID: 34893216 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The enzymatic hydrolysis of barley beta-glucan, konjac glucomannan and carboxymethyl cellulose by a β-1,4-D-endoglucanase MeCel45A from blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, which belongs to subfamily B of glycoside hydrolase family 45 (GH45), was compared with GH45 members of subfamilies A (Humicola insolens HiCel45A), B (Trichoderma reesei TrCel45A) and C (Phanerochaete chrysosporium PcCel45A). Furthermore, the crystal structure of MeCel45A is reported. Initial rates and hydrolysis yields were determined by reducing sugar assays and product formation was characterized using NMR spectroscopy. The subfamily B and C enzymes exhibited mannanase activity, whereas the subfamily A member was uniquely able to produce monomeric glucose. All enzymes were confirmed to be inverting glycoside hydrolases. MeCel45A appears to be cold adapted by evolution, as it maintained 70% activity on cellohexaose at 4 °C relative to 30 °C, compared to 35% for TrCel45A. Both enzymes produced cellobiose and cellotetraose from cellohexaose, but TrCel45A additionally produced cellotriose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Okmane
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gustav Nestor
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emma Jakobsson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bingze Xu
- Center for Surface Biotechnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiyohiko Igarashi
- Department of Biomaterial Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Mats Sandgren
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gerard J Kleywegt
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jerry Ståhlberg
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Wang H, Li G, Zhong C, Mo J, Sun Y, Shi J, Zhou R, Li Z, Wu Z, Liu D, Zhang X. Generation of Multi-Transgenic Pigs Using PiggyBac Transposons Co-expressing Pectinase, Xylanase, Cellulase, β-1.3-1.4-Glucanase and Phytase. Front Genet 2020; 11:597841. [PMID: 33329743 PMCID: PMC7734351 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.597841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The current challenges facing the pork industry are to maximize feed efficiency and minimize fecal emissions. Unlike ruminants, pigs lack several digestive enzymes such as pectinase, xylanase, cellulase, β-1.3-1.4-glucanase, and phytase which are essential to hydrolyze the cell walls of grains to release endocellular nutrients into their digestive tracts. Herein, we synthesized multiple cellulase and pectinase genes derived from lower organisms and then codon-optimized these genes to be expressed in pigs. These genes were then cloned into our previously optimized XynB (xylanase)- EsAPPA (phytase) bicistronic construct. We then successfully generated transgenic pigs that expressed the four enzymes [Pg7fn (pectinase), XynB (xylanase), EsAPPA (phytase), and TeEGI (cellulase and β-glucanase)] using somatic cell cloning. The expression of these genes was parotid gland specific. Enzymatic assays using the saliva of these founders demonstrated high levels of phytase (2.0∼3.4 U/mL) and xylanase (0.25∼0.42 U/mL) activities, but low levels of pectinase (0.06∼0.08 U/mL) activity. These multi-transgenic pigs are expected to contribute to enhance feed utilization and reduce environmental impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoqiang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoling Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cuili Zhong
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Jianxin Mo
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Junsong Shi
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Rong Zhou
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Zicong Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
| | - Dewu Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianwei Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, China
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Ibarra LN, Alves AEODA, Antonino JD, Prado GS, Pinto CEM, Soccol CR, Vasconcelos ÉARD, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Enzymatic activity of a recombinant β-1,4-endoglucanase from the Cotton Boll Weevil (Anthonomus grandis) aiming second generation ethanol production. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19580. [PMID: 31862955 PMCID: PMC6925290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56070-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last years, the production of ethanol fuel has started to change with the introduction of second-generation ethanol (2 G Ethanol) in the energy sector. However, in Brazil, the process of obtaining 2 G ethanol did not reach a basic standard to achieve relevant and economically viable results. Several studies have currently been addressed to solve these issues. A critical stage in the bioethanol production is the deployment of efficient and stable enzymes to catalyze the saccharification step into the process of biomass conversion. The present study comprises a screening for genes coding for plant biomass degradation enzymes, followed by cloning a selected gene, addressing its heterologous expression, and characterizing enzymatic activity towards cellulose derived substrates, with a view to second-generation ethanol production. A cDNA database of the Cotton Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an insect that feeds on cotton plant biomass, was used as a source of plant biomass degradation enzyme genes. A larva and adult midgut-specific β-1,4-Endoglucanase-coding gene (AgraGH45-1) was cloned and expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Its amino acid sequence, including the two catalytic domains, shares high identity with other Coleoptera Glycosyl Hydrolases from family 45 (GH45). AgraGH45-1 activity was detected in a Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and Hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) degradation assay and the optimal conditions for enzymatic activity was pH 5.0 at 50 °C. When compared to commercial cellulase from Aspergillus niger, Agra GH45-1 was 1.3-fold more efficient to degrade HEC substrate. Together, these results show that AgraGH45-1 is a valid candidate to be engineered and be tested for 2 G ethanol production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liz Nathalia Ibarra
- Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, 81530-980, Brazil.,Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Ana Elizabeth Oliveira de Araújo Alves
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.,Universidade de Brasília - UnB, Biology Institute, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - José Dijair Antonino
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.,Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE, Recife-PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Souza Prado
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.,Universidade Católica de Brasília - UCB, Brasília, DF, 70790-160, Brazil
| | - Clidia Eduarda Moreira Pinto
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.,Universidade de Brasília - UnB, Biology Institute, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Fátima Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.,Universidade Católica de Brasília - UCB, Brasília, DF, 70790-160, Brazil
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6
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Busch A, Danchin EGJ, Pauchet Y. Functional diversification of horizontally acquired glycoside hydrolase family 45 (GH45) proteins in Phytophaga beetles. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:100. [PMID: 31077129 PMCID: PMC6509783 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1429-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellulose, a major polysaccharide of the plant cell wall, consists of β-1,4-linked glucose moieties forming a molecular network recalcitrant to enzymatic breakdown. Although cellulose is potentially a rich source of energy, the ability to degrade it is rare in animals and was believed to be present only in cellulolytic microbes. Recently, it has become clear that some animals encode endogenous cellulases belonging to several glycoside hydrolase families (GHs), including GH45. GH45s are distributed patchily among the Metazoa and, in insects, are encoded only by the genomes of Phytophaga beetles. This study aims to understand both the enzymatic functions and the evolutionary history of GH45s in these beetles. RESULTS To this end, we biochemically assessed the enzymatic activities of 37 GH45s derived from five species of Phytophaga beetles and discovered that beetle-derived GH45s degrade three different substrates: amorphous cellulose, xyloglucan and glucomannan. Our phylogenetic and gene structure analyses indicate that at least one gene encoding a putative cellulolytic GH45 was present in the last common ancestor of the Phytophaga, and that GH45 xyloglucanases evolved several times independently in these beetles. The most closely related clade to Phytophaga GH45s was composed of fungal sequences, suggesting this GH family was acquired by horizontal gene transfer from fungi. Besides the insects, other arthropod GH45s do not share a common origin and appear to have emerged at least three times independently. CONCLUSION The rise of functional innovation from gene duplication events has been a fundamental process in the evolution of GH45s in Phytophaga beetles. Both, enzymatic activity and ancestral origin suggest that GH45s were likely an essential prerequisite for the adaptation allowing Phytophaga beetles to feed on plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Busch
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Yannick Pauchet
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
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7
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Nomura T, Iwase H, Saka N, Takahashi N, Mikami B, Mizutani K. High-resolution crystal structures of the glycoside hydrolase family 45 endoglucanase EG27II from the snail Ampullaria crossean. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2019; 75:426-436. [PMID: 30988259 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798319003000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Although endogenous animal cellulases have great potential for industrial applications such as bioethanol production, few investigations have focused on these enzymes. In this study, the glycoside hydrolase family 45 (GH45) subfamily B endoglucanase EG27II from the snail Ampullaria crossean was expressed using a Pichia pastoris expression system and the crystal structure of the apo form was determined at 1.00 Å resolution; this is the highest resolution structure of an animal endoglucanase. The results showed that EG27II has a double-ψ six-stranded β-barrel and that the structure of EG27II more closely resembles those of subfamily C enzymes than those of subfamily A enzymes. The structure of EG27II complexed with cellobiose was also determined under cryoconditions and at room temperature at three pH values, pH 4.0, 5.5 and 8.0, and no structural changes were found to be associated with the change in pH. The structural comparison and catalytic activity measurements showed that Asp137 and Asn112 function as the catalytic acid and base, respectively, and that Asp27 is also an important residue for catalysis. These high-resolution structures of EG27II provide a large amount of information for structure-based enzyme modification and cell-surface engineering, which will advance biofuel production using animal-derived cellulases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Nomura
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Hisamu Iwase
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Naoki Saka
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takahashi
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Bunzo Mikami
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Kimihiko Mizutani
- Laboratory of Applied Structural Biology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
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Busch A, Kunert G, Wielsch N, Pauchet Y. Cellulose degradation in Gastrophysa viridula (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): functional characterization of two CAZymes belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 45 reveals a novel enzymatic activity. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:633-650. [PMID: 29774620 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose is a major component of the primary and secondary cell walls in plants. Cellulose is considered to be the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and represents a large potential source of metabolic energy. Yet, cellulose degradation is rare and mostly restricted to cellulolytic microorganisms. Recently, various metazoans, including leaf beetles, have been found to encode their own cellulases, giving them the ability to degrade cellulose independently of cellulolytic symbionts. Here, we analyzed the cellulosic capacity of the leaf beetle Gastrophysa viridula, which typically feeds on Rumex plants. We identified three putative cellulases member of two glycoside hydrolase (GH) families, namely GH45 and GH9. Using heterologous expression and functional assays, we demonstrated that both GH45 proteins are active enzymes, in contrast to the GH9 protein. One GH45 protein acted on amorphous cellulose as an endo-β-1,4-glucanase, whereas the other evolved to become an endo-β-1,4-xyloglucanase. We successfully knocked down the expression of both GH45 genes using RNAi, but no changes in weight gain or mortality were observed compared to control insects. Our data indicated that the breakdown of these polysaccharides in G. viridula may facilitate access to plant cell content, which is rich in nitrogen and simple sugars.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Busch
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - G Kunert
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - N Wielsch
- Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Y Pauchet
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
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Abstract
It is difficult to study the genetics and molecular mechanisms of anesthesia in humans. Fortunately, the genetic approaches in model organisms can, and have, led to profound insights as to the targets of anesthetics. In turn, the organization of these putative targets into meaningful pathways has begun to elucidate the mechanisms of action of these agents. However, it is important to first appreciate the strengths, and limitations, of genetic approaches to understand the anesthetic action. Here we compare the commonly used genetic model organisms, various anesthetic endpoints, and different modes of genetic screens. Coupled with the more specific data presented in subsequent chapters, this chapter places those results in a framework with which to analyze the discoveries across organisms and eventually extend the resulting models to humans.
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High-level expression and purification of a molluskan endoglucanase from Ampullaria crossean in Pichia pastoris. Protein Expr Purif 2017; 139:8-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Busch A, Kunert G, Heckel DG, Pauchet Y. Evolution and functional characterization of CAZymes belonging to subfamily 10 of glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5_10) in two species of phytophagous beetles. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184305. [PMID: 28854242 PMCID: PMC5576741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemicelluloses, such as xyloglucan, xylan and mannans, consist of a heterogeneous array of plant-derived polysaccharides that form the plant cell wall. These polysaccharides differ from each other in their structure and physiochemical properties, but they share a β-(1,4)-linked sugar backbone. Hemicelluloses can be hydrolyzed by plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), which are widely distributed in phytopathogenic microbes. Recently, it has become apparent that phytophagous beetles also produce their own PCWDEs. Our previous work identified genes encoding putative mannanases belonging to the subfamily 10 of glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5 (GH5_10) in the genomes of the leaf beetle, Gastrophysa viridula (Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae; one gene), and of the bean beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae; four genes). In contrast to proteins from other GH5 subfamilies, GH5_10 proteins are patchily distributed within the tree of life and have so far hardly been investigated. We addressed the following questions: Are beetle-derived GH5_10s active PCWDEs? How did they evolve? What is their physiological function? Using heterologous protein expression and enzymatic assays, we show that the G. viridula GH5_10 protein is an endo-β-1,4-mannanase. We also demonstrate that only one out of four C. maculatus GH5_10 proteins is an endo-β-1,4-mannanase, which has additional activity on carboxymethyl cellulose. Unexpectedly, another C. maculatus GH5_10 protein has evolved to use xylan instead of mannans as a substrate. RNAi experiments in G. viridula indicate (i) that the sole GH5_10 protein is responsible for breaking down mannans in the gut and (ii) that this breakdown may rather be accessory and may facilitate access to plant cell content, which is rich in nitrogen and simple sugars. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that coleopteran-derived GH5_10 proteins cluster together with Chelicerata-derived ones. Interestingly, other insect-derived GH5_10 proteins cluster elsewhere, suggesting insects have several independent evolutionary origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Busch
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Grit Kunert
- Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - David G. Heckel
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Yannick Pauchet
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
- * E-mail:
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12
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Antony B, Johny J, Aldosari SA, Abdelazim MM. Identification and expression profiling of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes from a destructive pest of palm trees, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 26:469-484. [PMID: 28556365 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) from insects were recently identified as a multigene family of proteins that consist primarily of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and carbohydrate esterases (CEs) and play essential roles in the degradation of the cellulose/hemicellulose/pectin network in the invaded host plant. Here we applied transcriptomic and degenerate PCR approaches to identify the PCWDEs from a destructive pest of palm trees, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, followed by a gut-specific and stage-specific differential expression analysis. We identified a total of 27 transcripts encoding GH family members and three transcripts of the CE family with cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase activities. We also identified two GH9 candidates, which have not previously been reported from Curculionidae. The gut-specific quantitative expression analysis identified key cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases from R. ferrugineus. The expression analysis revealed a pectin methylesterase, RferCE8u02, and a cellulase, GH45c34485, which showed the highest gut enriched expression. Comparison of PCWDE expression patterns revealed that cellulases and pectinases are significantly upregulated in the adult stages, and we observed specific high expression of the hemicellulase RferGH16c4170. Overall, our study revealed the potential of PCWDEs from R. ferrugineus, which may be useful in biotechnological applications and may represent new tools in R. ferrugineus pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Antony
- Department of Plant Protection, Chair of Date Palm Research, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - J Johny
- Department of Plant Protection, Chair of Date Palm Research, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - S A Aldosari
- Department of Plant Protection, Chair of Date Palm Research, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - M M Abdelazim
- Department of Plant Protection, Chair of Date Palm Research, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Ben Guerrero E, Soria M, Salvador R, Ceja-Navarro JA, Campos E, Brodie EL, Talia P. Effect of Different Lignocellulosic Diets on Bacterial Microbiota and Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities in the Gut of the Cotton Boll Weevil ( Anthonomus grandis). Front Microbiol 2016; 7:2093. [PMID: 28082962 PMCID: PMC5186755 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.02093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cotton boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, are omnivorous coleopteran that can feed on diets with different compositions, including recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials. We characterized the changes in the prokaryotic community structure and the hydrolytic activities of A. grandis larvae fed on different lignocellulosic diets. A. grandis larvae were fed on three different artificial diets: cottonseed meal (CM), Napier grass (NG) and corn stover (CS). Total DNA was extracted from the gut samples for amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the gut microbiota followed by Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes and a small number of unclassified phyla in CM and NG microbiomes. In the CS feeding group, members of Spirochaetes were the most prevalent, followed by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Bray-Curtis distances showed that the samples from the CS community were clearly separated from those samples of the CM and NG diets. Gut extracts from all three diets exhibited endoglucanase, xylanase, β-glucosidase and pectinase activities. These activities were significantly affected by pH and temperature across different diets. We observed that the larvae reared on a CM showed significantly higher activities than larvae reared on NG and CS. We demonstrated that the intestinal bacterial community structure varies depending on diet composition. Diets with more variable and complex compositions, such as CS, showed higher bacterial diversity and richness than the two other diets. In spite of the detected changes in composition and diversity, we identified a core microbiome shared between the three different lignocellulosic diets. These results suggest that feeding with diets of different lignocellulosic composition could be a viable strategy to discover variants of hemicellulose and cellulose breakdown systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Ben Guerrero
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar Hurlingham, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Soria
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Cátedra de Microbiología Agrícola, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Salvador
- Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar Hurlingham, Argentina
| | - Javier A Ceja-Navarro
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Eleonora Campos
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria CastelarHurlingham, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eoin L Brodie
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Paola Talia
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria CastelarHurlingham, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Willis JD, Mazarei M, Stewart CN. Transgenic Plant-Produced Hydrolytic Enzymes and the Potential of Insect Gut-Derived Hydrolases for Biofuels. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:675. [PMID: 27303411 PMCID: PMC4885837 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Various perennial C4 grass species have tremendous potential for use as lignocellulosic biofuel feedstocks. Currently available grasses require costly pre-treatment and exogenous hydrolytic enzyme application to break down complex cell wall polymers into sugars that can then be fermented into ethanol. It has long been hypothesized that engineered feedstock production of cell wall degrading (CWD) enzymes would be an efficient production platform for of exogenous hydrolytic enzymes. Most research has focused on plant overexpression of CWD enzyme-coding genes from free-living bacteria and fungi that naturally break down plant cell walls. Recently, it has been found that insect digestive tracts harbor novel sources of lignocellulolytic biocatalysts that might be exploited for biofuel production. These CWD enzyme genes can be located in the insect genomes or in symbiotic microbes. When CWD genes are transformed into plants, negative pleiotropic effects are possible such as unintended cell wall digestion. The use of codon optimization along with organelle and tissue specific targeting improves CWD enzyme yields. The literature teaches several important lessons on strategic deployment of CWD genes in transgenic plants, which is the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Willis
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN, USA
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science CenterOak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Mitra Mazarei
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN, USA
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science CenterOak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - C. Neal Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN, USA
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science CenterOak Ridge, TN, USA
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15
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Mei HZ, Xia DG, Zhao QL, Zhang GZ, Qiu ZY, Qian P, Lu C. Molecular cloning, expression, purification and characterization of a novel cellulase gene (Bh-EGaseI) in the beetle Batocera horsfieldi. Gene 2016; 576:45-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.09.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Akazawa SI, Ikarashi Y, Yarimizu J, Yokoyama K, Kobayashi T, Nakazawa H, Ogasawara W, Morikawa Y. Characterization of two endoglucanases for the classification of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida Waki. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2015; 80:55-66. [PMID: 26295166 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2015.1075860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei are vermicomposting species that are used as model animals for testing chemical material toxicology. Eisenia spp. are grown commercially in various fields in Japan. However, these two species have not been classified because it is difficult to distinguish them morphologically; thus, all bred earthworms are called E. fetida. However, it has been proposed that these two species have different expression regulation mechanisms. Here, we classified a sample of earthworms purchased from several farms, confirming that both E. fetida and E. andrei are present in Japanese earthworm breeding programs. We also characterized two highly active endoglucanases (EfEG1 and EfEG2) from the E. fetida Waki strain, which contained strong fibrinolytic enzymes for improving human health. We confirmed that EfEG1 is 1371 bp long and belongs to GHF9. Thus, E. fetida Waki may have commercial application for biomass utilization and as a dietary health supplement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-ichi Akazawa
- a Department of Materials Engineering , National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Yuki Ikarashi
- a Department of Materials Engineering , National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Jun Yarimizu
- a Department of Materials Engineering , National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Keisuke Yokoyama
- a Department of Materials Engineering , National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Tomoya Kobayashi
- a Department of Materials Engineering , National Institute of Technology, Nagaoka College , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Hikaru Nakazawa
- b Department of Bioengineering , Nagaoka University of Technology , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Wataru Ogasawara
- b Department of Bioengineering , Nagaoka University of Technology , Nagaoka , Japan
| | - Yasushi Morikawa
- b Department of Bioengineering , Nagaoka University of Technology , Nagaoka , Japan
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17
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Champasri C, Champasri T, Woranam K. Purification, Biochemical Characterization of a Macrotermes gilvus Cellulase and Zymogram Analysis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.3923/ajb.2015.190.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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18
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Zhao C, Alvarez Gonzales MA, Poland TM, Mittapalli O. Core RNAi machinery and gene knockdown in the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 72:70-78. [PMID: 25541004 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The RNA interference (RNAi) technology has been widely used in insect functional genomics research and provides an alternative approach for insect pest management. To understand whether the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), an invasive and destructive coleopteran insect pest of ash tree (Fraxinus spp.), possesses a strong RNAi machinery that is capable of degrading target mRNA as a response to exogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induction, we identified three RNAi pathway core component genes, Dicer-2, Argonaute-2 and R2D2, from the A. planipennis genome sequence. Characterization of these core components revealed that they contain conserved domains essential for the proteins to function in the RNAi pathway. Phylogenetic analyses showed that they are closely related to homologs derived from other coleopteran species. We also delivered the dsRNA fragment of AplaScrB-2, a β-fructofuranosidase-encoding gene horizontally acquired by A. planipennis as we reported previously, into A. planipennis adults through microinjection. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis on the dsRNA-treated beetles demonstrated a significantly decreased gene expression level of AplaScrB-2 appearing on day 2 and lasting until at least day 6. This study is the first record of RNAi applied in A. planipennis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyang Zhao
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
| | - Miguel A Alvarez Gonzales
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
| | - Therese M Poland
- U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Omprakash Mittapalli
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
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Shirley D, Oppert C, Reynolds TB, Miracle B, Oppert B, Klingeman WE, Jurat-Fuentes JL. Expression of an endoglucanase from Tribolium castaneum (TcEG1) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. INSECT SCIENCE 2014; 21:609-618. [PMID: 24318365 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Insects are a largely unexploited resource in prospecting for novel cellulolytic enzymes to improve the production of ethanol fuel from lignocellulosic biomass. The cost of lignocellulosic ethanol production is expected to decrease by the combination of cellulose degradation (saccharification) and fermentation of the resulting glucose to ethanol in a single process, catalyzed by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformed to express efficient cellulases. While S. cerevisiae is an established heterologous expression system, there are no available data on the functional expression of insect cellulolytic enzymes for this species. To address this knowledge gap, S. cerevisiae was transformed to express the full-length cDNA encoding an endoglucanase from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (TcEG1), and evaluated the activity of the transgenic product (rTcEG1). Expression of the TcEG1 cDNA in S. cerevisiae was under control of the strong glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase promoter. Cultured transformed yeast secreted rTcEG1 protein as a functional β-1,4-endoglucanase, which allowed transformants to survive on selective media containing cellulose as the only available carbon source. Evaluation of substrate specificity for secreted rTcEG1 demonstrated endoglucanase activity, although some activity was also detected against complex cellulose substrates. Potentially relevant to uses in biofuel production rTcEG1 activity increased with pH conditions, with the highest activity detected at pH 12. Our results demonstrate the potential for functional production of an insect cellulase in S. cerevisiae and confirm the stability of rTcEG1 activity in strong alkaline environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Shirley
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee
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20
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Insect-derived enzymes: a treasure for industrial biotechnology and food biotechnology. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014. [PMID: 23881056 DOI: 10.1007/10_2013_204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on earth, colonizing almost every ecological niche of the planet. To survive in various and sometimes extreme habitats, insects have established diverse biological and chemical systems. Core components of these systems are enzymes that enable the insects to feed on diverse nutrient sources. The enzymes are produced by either the insects themselves (homologous) or by symbiotic organisms located in the insects' bodies or in their nests (heterologous). The use of these insect-associated enzymes for applications in the fields of food biotechnology and industrial (white) biotechnology is gaining more and more interest. Prominent examples of insect-derived enzymes include peptidases, amylases, lipases, and β-D-glucosidases. Highly potent peptidases for the degradation of gluten, a storage protein that can cause intestinal disorders, may be received from grain pests. Several insects, such as bark and ambrosia beetles and termites, are able to feed on wood. In the field of white biotechnology, their cellulolytic enzyme systems of mainly endo-1,4-β-D-glucanases and β-D-glucosidases can be employed for saccharification of the most prominent polymer on earth-cellulose.
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21
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Pauchet Y, Saski CA, Feltus FA, Luyten I, Quesneville H, Heckel DG. Studying the organization of genes encoding plant cell wall degrading enzymes in Chrysomela tremula provides insights into a leaf beetle genome. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 23:286-300. [PMID: 24456018 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability of herbivorous beetles from the superfamilies Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea to degrade plant cell wall polysaccharides has only recently begun to be appreciated. The presence of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) in the beetle's digestive tract makes this degradation possible. Sequences encoding these beetle-derived PCWDEs were originally identified from transcriptomes and strikingly resemble those of saprophytic and phytopathogenic microorganisms, raising questions about their origin; e.g. are they insect- or microorganism-derived? To demonstrate unambiguously that the genes encoding PCWDEs found in beetle transcriptomes are indeed of insect origin, we generated a bacterial artificial chromosome library from the genome of the leaf beetle Chrysomela tremula, containing 18 432 clones with an average size of 143 kb. After hybridizing this library with probes derived from 12 C. tremula PCWDE-encoding genes and sequencing the positive clones, we demonstrated that the latter genes are encoded by the insect's genome and are surrounded by genes possessing orthologues in the genome of Tribolium castaneum as well as in three other beetle genomes. Our analyses showed that although the level of overall synteny between C. tremula and T. castaneum seems high, the degree of microsynteny between both species is relatively low, in contrast to the more closely related Colorado potato beetle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Pauchet
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
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22
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Pauchet Y, Kirsch R, Giraud S, Vogel H, Heckel DG. Identification and characterization of plant cell wall degrading enzymes from three glycoside hydrolase families in the cerambycid beetle Apriona japonica. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 49:1-13. [PMID: 24657889 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Xylophagous insects have evolved to thrive in a highly challenging environment. For example, wood-boring beetles from the family Cerambycidae feed exclusively on woody tissues, and to efficiently access the nutrients present in this sub-optimal environment, they have to cope with the lignocellulose barrier. Whereas microbes of the insect's gut flora were hypothesized to be responsible for the degradation of lignin, the beetle itself depends heavily on the secretion of a range of enzymes, known as plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), to efficiently digest both hemicellulose and cellulose networks. Here we sequenced the larval gut transcriptome of the Mulberry longhorn beetle, Apriona japonica (Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), in order to investigate the arsenal of putative PCWDEs secreted by this species. We combined our transcriptome with all available sequencing data derived from other cerambycid beetles in order to analyze and get insight into the evolutionary history of the corresponding gene families. Finally, we heterologously expressed and functionally characterized the A. japonica PCWDEs we identified from the transcriptome. Together with a range of endo-β-1,4-glucanases, we describe here for the first time the presence in a species of Cerambycidae of (i) a xylanase member of the subfamily 2 of glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5 subfamily 2), as well as (ii) an exopolygalacturonase from family GH28. Our analyses greatly contribute to a better understanding of the digestion physiology of this important group of insects, many of which are major pests of forestry worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Pauchet
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Roy Kirsch
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Giraud
- Polytech'Nice-Sophia, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, 1645 Route des Lucioles, 06410 Biot, France
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - David G Heckel
- Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
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23
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Ni J, Takehara M, Watanabe H. Heterologous Overexpression of a Mutant Termite Cellulase Gene inEscherichia coliby DNA Shuffling of Four Orthologous Parental cDNAs. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 69:1711-20. [PMID: 16195589 DOI: 10.1271/bbb.69.1711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Among cellulase genes, those of animals are known for their difficulty in overexpression. We constructed a chimeric library by family shuffling of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase genes from four different termite species (Reticulitermes speratus, Nasutitermes takasagoensis, Coptotermes formosanus, and Coptotermes acinaciformis) sharing 78.5-96% homology in amino acid sequence. The constructed library was screened by Congo red plate assay combined with 96-well micro-enzyme assay, and clones showing enhanced CMCase activities were obtained. The mutated genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli intracellularly as an active form. The endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (CMCase) activity in soluble fractions of E. coli harboring the mutant genes was 20-30 fold higher than that of wild-type genes. The mutant enzyme showed high activity against CMC and properties similar to those of the native enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Ni
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
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24
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Molecular evolution of glycoside hydrolase genes in the Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). PLoS One 2014; 9:e94052. [PMID: 24718603 PMCID: PMC3981738 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellulose is an important nutritional resource for a number of insect herbivores. Digestion of cellulose and other polysaccharides in plant-based diets requires several types of enzymes including a number of glycoside hydrolase (GH) families. In a previous study, we showed that a single GH45 gene is present in the midgut tissue of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). However, the presence of multiple enzymes was also suggested by the lack of a significant biological response when the expression of the gene was silenced by RNA interference. In order to clarify the repertoire of cellulose-degrading enzymes and related GH family proteins in D. v. virgifera, we performed next-generation sequencing and assembled transcriptomes from the tissue of three different developmental stages (eggs, neonates, and third instar larvae). Results of this study revealed the presence of seventy-eight genes that potentially encode GH enzymes belonging to eight families (GH45, GH48, GH28, GH16, GH31, GH27, GH5, and GH1). The numbers of GH45 and GH28 genes identified in D. v. virgifera are among the largest in insects where these genes have been identified. Three GH family genes (GH45, GH48, and GH28) are found almost exclusively in two coleopteran superfamilies (Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea) among insects, indicating the possibility of their acquisitions by horizontal gene transfer rather than simple vertical transmission from ancestral lineages of insects. Acquisition of GH genes by horizontal gene transfers and subsequent lineage-specific GH gene expansion appear to have played important roles for phytophagous beetles in specializing on particular groups of host plants and in the case of D. v. virgifera, its close association with maize.
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Valencia Jiménez A, Wang H, Siegfried BD. Expression and characterization of a recombinant endoglucanase from western corn rootworm, in Pichia pastoris. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2014; 14:242. [PMID: 25434035 PMCID: PMC5633935 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The endoglucanase cDNA, Dvv-ENGase I, from western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte was expressed using the GS115 methylotrophic strain of Pichia pastoris. The Dvv-ENGase I gene was cloned into the integrative plasmid pPICZαA under the control of AOX1, which is a methanol-inducible promoter. Positive clones were selected for their ability to produce the recombinant endoglucanase upon continuous methanol induction. The secreted recombinant insect endoglucanase Dvv-ENGase I has an apparent molecular mass of 29 kDa. The recombinant endo-1,4-β-glucanase (ENGase) was able to digest the substrates: hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and Whatman No. 1 filter paper. A higher accumulation of reducing sugar was evident when the P. pastoris expression medium contained HEC (1%) instead of CMC (1%). An enzymatic activity band was detected after performing electrophoretic separation under nondenaturing conditions. The biological activity of the recombinant Dvv-ENGase I was influenced by the presence of protease inhibitors in the culture medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnubio Valencia Jiménez
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Departamento de Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 6526-10, Manizales, Colombia
| | - Haichuan Wang
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0816, USA
| | - Blair D Siegfried
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0816, USA
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26
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Scully ED, Hoover K, Carlson JE, Tien M, Geib SM. Midgut transcriptome profiling of Anoplophora glabripennis, a lignocellulose degrading cerambycid beetle. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:850. [PMID: 24304644 PMCID: PMC4046674 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wood-feeding insects often work in collaboration with microbial symbionts to degrade lignin biopolymers and release glucose and other fermentable sugars from recalcitrant plant cell wall carbohydrates, including cellulose and hemicellulose. Here, we present the midgut transcriptome of larval Anoplophora glabripennis, a wood-boring beetle with documented lignin-, cellulose-, and hemicellulose- degrading capabilities, which provides valuable insights into how this insect overcomes challenges associated with feeding in woody tissue. RESULTS Transcripts from putative protein coding regions of over 9,000 insect-derived genes were identified in the A. glabripennis midgut transcriptome using a combination of 454 shotgun and Illumina paired-end reads. The most highly-expressed genes predicted to encode digestive-related enzymes were trypsins, carboxylesterases, β-glucosidases, and cytochrome P450s. Furthermore, 180 unigenes predicted to encode glycoside hydrolases (GHs) were identified and included several GH 5, 45, and 48 cellulases, GH 1 xylanases, and GH 1 β-glucosidases. In addition, transcripts predicted to encode enzymes involved in detoxification were detected, including a substantial number of unigenes classified as cytochrome P450s (CYP6B) and carboxylesterases, which are hypothesized to play pivotal roles in detoxifying host tree defensive chemicals and could make important contributions to A. glabripennis' expansive host range. While a large diversity of insect-derived transcripts predicted to encode digestive and detoxification enzymes were detected, few transcripts predicted to encode enzymes required for lignin degradation or synthesis of essential nutrients were identified, suggesting that collaboration with microbial enzymes may be required for survival in woody tissue. CONCLUSIONS A. glabripennis produces a number of enzymes with putative roles in cell wall digestion, detoxification, and nutrient extraction, which likely contribute to its ability to thrive in a broad range of host trees. This system is quite different from the previously characterized termite fermentation system and provides new opportunities to discover enzymes that could be exploited for cellulosic ethanol biofuel production or the development of novel methods to control wood-boring pests.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Scott M Geib
- Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research Unit, USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.
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Scully ED, Geib SM, Hoover K, Tien M, Tringe SG, Barry KW, Glavina del Rio T, Chovatia M, Herr JR, Carlson JE. Metagenomic profiling reveals lignocellulose degrading system in a microbial community associated with a wood-feeding beetle. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73827. [PMID: 24023907 PMCID: PMC3762729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophoraglabripennis) is an invasive, wood-boring pest that thrives in the heartwood of deciduous tree species. A large impediment faced by A. glabripennis as it feeds on woody tissue is lignin, a highly recalcitrant biopolymer that reduces access to sugars and other nutrients locked in cellulose and hemicellulose. We previously demonstrated that lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose are actively deconstructed in the beetle gut and that the gut harbors an assemblage of microbes hypothesized to make significant contributions to these processes. While lignin degrading mechanisms have been well characterized in pure cultures of white rot basidiomycetes, little is known about such processes in microbial communities associated with wood-feeding insects. The goals of this study were to develop a taxonomic and functional profile of a gut community derived from an invasive population of larval A. glabripennis collected from infested host trees and to identify genes that could be relevant for the digestion of woody tissue and nutrient acquisition. To accomplish this goal, we taxonomically and functionally characterized the A. glabripennis midgut microbiota through amplicon and shotgun metagenome sequencing and conducted a large-scale comparison with the metagenomes from a variety of other herbivore-associated communities. This analysis distinguished the A. glabripennis larval gut metagenome from the gut communities of other herbivores, including previously sequenced termite hindgut metagenomes. Genes encoding enzymes were identified in the A. glabripennis gut metagenome that could have key roles in woody tissue digestion including candidate lignin degrading genes (laccases, dye-decolorizing peroxidases, novel peroxidases and β-etherases), 36 families of glycoside hydrolases (such as cellulases and xylanases), and genes that could facilitate nutrient recovery, essential nutrient synthesis, and detoxification. This community could serve as a reservoir of novel enzymes to enhance industrial cellulosic biofuels production or targets for novel control methods for this invasive and highly destructive insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin D. Scully
- Intercollege Graduate Program in Genetics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Scott M. Geib
- Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Kelli Hoover
- Department of Entomology and Center for Chemical Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ming Tien
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Susannah G. Tringe
- Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Kerrie W. Barry
- Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Tijana Glavina del Rio
- Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Mansi Chovatia
- Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua R. Herr
- Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Biology, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - John E. Carlson
- The Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Bioenergy Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
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König H, Li L, Fröhlich J. The cellulolytic system of the termite gut. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:7943-62. [PMID: 23900801 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-5119-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The demand for the usage of natural renewable polymeric material is increasing in order to satisfy the future needs for energy and chemical precursors. Important steps in the hydrolysis of polymeric material and bioconversion can be performed by microorganisms. Over about 150 million years, termites have optimized their intestinal polysaccharide-degrading symbiosis. In the ecosystem of the "termite gut," polysaccharides are degraded from lignocellulose, such as cellulose and hemicelluloses, in 1 day, while lignin is only weakly attacked. The understanding of the principles of cellulose degradation in this natural polymer-degrading ecosystem could be helpful for the improvement of the biotechnological hydrolysis and conversion of cellulose, e.g., in the case of biogas production from natural renewable plant material in biogas plants. This review focuses on the present knowledge of the cellulose degradation in the termite gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut König
- Institute of Microbiology and Wine Research, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany.
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29
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Von Santos Veloso R, Pereira EJG, Guedes RNC, Oliveira MGA. Does cypermethrin affect enzyme activity, respiration rate and walking behavior of the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais)? INSECT SCIENCE 2013; 20:358-366. [PMID: 23955887 DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2012.01529.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Insecticides cause a range of sub-lethal effects on targeted insects, which are frequently detrimental to them. However, targeted insects are able to cope with insecticides within sub-lethal ranges, which vary with their susceptibility. Here we assessed the response of three strains of the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to sub-lethal exposure to the pyrethoid insecticide cypermethrin. We expected enzyme induction associated with cypermethrin resistance since it would aid the resistant insects in surviving such exposure. Lower respiration rate and lower activity were also expected in insecticide-resistant insects since these traits are also likely to favor survivorship under insecticide exposure. Curiously though, cypermethrin did not affect activity of digestive and energy metabolism enzymes, and even reduced the activity of some enzymes (particularly for cellulase and cysteine-proteinase activity in this case). There was strain variation in response, which may be (partially) related to insecticide resistance in some strains. Sub-lethal exposure to cypermethrin depressed proteolytic and mainly cellulolytic activity in the exposed insects, which is likely to impair their fitness. However, such exposure did not affect respiration rate and walking behavior of the insects (except for the susceptible strain where walking activity was reduced). Walking activity varies with strain and may minimize insecticide exposure, which should be a concern, particularly if associated with (physiological) insecticide resistance.
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Fischer R, Ostafe R, Twyman RM. Cellulases from insects. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2013; 136:51-64. [PMID: 23728162 DOI: 10.1007/10_2013_206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Bioethanol is currently produced by the fermentation of sugary and starchy crops, but waste plant biomass is a more abundant source because sugars can be derived directly from cellulose. One of the limiting steps in the biomass-to-ethanol process is the degradation of cellulose to fermentable sugars (saccharification). This currently relies on the use of bacterial and/or fungal cellulases, which tend to have low activity under biorefinery conditions and are easily inhibited. Some insect species feed on plant biomass and can efficiently degrade cellulose to produce glucose as an energy source. Although insects were initially thought to require symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi to break down cellulose, several species in the orders Dictyoptera, Orthoptera, and Coleoptera have now been shown to produce their own cellulases in the midgut or salivary glands, and putative cellulase genes have been identified in other orders. Insect cellulases often work in concert with cellulases provided by symbiotic microbiota in the gut to achieve efficient cellulolysis. We discuss the current status of insect cellulases and potential strategies that could be used to find novel enzymes and improve their efficiency.
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31
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cDNA cloning, expression, and enzymatic activity of a novel endogenous cellulase from the beetle Batocera horsfieldi. Gene 2012. [PMID: 23201420 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we report a novel cellulase [β-1,4-endoglucanase (EGase), EC 3.2.1.4] cDNA (Bh-EGase II) belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 45 from the beetle Batocera horsfieldi. The Bh-EGase II gene spans 720bp and consists of a single exon coding for 239 amino acid residues. Bh-EGase II showed 93.72% protein sequence identity to Ag-EGase II from the beetle Apriona germari. The GHF 45 catalytic site is conserved in Bh-EGase II. Bh-EGase II has three putative N-glycosylation sites at 56-58 (N-K-S), 99-101 (N-S-T), and 237-239 (N-Y-S), respectively. The cDNA encoding Bh-EGase II was expressed in baculovirus-infected insect BmN cells and Bombyx mori larvae. Recombinant Bh-EGase II from BmN cells and larval hemolymph had an enzymatic activity of approximately 928U/mg. The enzymatic catalysis of recombinant Bh-EGase II showed the highest activity at 50°C and pH6.0.
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Valencia A, Alves AP, Siegfried BD. Molecular cloning and functional characterization of an endogenous endoglucanase belonging to GHF45 from the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera. Gene 2012; 513:260-7. [PMID: 23137634 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2012] [Revised: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A novel insect β-1,4-endoglucanase (DvvENGaseI) gene belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 45 was identified from the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera. The cDNA of the DvvENGaseI consisted of a 720 bp open reading frame encoding a 239 amino-acid protein. Analysis of the amino acid sequence revealed that DvvENGaseI exhibits 60% protein sequence identity when compared with an endoglucanase belonging to GHF45 from another beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Western blot analyses using a polyclonal antiserum developed from a partial peptide sequence revealed that DvvENGaseI expression coincided with body regions corresponding to the fore-, mid- and hindgut, although regions corresponding to the midgut and hindgut were the primary sites for DvvENGaseI expression. Functional analysis of the DvvENGaseI by RNA interference (RNAi) indicated that nearly complete knock-down of gene expression could be obtained by injection of dsRNA based on qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. However, suppression only resulted in slight developmental delays suggesting that this gene may be part of a larger system of cellulose degrading enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnubio Valencia
- Departamento de Producción Agropecuaria, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65#26-10, Manizales, Colombia
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Kirsch R, Wielsch N, Vogel H, Svatoš A, Heckel DG, Pauchet Y. Combining proteomics and transcriptome sequencing to identify active plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes in a leaf beetle. BMC Genomics 2012; 13:587. [PMID: 23116131 PMCID: PMC3505185 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The primary plant cell wall is a complex mixture of polysaccharides and proteins encasing living plant cells. Among these polysaccharides, cellulose is the most abundant and useful biopolymer present on earth. These polysaccharides also represent a rich source of energy for organisms which have evolved the ability to degrade them. A growing body of evidence suggests that phytophagous beetles, mainly species from the superfamilies Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea, possess endogenous genes encoding complex and diverse families of so-called plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs). The presence of these genes in phytophagous beetles may have been a key element in their success as herbivores. Here, we combined a proteomics approach and transcriptome sequencing to identify PCWDEs present in larval gut contents of the mustard leaf beetle, Phaedon cochleariae. Results Using a two-dimensional proteomics approach, we recovered 11 protein bands, isolated using activity assays targeting cellulose-, pectin- and xylan-degrading enzymes. After mass spectrometry analyses, a total of 13 proteins putatively responsible for degrading plant cell wall polysaccharides were identified; these proteins belong to three glycoside hydrolase (GH) families: GH11 (xylanases), GH28 (polygalacturonases or pectinases), and GH45 (β-1,4-glucanases or cellulases). Additionally, highly stable and proteolysis-resistant host plant-derived proteins from various pathogenesis-related protein (PRs) families as well as polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) were also identified from the gut contents proteome. In parallel, transcriptome sequencing revealed the presence of at least 19 putative PCWDE transcripts encoded by the P. cochleariae genome. All of these were specifically expressed in the insect gut rather than the rest of the body, and in adults as well as larvae. The discrepancy observed in the number of putative PCWDEs between transcriptome and proteome analyses could be partially explained by differences in transcriptional level. Conclusions Combining proteome and transcriptome sequencing analyses proved to be a powerful tool for the discovery of active PCWDEs in a non-model species. Our data represent the starting point of an in-depth functional and evolutionary characterization of PCWDE gene families in phytophagous beetles and their contribution to the adaptation of these highly successful herbivores to their host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Kirsch
- Entomology Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
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34
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Purification and characterization of cellulase from North Pacific krill (Euphausia pacifica). Analysis of cleavage specificity of the enzyme. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2012; 163:324-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2012.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Revised: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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35
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Chang CJ, Wu CP, Lu SC, Chao AL, Ho THD, Yu SM, Chao YC. A novel exo-cellulase from white spotted longhorn beetle (Anoplophora malasiaca). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2012; 42:629-636. [PMID: 22617190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 05/04/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Wood feeding insects depends heavily on the secretion of a combination of cellulases, mainly endoglucanases and other glucanases such as exoglucanases and xylanases, for efficient digestion of the cellulosic materials. To date, although a high number of endoglucanases have been found in xytophagous insects, little is known about exoglucanases encoded in the genome of these insects. Here we report the identification and isolation of an exoglucanase, designated as AmCel-5B, from the white spotted longhorn beetle, Anoplophora malasiaca. The optimal condition of enzymatic activity was found to be 50 °C and pH 4.0. Interestingly, this enzyme is not only exhibited exo-β-glucanase activity, but also with obvious endo-β-glucanase activity. Furthermore, this enzyme is unique in that, although it recognizes Avicel, evidenced as an exo-β-glucanase, it cannot recognize oligosaccharides smaller than cellohexaose. This may explain why longhorn beetle can well digest hard "living" wood, which contains primarily rigid long fibers. Although it is known that metal ions can enhance the activity of some cellulases, we further demonstrated that reducing agent could work synergistically with metal ions for significant activity enhancement of AmCel-5B. The discovery and investigation of an insect exoglucanase should lead to a greater understanding of the mechanism for efficient digestion of cellulosic materials by wood feeding insects, as well as facilitate their potential applications in the production of bioenergy and biomaterials from lignocellulosic biomass in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Jung Chang
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genomic Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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36
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Geib SM, Scully ED, Jimenez-Gasco MDM, Carlson JE, Tien M, Hoover K. Phylogenetic Analysis of Fusarium solani Associated with the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis. INSECTS 2012; 3:141-60. [PMID: 26467954 PMCID: PMC4553622 DOI: 10.3390/insects3010141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Culture-independent analysis of the gut of a wood-boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), revealed a consistent association between members of the fungal Fusarium solani species complex and the larval stage of both colony-derived and wild A. glabripennis populations. Using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha region for culture-independent phylogenetic and operational taxonomic unit (OTU)-based analyses, only two OTUs were detected, suggesting that genetic variance at this locus was low among A. glabripennis-associated isolates. To better survey the genetic variation of F. solani associated with A. glabripennis, and establish its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the F. solani species complex, single spore isolates were created from different populations and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis was performed using a combination of the translation elongation factor alpha-1, internal transcribed spacer, and large subunit rDNA regions. These analyses revealed that colony-derived larvae reared in three different tree species or on artificial diet, as well as larvae from wild populations collected from three additional tree species in New York City and from a single tree species in Worcester, MA, consistently harbored F. solani within their guts. While there is some genetic variation in the F. solani carried between populations, within-population variation is low. We speculate that F. solani is able to fill a broad niche in the A. glabripennis gut, providing it with fungal lignocellulases to allow the larvae to grow and develop on woody tissue. However, it is likely that many F. solani genotypes could potentially fill this niche, so the relationship may not be limited to a single member of the F. solani species complex. While little is known about the role of filamentous fungi and their symbiotic associations with insects, this report suggests that larval A. glabripennis has developed an intimate relationship with F. solani that is not limited by geographic location or host tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott M Geib
- Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research Unit, USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.
| | - Erin D Scully
- Intercollege Program in Genetics at The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | | | - John E Carlson
- School of Forest Resources, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
- Department of Bioenergy Science and Technology (World Class University), Chonnam National University, Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-757, Korea.
| | - Ming Tien
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Kelli Hoover
- Department of Entomology and Center for Chemical Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Linton SM, Shirley AJ. Isozymes from the herbivorous gecarcinid land crab, Gecarcoidea natalis that possess both lichenase and endo-β-1,4-glucanase activity. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2011; 160:44-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2011.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2011] [Revised: 05/26/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Strickler AG, Soares D. Comparative genetics of the central nervous system in epigean and hypogean Astyanax mexicanus. Genetica 2011; 139:383-91. [PMID: 21318738 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-011-9557-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2010] [Accepted: 01/27/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The extreme environment of subterranean caves presents an adaptive challenge to troglobitic organisms. The mechanisms by which natural selection modify an ancestral surface neural circuit to produce a novel subterranean behavior remain a mystery. To address this question, we performed cross species microarray experiments to compare differences in gene expression levels in the adult brain of the teleost Astyanax mexicanus. This species provides a unique opportunity for comparative genetic studies as it consists of extant epigean (surface) and hypogean (cave) conspecifics. Microarray experiments herein revealed significant changes in transcription levels of seventeen genes, several of which are important for behaviors involved in metabolic management. We focused on genes central to three neurotransmission and neuromodulation networks: the endocannabinoid system (Cannabinoid receptor CB1), the dopaminergic system (Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein) and the glutamatergic system (glutamate receptor AMPA 2a). All three genes were upregulated in the hypogean form of A. mexicanus compared to the epigean form, indicating that behavioral differences in the hypogean form of the species could be due to alterations in expression levels of several key genes. This information provides insights into the complex relationships among environmental factors, genetics, nervous systems and adaptive behavior, and can subsequently help us understand how these interactions affect behavior in other biological systems.
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Willis JD, Oppert B, Oppert C, Klingeman WE, Jurat-Fuentes JL. Identification, cloning, and expression of a GHF9 cellulase from Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 57:300-306. [PMID: 21126522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Revised: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The availability of sequenced insect genomes has allowed for discovery and functional characterization of novel genes and proteins. We report use of the Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (red flour beetle) genome to identify, clone, express, and characterize a novel endo-β-1,4-glucanase we named TcEG1 (T. castaneum endoglucanase 1). Sequence analysis of a full-length TcEG1 cDNA clone (1356bp) revealed sequence homology to enzymes in glycosyl hydrolase family 9 (GHF9), and verified presence of a change (Gly for Ser) in the conserved catalytic domain for GHF9 cellulases. This TcEG1 cDNA clone was predicted to encode a 49.5kDa protein with a calculated pI of 5.39. Heterologous expression of TcEG1 in Drosophila S2 cell cultures resulted in secretion of a 51-kDa protein, as determined by Western blotting. The expressed protein was used to characterize TcEG1 enzymatic activity against two cellulose substrates to determine its specificity and stability. Our data support that TcEG1 as a novel endo-β-1,4-glucanase, the first functional characterization of a cellulase enzyme derived from an insect genome with potential applications in the biofuel industry due to its high relative activity at alkaline pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Willis
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-4560, USA
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40
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Allardyce BJ, Linton SM. Characterisation of cellulose and hemicellulose digestion in land crabs with special reference to Gecarcoidea natalis. AUST J ZOOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1071/zo11054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This article reviews the current knowledge of cellulose and hemicellulose digestion by herbivorous land crabs using the gecarcinid Gecarcoidea natalis as a model species for this group. Cellulose digestion in the gecarcinids is hypothesised to require mechanical fragmentation and enzymatic hydrolysis. Mechanical fragmentation is achieved by the chelae, mandibles and gastric mill, which reduce the material to particles less than 53 µm. The gastric mill shows adaptations towards a plant diet; in particular, there are transverse ridges on the medial and lateral teeth and ventral cusps on the lateral teeth that complement and interlock to provide efficient cutting surfaces. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose is achieved through cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes. In the gecarcinids, 2–3 endo-β-1,4-glucanases, one β-glucohydrolase and a laminarinase have been identified. The endo-β-1,4-glucanases are multifunctional, with both endo-β-1,4-glucanase and lichenase activity. Complete cellulose hydrolysis is achieved through the synergistic action of the endo-β-1,4-glucanase and β-glucohydrolase. The evidence for the endogenous production of the cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes, their evolutionary origin and possible evolution in invertebrates as they colonised land is also discussed.
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Diversity of beetle genes encoding novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15635. [PMID: 21179425 PMCID: PMC3003705 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2010] [Accepted: 11/18/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant cell walls are a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharides and proteins that require a range of different enzymes to degrade them. Plant cell walls are also the primary source of cellulose, the most abundant and useful biopolymer on the planet. Plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) are therefore important in a wide range of biotechnological processes from the production of biofuels and food to waste processing. However, despite the fact that the last common ancestor of all deuterostomes was inferred to be able to digest, or even synthesize, cellulose using endogenous genes, all model insects whose complete genomes have been sequenced lack genes encoding such enzymes. To establish if the apparent "disappearance" of PCWDEs from insects is simply a sampling problem, we used 454 mediated pyrosequencing to scan the gut transcriptomes of beetles that feed on a variety of plant derived diets. By sequencing the transcriptome of five beetles, and surveying publicly available ESTs, we describe 167 new beetle PCWDEs belonging to eight different enzyme families. This survey proves that these enzymes are not only present in non-model insects but that the multigene families that encode them are apparently undergoing complex birth-death dynamics. This reinforces the observation that insects themselves, and not just their microbial symbionts, are a rich source of PCWDEs. Further it emphasises that the apparent absence of genes encoding PCWDEs from model organisms is indeed simply a sampling artefact. Given the huge diversity of beetles alive today, and the diversity of their lifestyles and diets, we predict that beetle guts will emerge as an important new source of enzymes for use in biotechnology.
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Zhou X, Kovaleva ES, Wu-Scharf D, Campbell JH, Buchman GW, Boucias DG, Scharf ME. Production and characterization of a recombinant beta-1,4-endoglucanase (glycohydrolase family 9) from the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 74:147-62. [PMID: 20572126 DOI: 10.1002/arch.20368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Cell-1 is a host-derived beta-1,4-endoglucanase (Glycohydrolase Family 9 [GHF9]) from the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Here, we report on the heterologous production of Cell-1 using eukaryotic (Baculovirus Expression Vector System; BEVS) and prokaryotic (E. coli) expression systems. The BEVS-expressed enzyme was more readily obtained in solubilized form and more active than the E. coli-expressed enzyme. K(m) and V(max) values for BEVS-expressed Cell-1 against the model substrate CMC were 0.993% w/v and 1.056 micromol/min/mg. Additional characterization studies on the BEVS-expressed enzyme revealed that it possesses activity comparable to the native enzyme, is optimally active around pH 6.5-7.5 and 50-60 degrees C, is inhibited by EDTA, and displays enhanced activity up to 70 degrees C in the presence of CaCl(2). These findings provide a foundation on which to begin subsequent investigations of collaborative digestion by coevolved host and symbiont digestive enzymes from R. flavipes that include GHF7 exoglucanases, GHF1 beta glucosidases, phenol-oxidizing laccases, and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0620, USA
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Caenorhabditis elegans: a useful tool to decipher neurodegenerative pathways. Biochem Soc Trans 2010; 38:559-63. [PMID: 20298221 DOI: 10.1042/bst0380559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases affect millions of people. These disorders are age-dependent, progressive and, at present, incurable. A practical and relevant model is needed to investigate the molecular determinants of these debilitating diseases. Mammalian models are often prohibitively expensive, time-consuming and very complex. Given the highly conserved neurological pathways between mammals and invertebrates, Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a powerful tool for the investigation of the pathophysiology of these disorders. We describe recent findings in this area and show how C. elegans is being used to broaden our knowledge of human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Calderón-Cortés N, Watanabe H, Cano-Camacho H, Zavala-Páramo G, Quesada M. cDNA cloning, homology modelling and evolutionary insights into novel endogenous cellulases of the borer beetle Oncideres albomarginata chamela (Cerambycidae). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2010; 19:323-336. [PMID: 20201981 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2010.00991.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Novel endogenous cDNAs of beta-1, 4-endoglucanases (Oa-EGase I and Oa-EGase II) were cloned from the cerambycid beetle Oncideres albomarginata chamela. Oa-EGase I- and Oa-EGase II-deduced proteins and three-dimensional structures possess all features, including general architecture, signature motifs and catalytic domains, of glycosyl hydrolase families 5 and 45 (GHF5 and GHF45) and also share high levels of homology with other beetle cellulases. Total carboxymethylcellulase activity of O. a. chamela was 208.13 U/g of larvae. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that insect GHF5 and GHF45 are very ancient gene families and indicate, at least in the case of GHF5, that this family likely evolved from a common ancestor rather than, as is often reported, via horizontal gene transfer. Beetle GHF45 cellulases did not cluster with other metazoan cellulases. However, the presence of GHF45 cellulases in ancient molluscan taxa puts into question the hypothesis of horizontal gene transfer for the evolution of cellulases in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Calderón-Cortés
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Col. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, Morelia, México.
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Oppert C, Klingeman WE, Willis JD, Oppert B, Jurat-Fuentes JL. Prospecting for cellulolytic activity in insect digestive fluids. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2010; 155:145-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2009.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2009] [Revised: 10/29/2009] [Accepted: 10/29/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Phylogenetic analysis of cellulolytic enzyme genes from representative lineages of termites and a related cockroach. PLoS One 2010; 5:e8636. [PMID: 20072608 PMCID: PMC2797642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between xylophagous termites and the protists resident in their hindguts is a textbook example of symbiosis. The essential steps of lignocellulose degradation handled by these protists allow the host termites to thrive on a wood diet. There has never been a comprehensive analysis of lignocellulose degradation by protists, however, as it has proven difficult to establish these symbionts in pure culture. The trends in lignocellulose degradation during the evolution of the host lineage are also largely unknown. To clarify these points without any cultivation technique, we performed meta-expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis of cDNA libraries originating from symbiotic protistan communities in four termite species and a wood-feeding cockroach. Our results reveal the establishment of a degradation system with multiple enzymes at the ancestral stage of termite-protistan symbiosis, especially GHF5 and 7. According to our phylogenetic analyses, the enzymes comprising the protistan lignocellulose degradation system are coded not only by genes innate to the protists, but also genes acquired by the protists via lateral transfer from bacteria. This gives us a fresh perspective from which to understand the evolutionary dynamics of symbiosis.
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Anand AAP, Vennison SJ, Sankar SG, Prabhu DIG, Vasan PT, Raghuraman T, Geoffrey CJ, Vendan SE. Isolation and characterization of bacteria from the gut of Bombyx mori that degrade cellulose, xylan, pectin and starch and their impact on digestion. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2010; 10:107. [PMID: 20874394 PMCID: PMC3016902 DOI: 10.1673/031.010.10701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) have been domesticated and widely used for silk production. It feeds on mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves are mainly composed of pectin, xylan, cellulose and starch. Some of the digestive enzymes that degrade these carbohydrates might be produced by gut bacteria. Eleven isolates were obtained from the digestive tract of B. mori, including the Gram positive Bacillus circulans and Gram negative Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia liquefaciens, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, Aeromonas sp., and Erwinia sp.. Three of these isolates, P. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae, C. freundii, were cellulolytic and xylanolytic, P. fluorescens and Erwinia sp., were pectinolytic and K. pneumoniae degraded starch. Aeromonas sp. was able to utilize the CMcellulose and xylan. S. liquefaciens was able to utilize three polysaccharides including CMcellulose, xylan and pectin. B. circulans was able to utilize all four polysaccharides with different efficacy. The gut of B. mori has an alkaline pH and all of the isolated bacterial strains were found to grow and degrade polysaccharides at alkaline pH. The number of cellulolytic bacteria increases with each instar.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Alwin Prem Anand
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
- Present address: University of Tübingen, Institute of Anatomy, Österbergstrasse 3, 72074 Tübingen
| | - S. John Vennison
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, India
| | - S. Gowri Sankar
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, India
| | - D. Immanual Gilwax Prabhu
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, India
| | - P. Thirumalai Vasan
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, 620 024, India
| | - T. Raghuraman
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
| | - C. Jerome Geoffrey
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
| | - S. Ezhil Vendan
- Research Centre for Biological Sciences, Naesam Trust, Ellis Nagar, Madurai, 625016, India
- Present address: Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, 600034, India
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Abstract
Despite the presence of many carbohydrolytic activities in insects, their cellulolytic mechanisms are poorly understood. Whereas cellulase genes are absent from the genomes of Drosophila melanogaster or Bombyx mori, other insects such as termites produce their own cellulases. Recent studies using molecular biological techniques have brought new insights into the mechanisms by which the insects and their microbial symbionts digest cellulose in the small intestine. DNA sequences of cellulase and associated genes, as well as physiological and morphological information about the digestive systems of cellulase-producing insects, may allow the efficient use of cellulosic biomass as a sustainable energy source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Watanabe
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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Identification and functional validation of therapeutic targets for malignant melanoma. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2009; 72:194-214. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2009.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2008] [Revised: 02/04/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2009] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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50
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Lu W, Cui Z, Wang D, Lee KS, Park NS, Kim DH, Jin BR. Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel antibacterial peptide, defensin, from the mulberry longicorn beetle,Apriona germari. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 18:160-4. [PMID: 17364828 DOI: 10.1080/10425170601108639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A full-length cDNA clone with high homology (62% mature peptide sequence identity) to an Acalolepta luxuriosa antibacterial gene, possessing a conserved cysteine-stabilized alphabeta motif, was cloned by screening an Apriona germari cDNA library. This gene (AgCRP) had a total length of 360 bp with an open reading frame of 207 bp, and encoded a predicted peptide of 69 amino acid residues. The mature AgCRP peptide was 27 amino acid residues long and had a cysteine-stabilized alphabeta motif of C...CXXXC...C...CXC consensus sequence, similar to insect defensins. Northern blot analysis revealed that the AgCRP exhibited fat body-specific expression and was up-regulated by wounding, bacterial or fungal challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lu
- Joint Laboratory of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University & Dong-A University, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
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