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Mazzoli R, Pescarolo S, Gilli G, Gilardi G, Valetti F. Hydrogen production pathways in Clostridia and their improvement by metabolic engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108379. [PMID: 38754796 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Biological production of hydrogen has a tremendous potential as an environmentally sustainable technology to generate a clean fuel. Among the different available methods to produce biohydrogen, dark fermentation features the highest productivity and can be used as a means to dispose of organic waste biomass. Within this approach, Clostridia have the highest theoretical H2 production yield. Nonetheless, most strains show actual yields far lower than the theoretical maximum: improving their efficiency becomes necessary for achieving cost-effective fermentation processes. This review aims at providing a survey of the metabolic network involved in H2 generation in Clostridia and strategies used to improve it through metabolic engineering. Together with current achievements, a number of future perspectives to implement these results will be illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Mazzoli
- Structural and Functional Biochemistry, Laboratory of Proteomics and Metabolic Engineering of Prokaryotes, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy.
| | - Simone Pescarolo
- Biology applied to the environment, Laboratories of microbiology and ecotoxicology, Ecobioqual, Environment Park. Via Livorno 60, 10144 Torino, Italy
| | - Giorgio Gilli
- Department of Sciences of Public Health and Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Gilardi
- Structural and Functional Biochemistry, Laboratory of Proteomics and Metabolic Engineering of Prokaryotes, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Francesca Valetti
- Structural and Functional Biochemistry, Laboratory of Proteomics and Metabolic Engineering of Prokaryotes, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy.
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2
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Tjo H, Conway JM. Sugar transport in thermophiles: Bridging lignocellulose deconstruction and bioconversion. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 51:kuae020. [PMID: 38866721 PMCID: PMC11212667 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Biomass degrading thermophiles play an indispensable role in building lignocellulose-based supply chains. They operate at high temperatures to improve process efficiencies and minimize mesophilic contamination, can overcome lignocellulose recalcitrance through their native carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) inventory, and can utilize a wide range of sugar substrates. However, sugar transport in thermophiles is poorly understood and investigated, as compared to enzymatic lignocellulose deconstruction and metabolic conversion of sugars to value-added chemicals. Here, we review the general modes of sugar transport in thermophilic bacteria and archaea, covering the structural, molecular, and biophysical basis of their high-affinity sugar uptake. We also discuss recent genetic studies on sugar transporter function. With this understanding of sugar transport, we discuss strategies for how sugar transport can be engineered in thermophiles, with the potential to enhance the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into renewable products. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY Sugar transport is the understudied link between extracellular biomass deconstruction and intracellular sugar metabolism in thermophilic lignocellulose bioprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansen Tjo
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jonathan M Conway
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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3
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Mathew LG, Haja DK, Pritchett C, McCormick W, Zeineddine R, Fontenot LS, Rivera ME, Glushka J, Adams MWW, Lanzilotta WN. An unprecedented function for a tungsten-containing oxidoreductase. J Biol Inorg Chem 2022; 27:747-758. [PMID: 36269456 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-022-01965-0] [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: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Five tungstopterin-containing oxidoreductases were characterized from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus. Each enzyme catalyzes the reversible conversion of one or more aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic acid, but they have different specificities. The physiological functions of only two of these enzymes are known: one, termed GAPOR, is a glycolytic enzyme that oxidizes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, while the other, termed AOR, oxidizes multiple aldehydes generated during peptide fermentation. Two of the enzymes have known structures (AOR and FOR). Herein, we focus on WOR5, the fifth tungstopterin enzyme to be discovered in P. furiosus. Expression of WOR5 was previously shown to be increased during cold shock (growth at 72 ℃), although the physiological substrate is not known. To gain insight into WOR5 function, we sought to determine both its structure and identify its intracellular substrate. Crystallization experiments were performed with a concentrated cytoplasmic extract of P. furiosus grown at 72 ℃ and the structure of WOR5 was deduced from the crystals that were obtained. In contrast to a previous report, WOR5 is heterodimeric containing an additional polyferredoxin-like subunit with four [4Fe-4S] clusters. The active site structure of WOR5 is substantially different from that of AOR and FOR and the significant electron density observed adjacent to the tungsten cofactor of WOR5 was modeled as an aliphatic sulfonate. Biochemical assays and product analysis confirmed that WOR5 is an aliphatic sulfonate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (ASOR). A catalytic mechanism for ASOR is proposed based on the structural information and the potential role of ASOR in the cold-shock response is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liju G Mathew
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Dominik K Haja
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Clayton Pritchett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Winston McCormick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Robbie Zeineddine
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Leo S Fontenot
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Mario E Rivera
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - John Glushka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - William N Lanzilotta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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4
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Thorgersen MP, Schut GJ, Poole FL, Haja DK, Putumbaka S, Mycroft HI, de Vries WJ, Adams MWW. Obligately aerobic human gut microbe expresses an oxygen resistant tungsten-containing oxidoreductase for detoxifying gut aldehydes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:965625. [PMID: 36051760 PMCID: PMC9424855 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.965625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brevibacillus massiliensis strain phR is an obligately aerobic microbe that was isolated from human feces. Here, we show that it readily takes up tungsten (W), a metal previously associated only with anaerobes. The W is incorporated into an oxidoreductase enzyme (BmWOR) that was purified from native biomass. BmWOR consists of a single 65 kDa subunit and contains a single W-pyranopterin cofactor and a single [4Fe-4S] cluster. It exhibited high aldehyde-oxidizing activity with very high affinities (apparent Km < 6 μM) for aldehydes common in the human gut and in cooked foods, including furfural, propionaldehyde, benzaldehyde and tolualdehyde, suggesting that BmWOR plays a key role in their detoxification. B. massiliensis converted added furfural to furoic acid when grown in the presence of W, but not in the presence of the analogous element molybdenum. B. massiliensis ferredoxin (BmFd) served as the electron acceptor (apparent Km < 5 μM) for BmWOR suggesting it is the physiological electron carrier. Genome analysis revealed a Fd-dependent rather than NADH-dependent Complex I, suggesting that WOR not only serves a detoxification role but its aldehyde substrates could also serve as a source of energy. BmWOR is the first tungstoenzyme and the first member of the WOR family to be obtained from a strictly aerobic microorganism. Remarkably, BmWOR oxidized furfural in the presence of air (21% O2, v/v) but only if BmFd was also present. BmWOR is the first characterized member of the Clade 83 WORs, which are predominantly found in extremely halophilic and aerobic archaea (Clade 83A), with many isolated from food sources, while the remaining bacterial members (Clade 83B) include both aerobes and anaerobes. The potential advantages for microbes found in foods and involved in human gut health that harbor O2-resistant WORs, including in Bacillus and Brevibacillus based-probiotics, are discussed.
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5
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Winiarska A, Hege D, Gemmecker Y, Kryściak-Czerwenka J, Seubert A, Heider J, Szaleniec M. Tungsten Enzyme Using Hydrogen as an Electron Donor to Reduce Carboxylic Acids and NAD . ACS Catal 2022; 12:8707-8717. [PMID: 35874620 PMCID: PMC9295118 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c02147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Tungsten-dependent
aldehyde oxidoreductases (AORs) catalyze the
oxidation of aldehydes to acids and are the only known enzymes reducing
non-activated acids using electron donors with low redox potentials.
We report here that AOR from Aromatoleum aromaticum (AORAa) catalyzes the reduction of organic
acids not only with low-potential Eu(II) or Ti(III) complexes but
also with H2 as an electron donor. Additionally, AORAa catalyzes the H2-dependent reduction
of NAD+ or benzyl viologen. The rate of H2-dependent
NAD+ reduction equals to 10% of that of aldehyde oxidation,
representing the highest H2 turnover rate observed among
the Mo/W enzymes. As AORAa simultaneously
catalyzes the reduction of acids and NAD+, we designed
a cascade reaction utilizing a NAD(P)H-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase
to reduce organic acids to the corresponding alcohols with H2 as the only reductant. The newly discovered W-hydrogenase side activity
of AORAa may find applications in either
NADH recycling or conversion of carboxylic acids to more useful biochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Winiarska
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 30-239, Poland
| | - Dominik Hege
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Yvonne Gemmecker
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Joanna Kryściak-Czerwenka
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 30-239, Poland
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg D-35043, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Maciej Szaleniec
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 30-239, Poland
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6
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Buessecker S, Palmer M, Lai D, Dimapilis J, Mayali X, Mosier D, Jiao JY, Colman DR, Keller LM, St John E, Miranda M, Gonzalez C, Gonzalez L, Sam C, Villa C, Zhuo M, Bodman N, Robles F, Boyd ES, Cox AD, St Clair B, Hua ZS, Li WJ, Reysenbach AL, Stott MB, Weber PK, Pett-Ridge J, Dekas AE, Hedlund BP, Dodsworth JA. An essential role for tungsten in the ecology and evolution of a previously uncultivated lineage of anaerobic, thermophilic Archaea. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3773. [PMID: 35773279 PMCID: PMC9246946 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31452-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trace metals have been an important ingredient for life throughout Earth's history. Here, we describe the genome-guided cultivation of a member of the elusive archaeal lineage Caldarchaeales (syn. Aigarchaeota), Wolframiiraptor gerlachensis, and its growth dependence on tungsten. A metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) of W. gerlachensis encodes putative tungsten membrane transport systems, as well as pathways for anaerobic oxidation of sugars probably mediated by tungsten-dependent ferredoxin oxidoreductases that are expressed during growth. Catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in-situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) show that W. gerlachensis preferentially assimilates xylose. Phylogenetic analyses of 78 high-quality Wolframiiraptoraceae MAGs from terrestrial and marine hydrothermal systems suggest that tungsten-associated enzymes were present in the last common ancestor of extant Wolframiiraptoraceae. Our observations imply a crucial role for tungsten-dependent metabolism in the origin and evolution of this lineage, and hint at a relic metabolic dependence on this trace metal in early anaerobic thermophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Buessecker
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
| | - Dengxun Lai
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Joshua Dimapilis
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Xavier Mayali
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Damon Mosier
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jian-Yu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Lisa M Keller
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Emily St John
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Michelle Miranda
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Lizett Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Christian Sam
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Villa
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Madeline Zhuo
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Bodman
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Fernando Robles
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Alysia D Cox
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT, USA
| | - Brian St Clair
- Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT, USA
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, PR China
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, PR China
| | | | - Matthew B Stott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Peter K Weber
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Pett-Ridge
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
- Life & Environmental Sciences Department, University of Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Anne E Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Jeremy A Dodsworth
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA.
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7
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Sciorio R, Esteves SC. Contemporary Use of ICSI and Epigenetic Risks to Future Generations. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11082135. [PMID: 35456226 PMCID: PMC9031244 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11082135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the birth of Louise Brown in 1978 via IVF, reproductive specialists have acquired enormous knowledge and refined several procedures, which are nowadays applied in assisted reproductive technology (ART). One of the most critical steps in this practice is the fertilization process. In the early days of IVF, a remarkable concern was the unpleasant outcomes of failed fertilization, overtaken by introducing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), delineating a real breakthrough in modern ART. ICSI became standard practice and was soon used as the most common method to fertilize oocytes. It has been used for severe male factor infertility and non-male factors, such as unexplained infertility or advanced maternal age, without robust scientific evidence. However, applying ICSI blindly is not free of potential detrimental consequences since novel studies report possible health consequences to offspring. DNA methylation and epigenetic alterations in sperm cells of infertile men might help explain some of the adverse effects reported in ICSI studies on reproductive health in future generations. Collected data concerning the health of ICSI children over the past thirty years seems to support the notion that there might be an increased risk of epigenetic disorders, congenital malformations, chromosomal alterations, and subfertility in babies born following ICSI compared to naturally conceived children. However, it is still to be elucidated to what level these data are associated with the cause of infertility or the ICSI technique. This review provides an overview of epigenetic mechanisms and possible imprinting alterations following the use of ART, in particular ICSI. It also highlights the sperm contribution to embryo epigenetic regulation and the risks of in vitro culture conditions on epigenetic dysregulation. Lastly, it summarizes the literature concerning the possible epigenetic disorders in children born after ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romualdo Sciorio
- Edinburgh Assisted Conception Programme, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Sandro C. Esteves
- Androfert, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas 13075-460, Brazil;
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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8
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Tungsten enzymes play a role in detoxifying food and antimicrobial aldehydes in the human gut microbiome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2109008118. [PMID: 34686601 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109008118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tungsten (W) is a metal that is generally thought to be seldom used in biology. We show here that a W-containing oxidoreductase (WOR) family is diverse and widespread in the microbial world. Surprisingly, WORs, along with the tungstate-specific transporter Tup, are abundant in the human gut microbiome, which contains 24 phylogenetically distinct WOR types. Two model gut microbes containing six types of WOR and Tup were shown to assimilate W. Two of the WORs were natively purified and found to contain W. The enzymes catalyzed the conversion of toxic aldehydes to the corresponding acid, with one WOR carrying out an electron bifurcation reaction coupling aldehyde oxidation to the simultaneous reduction of NAD+ and of the redox protein ferredoxin. Such aldehydes are present in cooked foods and are produced as antimicrobials by gut microbiome metabolism. This aldehyde detoxification strategy is dependent on the availability of W to the microbe. The functions of other WORs in the gut microbiome that do not oxidize aldehydes remain unknown. W is generally beyond detection (<6 parts per billion) in common foods and at picomolar concentrations in drinking water, suggesting that W availability could limit some gut microbial functions and might be an overlooked micronutrient.
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9
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Ben Maamar M, Nilsson EE, Skinner MK. Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance, gametogenesis and germline development†. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:570-592. [PMID: 33929020 PMCID: PMC8444706 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most important developing cell types in any biological system is the gamete (sperm and egg). The transmission of phenotypes and optimally adapted physiology to subsequent generations is in large part controlled by gametogenesis. In contrast to genetics, the environment actively regulates epigenetics to impact the physiology and phenotype of cellular and biological systems. The integration of epigenetics and genetics is critical for all developmental biology systems at the cellular and organism level. The current review is focused on the role of epigenetics during gametogenesis for both the spermatogenesis system in the male and oogenesis system in the female. The developmental stages from the initial primordial germ cell through gametogenesis to the mature sperm and egg are presented. How environmental factors can influence the epigenetics of gametogenesis to impact the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic and physiological change in subsequent generations is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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10
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Rodionov DA, Rodionova IA, Rodionov VA, Arzamasov AA, Zhang K, Rubinstein GM, Tanwee TNN, Bing RG, Crosby JR, Nookaew I, Basen M, Brown SD, Wilson CM, Klingeman DM, Poole FL, Zhang Y, Kelly RM, Adams MWW. Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Biomass Degradation and Carbohydrate Utilization Genes in the Extreme Thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. mSystems 2021; 6:e0134520. [PMID: 34060910 PMCID: PMC8579813 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01345-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Extremely thermophilic bacteria from the genus Caldicellulosiruptor can degrade polysaccharide components of plant cell walls and subsequently utilize the constituting mono- and oligosaccharides. Through metabolic engineering, ethanol and other industrially important end products can be produced. Previous experimental studies identified a variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes in model species Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, while prior transcriptomic experiments identified their putative carbohydrate uptake transporters. We investigated the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of carbohydrate utilization genes using a comparative genomics approach applied to 14 Caldicellulosiruptor species. The reconstruction of carbohydrate utilization regulatory network includes the predicted binding sites for 34 mostly local regulators and point to the regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of genes involved in degradation of plant biomass. The Rex and CggR regulons control the central glycolytic and primary redox reactions. The identified transcription factor binding sites and regulons were validated with transcriptomic and transcription start site experimental data for C. bescii grown on cellulose, cellobiose, glucose, xylan, and xylose. The XylR and XynR regulons control xylan-induced transcriptional response of genes involved in degradation of xylan and xylose utilization. The reconstructed regulons informed the carbohydrate utilization reconstruction analysis and improved functional annotations of 51 transporters and 11 catabolic enzymes. Using gene deletion, we confirmed that the shared ATPase component MsmK is essential for growth on oligo- and polysaccharides but not for the utilization of monosaccharides. By elucidating the carbohydrate utilization framework in C. bescii, strategies for metabolic engineering can be pursued to optimize yields of bio-based fuels and chemicals from lignocellulose. IMPORTANCE To develop functional metabolic engineering platforms for nonmodel microorganisms, a comprehensive understanding of the physiological and metabolic characteristics is critical. Caldicellulosiruptor bescii and other species in this genus have untapped potential for conversion of unpretreated plant biomass into industrial fuels and chemicals. The highly interactive and complex machinery used by C. bescii to acquire and process complex carbohydrates contained in lignocellulose was elucidated here to complement related efforts to develop a metabolic engineering platform with this bacterium. Guided by the findings here, a clearer picture of how C. bescii natively drives carbohydrate utilization is provided and strategies to engineer this bacterium for optimal conversion of lignocellulose to commercial products emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A. Rodionov
- Sanford-Burnhams-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina A. Rodionova
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Vladimir A. Rodionov
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandr A. Arzamasov
- Sanford-Burnhams-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Gabriel M. Rubinstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Tania N. N. Tanwee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ryan G. Bing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - James R. Crosby
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Intawat Nookaew
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mirko Basen
- Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Mikrobiologie, Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Steven D. Brown
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Charlotte M. Wilson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Dawn M. Klingeman
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Farris L. Poole
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Robert M. Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael W. W. Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Zhang K, Zhao W, Rodionov DA, Rubinstein GM, Nguyen DN, Tanwee TNN, Crosby J, Bing RG, Kelly RM, Adams MWW, Zhang Y. Genome-Scale Metabolic Model of Caldicellulosiruptor bescii Reveals Optimal Metabolic Engineering Strategies for Bio-based Chemical Production. mSystems 2021; 6:e0135120. [PMID: 34060912 PMCID: PMC8269263 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01351-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic modeling was used to examine potential bottlenecks that could be encountered for metabolic engineering of the cellulolytic extreme thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii to produce bio-based chemicals from plant biomass. The model utilizes subsystems-based genome annotation, targeted reconstruction of carbohydrate utilization pathways, and biochemical and physiological experimental validations. Specifically, carbohydrate transport and utilization pathways involving 160 genes and their corresponding functions were incorporated, representing the utilization of C5/C6 monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides such as cellulose and xylan. To illustrate its utility, the model predicted that optimal production from biomass-based sugars of the model product, ethanol, was driven by ATP production, redox balancing, and proton translocation, mediated through the interplay of an ATP synthase, a membrane-bound hydrogenase, a bifurcating hydrogenase, and a bifurcating NAD- and NADP-dependent oxidoreductase. These mechanistic insights guided the design and optimization of new engineering strategies for product optimization, which were subsequently tested in the C. bescii model, showing a nearly 2-fold increase in ethanol yields. The C. bescii model provides a useful platform for investigating the potential redox controls that mediate the carbon and energy flows in metabolism and sets the stage for future design of engineering strategies aiming at optimizing the production of ethanol and other bio-based chemicals. IMPORTANCE The extremely thermophilic cellulolytic bacterium, Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, degrades plant biomass at high temperatures without any pretreatments and can serve as a strategic platform for industrial applications. The metabolic engineering of C. bescii, however, faces potential bottlenecks in bio-based chemical productions. By simulating the optimal ethanol production, a complex interplay between redox balancing and the carbon and energy flow was revealed using a C. bescii genome-scale metabolic model. New engineering strategies were designed based on an improved mechanistic understanding of the C. bescii metabolism, and the new designs were modeled under different genetic backgrounds to identify optimal strategies. The C. bescii model provided useful insights into the metabolic controls of this organism thereby opening up prospects for optimizing production of a wide range of bio-based chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Weishu Zhao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Dmitry A. Rodionov
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Gabriel M. Rubinstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Diep N. Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Tania N. N. Tanwee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - James Crosby
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ryan G. Bing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert M. Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael W. W. Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
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Straub CT, Bing RG, Otten JK, Keller LM, Zeldes BM, Adams MWW, Kelly RM. Metabolically engineered Caldicellulosiruptor bescii as a platform for producing acetone and hydrogen from lignocellulose. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3799-3808. [PMID: 32770740 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The production of volatile industrial chemicals utilizing metabolically engineered extreme thermophiles offers the potential for processes with simultaneous fermentation and product separation. An excellent target chemical for such a process is acetone (Tb = 56°C), ideally produced from lignocellulosic biomass. Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (Topt 78°C), an extremely thermophilic fermentative bacterium naturally capable of deconstructing and fermenting lignocellulose, was metabolically engineered to produce acetone. When the acetone pathway construct was integrated into a parent strain containing the bifunctional alcohol dehydrogenase from Clostridium thermocellum, acetone was produced at 9.1 mM (0.53 g/L), in addition to minimal ethanol 3.3 mM (0.15 g/L), along with net acetate consumption. This demonstrates that C. bescii can be engineered with balanced pathways in which renewable carbohydrate sources are converted to useful metabolites, primarily acetone and H2 , without net production of its native fermentation products, acetate and lactate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Straub
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Ryan G Bing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Jonathan K Otten
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Lisa M Keller
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Benjamin M Zeldes
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Robert M Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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Abstract
Tungsten is the heaviest element used in biological systems. It occurs in the active sites of several bacterial or archaeal enzymes and is ligated to an organic cofactor (metallopterin or metal binding pterin; MPT) which is referred to as tungsten cofactor (Wco). Wco-containing enzymes are found in the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (DMSOR) and the aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (AOR) families of MPT-containing enzymes. Some depend on Wco, such as aldehyde oxidoreductases (AORs), class II benzoyl-CoA reductases (BCRs) and acetylene hydratases (AHs), whereas others may incorporate either Wco or molybdenum cofactor (Moco), such as formate dehydrogenases, formylmethanofuran dehydrogenases or nitrate reductases. The obligately tungsten-dependent enzymes catalyze rather unusual reactions such as ones with extremely low-potential electron transfers (AOR, BCR) or an unusual hydration reaction (AH). In recent years, insights into the structure and function of many tungstoenzymes have been obtained. Though specific and unspecific ABC transporter uptake systems have been described for tungstate and molybdate, only little is known about further discriminative steps in Moco and Wco biosynthesis. In bacteria producing Moco- and Wco-containing enzymes simultaneously, paralogous isoforms of the metal insertase MoeA may be specifically involved in the molybdenum- and tungsten-insertion into MPT, and in targeting Moco or Wco to their respective apo-enzymes. Wco-containing enzymes are of emerging biotechnological interest for a number of applications such as the biocatalytic reduction of CO2, carboxylic acids and aromatic compounds, or the conversion of acetylene to acetaldehyde.
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Hagedoorn PL. Steady-state kinetics of the tungsten containing aldehyde: ferredoxin oxidoreductases from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. J Biotechnol 2019; 306:142-148. [PMID: 31589889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.10.005] [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: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The tungsten containing Aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductases (AOR) offer interesting opportunities for biocatalytic approaches towards aldehyde oxidation and carboxylic acid reduction. The hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus encodes five different AOR family members: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate oxidoreductase (GAPOR), aldehyde oxidoreductase (AOR), and formaldehyde oxidoreductase (FOR), WOR4 and WOR5. GAPOR functions as a glycolytic enzyme and is highly specific for the substrate glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP). AOR, FOR and WOR5 have a broad substrate spectrum, and for WOR4 no substrate has been identified to date. As ambiguous kinetic parameters have been reported for different AOR family enzymes the steady state kinetics under different physiologically relevant conditions was explored. The GAPOR substrate GAP was found to degrade at 60 °C by non-enzymatic elimination of the phosphate group to methylglyoxal with a half-life t1/2 = 6.5 min. Methylglyoxal is not a substrate or inhibitor of GAPOR. D-GAP was identified as the only substrate oxidized by GAPOR, and the kinetics of the enzyme was unaffected by the presence of L-GAP, which makes GAPOR the first enantioselective enzyme of the AOR family. The steady-state kinetics of GAPOR showed partial substrate inhibition, which assumes the GAP inhibited form of the enzyme retains some activity. This inhibition was found to be alleviated completely by a 1 M NaCl resulting in increased enzyme activity at high substrate concentrations. GAPOR activity was strongly pH dependent, with the optimum at pH 9. At pH 9, the substrate is a divalent anion and, therefore, positively charged amino acid residues are likely to be involved in the binding of the substrate. FOR exhibited a significant primary kinetic isotope effect of the apparent Vmax for the deuterated substrate, formaldehyde-d2, which shows that the rate-determining step involves a CH bond break from the aldehyde. The implications of these results for the reaction mechanism of tungsten-containing AORs, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter-Leon Hagedoorn
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629HZ, Delft, the Netherlands.
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Nissen LS, Basen M. The emerging role of aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductases in microbially-catalyzed alcohol production. J Biotechnol 2019; 306:105-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Jay ZJ, Hunt KA, Chou KJ, Schut GJ, Maness PC, Adams MWW, Carlson RP. Integrated thermodynamic analysis of electron bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase to inform anaerobic metabolism and H 2 production. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2019; 1861:148087. [PMID: 31669490 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2019.148087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Electron bifurcating, [FeFe]-hydrogenases are recently described members of the hydrogenase family and catalyze a combination of exergonic and endergonic electron exchanges between three carriers (2 ferredoxinred- + NAD(P)H + 3 H+ = 2 ferredoxinox + NAD(P)+ + 2 H2). A thermodynamic analysis of the bifurcating, [FeFe]-hydrogenase reaction, using electron path-independent variables, quantified potential biological roles of the reaction without requiring enzyme details. The bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase reaction, like all bifurcating reactions, can be written as a sum of two non-bifurcating reactions. Therefore, the thermodynamic properties of the bifurcating reaction can never exceed the properties of the individual, non-bifurcating, reactions. The bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase reaction has three competitive properties: 1) enabling NAD(P)H-driven proton reduction at pH2 higher than the concurrent operation of the two, non-bifurcating reactions, 2) oxidation of NAD(P)H and ferredoxin simultaneously in a 1:1 ratio, both are produced during typical glucose fermentations, and 3) enhanced energy conservation (~10 kJ mol-1 H2) relative to concurrent operation of the two, non-bifurcating reactions. Our analysis demonstrated ferredoxin E°' largely determines the sensitivity of the bifurcating reaction to pH2, modulation of the reduced/oxidized electron carrier ratios contributed less to equilibria shifts. Hydrogenase thermodynamics data were integrated with typical and non-typical glycolysis pathways to evaluate achieving the 'Thauer limit' (4 H2 per glucose) as a function of temperature and pH2. For instance, the bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase reaction permits the Thauer limit at 60 °C if pH 2 ≤ ~10 mbar. The results also predict Archaea, expressing a non-typical glycolysis pathway, would not benefit from a bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase reaction; interestingly, no Archaea have been observed experimentally with a [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zackary J Jay
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering,Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Kristopher A Hunt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering,Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Katherine J Chou
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Gerrit J Schut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Pin-Ching Maness
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ross P Carlson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering,Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
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Lee LL, Crosby JR, Rubinstein GM, Laemthong T, Bing RG, Straub CT, Adams MW, Kelly RM. The biology and biotechnology of the genus Caldicellulosiruptor: recent developments in ‘Caldi World’. Extremophiles 2019; 24:1-15. [DOI: 10.1007/s00792-019-01116-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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