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Iquebal MA, Jagannadham J, Jaiswal S, Prabha R, Rai A, Kumar D. Potential Use of Microbial Community Genomes in Various Dimensions of Agriculture Productivity and Its Management: A Review. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:708335. [PMID: 35655999 PMCID: PMC9152772 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.708335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural productivity is highly influenced by its associated microbial community. With advancements in omics technology, metagenomics is known to play a vital role in microbial world studies by unlocking the uncultured microbial populations present in the environment. Metagenomics is a diagnostic tool to target unique signature loci of plant and animal pathogens as well as beneficial microorganisms from samples. Here, we reviewed various aspects of metagenomics from experimental methods to techniques used for sequencing, as well as diversified computational resources, including databases and software tools. Exhaustive focus and study are conducted on the application of metagenomics in agriculture, deciphering various areas, including pathogen and plant disease identification, disease resistance breeding, plant pest control, weed management, abiotic stress management, post-harvest management, discoveries in agriculture, source of novel molecules/compounds, biosurfactants and natural product, identification of biosynthetic molecules, use in genetically modified crops, and antibiotic-resistant genes. Metagenomics-wide association studies study in agriculture on crop productivity rates, intercropping analysis, and agronomic field is analyzed. This article is the first of its comprehensive study and prospects from an agriculture perspective, focusing on a wider range of applications of metagenomics and its association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Asif Iquebal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Jaisri Jagannadham
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Sarika Jaiswal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Ratna Prabha
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Anil Rai
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
- School of Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India
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Ngara TR, Zhang H. Recent Advances in Function-based Metagenomic Screening. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2018; 16:405-415. [PMID: 30597257 PMCID: PMC6411959 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Metagenomes from uncultured microorganisms are rich resources for novel enzyme genes. The methods used to screen the metagenomic libraries fall into two categories, which are based on sequence or function of the enzymes. The sequence-based approaches rely on the known sequences of the target gene families. In contrast, the function-based approaches do not involve the incorporation of metagenomic sequencing data and, therefore, may lead to the discovery of novel gene sequences with desired functions. In this review, we discuss the function-based screening strategies that have been used in the identification of enzymes from metagenomes. Because of its simplicity, agar plate screening is most commonly used in the identification of novel enzymes with diverse functions. Other screening methods with higher sensitivity are also employed, such as microtiter plate screening. Furthermore, several ultra-high-throughput methods were developed to deal with large metagenomic libraries. Among these are the FACS-based screening, droplet-based screening, and the in vivo reporter-based screening methods. The application of these novel screening strategies has increased the chance for the discovery of novel enzyme genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanyaradzwa Rodgers Ngara
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Houjin Zhang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Wuhan 430074, China.
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Metagenomics reveals functional synergy and novel polysaccharide utilization loci in the Castor canadensis fecal microbiome. ISME JOURNAL 2018; 12:2757-2769. [PMID: 30013164 PMCID: PMC6193987 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0215-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) has long been considered an engineering marvel, transforming landscapes and shaping biological diversity through its dam building behavior. While the beaver possesses conspicuous morphological features uniquely adapted for the use of woody plants as construction materials and dietary staples, relatively little is known about the specialized microorganisms inhabiting the beaver gastrointestinal tract and their functional roles in determining host nutrition. Here we use a combination of shotgun metagenomics, functional screening and carbohydrate biochemistry to chart the community structure and metabolic power of the beaver fecal microbiome. We relate this information to the metabolic capacity of other wood feeding and hindgut fermenting organisms and profile the functional repertoire of glycoside hydrolase (GH) families distributed among and between population genome bins. Metagenomic screening revealed novel mechanisms of xylan oligomer degradation involving GH43 enzymes from uncharacterized subfamilies and divergent polysaccharide utilization loci, indicating the potential for synergistic biomass deconstruction. Together, these results open a functional metagenomic window on less conspicuous adaptations enabling the beaver microbiome to efficiently convert woody plants into host nutrition and point toward rational design of enhanced enzyme mixtures for biorefining process streams.
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Liu C, Zou G, Yan X, Zhou X. Screening of multimeric β-xylosidases from the gut microbiome of a higher termite, Globitermes brachycerastes. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:608-615. [PMID: 29904275 PMCID: PMC6001650 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.22763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Termite gut microbiome is a rich reservoir for glycoside hydrolases, a suite of enzymes critical for the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. To search for hemicellulases, we screened 12,000 clones from a fosmid gut library of a higher termite, Globitermes brachycerastes. As a common Southeastern Asian genus, Globitermes distributes predominantly in tropical rain forests and relies on the lignocellulases from themselves and bacterial symbionts to digest wood. In total, 22 positive clones with β-xylosidase activity were isolated, in which 11 representing different restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns were pooled and subjected to 454 pyrosequencing. As a result, eight putative β-xylosidases were cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 competent cells. After purification using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography, recombinant G. brachycerastes symbiotic β-xylosidases were characterized enzymatically, including their pH and temperature optimum. In addition to β-xylosidase activity, four of them also exhibited either β-glucosidase or α-arabinosidases activities, suggesting the existence of bifunctional hemicellulases in the gut microbiome of G. brachycerastes. In comparison to multimeric protein engineering, the involvement of naturally occurring multifunctional biocatalysts streamlines the genetic modification procedures and simplifies the overall production processes. Alternatively, these multimeric enzymes could serve as the substitutes for β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase and α-arabinosidase to facilitate a wide range of industrial applications, including food processing, animal feed, environment and waste management, and biomass conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Gen Zou
- Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xing Yan
- Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China.,Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546-0091, USA
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Peng T, Nagy G, Trinidad JC, Jackson JM, Pohl NLB. A High-Throughput Mass-Spectrometry-Based Assay for Identifying the Biochemical Functions of Putative Glycosidases. Chembiochem 2017; 18:2306-2311. [PMID: 28960712 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The most commonly employed glycosidase assays rely on bulky ultraviolet or fluorescent tags at the anomeric position in potential carbohydrate substrates, thereby limiting the utility of these assays for broad substrate characterization. Here we report a qualitative mass spectrometry-based glycosidase assay amenable to high-throughput screening for the identification of the biochemical functions of putative glycosidases. The assay utilizes a library of methyl glycosides and is demonstrated on a high-throughput robotic liquid handling system for enzyme substrate screening. Identification of glycosidase biochemical function is achieved through the observation of an appropriate decrease in mass between a potential sugar substrate and its corresponding product by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In addition to screening known glycosidases, the assay was demonstrated to characterize the biochemical function and enzyme substrate competency of the recombinantly expressed product of a putative glycosidase gene from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyuan Peng
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA
| | - Gabe Nagy
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA
| | - Jonathan C Trinidad
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA.,Laboratory for Biological Mass Spectrometry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA
| | - Joy Marie Jackson
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA
| | - Nicola L B Pohl
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7102, USA
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Duo T, Goddard-Borger ED, Withers SG. Fluoro-glycosyl acridinones are ultra-sensitive active site titrating agents for retaining β-glycosidases. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 50:9379-82. [PMID: 25004867 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc03299c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Novel fluorogenic 2-deoxy-2-fluoroglycosyl acridinone active site titrating reagents were synthesised and kinetic parameters determined for their inactivation of two retaining β-glucosidases, a β-galactosidase, a β-xylosidase and several cellulases. Fluorescence-monitored active site titration using this class of reagents reliably measured active enzyme concentrations down to 3 nM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmeng Duo
- The Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1.
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Nyyssönen M, Tran HM, Karaoz U, Weihe C, Hadi MZ, Martiny JBH, Martiny AC, Brodie EL. Coupled high-throughput functional screening and next generation sequencing for identification of plant polymer decomposing enzymes in metagenomic libraries. Front Microbiol 2013; 4:282. [PMID: 24069019 PMCID: PMC3779933 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in sequencing technologies generate new predictions and hypotheses about the functional roles of environmental microorganisms. Yet, until we can test these predictions at a scale that matches our ability to generate them, most of them will remain as hypotheses. Function-based mining of metagenomic libraries can provide direct linkages between genes, metabolic traits and microbial taxa and thus bridge this gap between sequence data generation and functional predictions. Here we developed high-throughput screening assays for function-based characterization of activities involved in plant polymer decomposition from environmental metagenomic libraries. The multiplexed assays use fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates, combine automated liquid handling and use a genetically modified expression host to enable simultaneous screening of 12,160 clones for 14 activities in a total of 170,240 reactions. Using this platform we identified 374 (0.26%) cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin, starch, phosphate and protein hydrolyzing clones from fosmid libraries prepared from decomposing leaf litter. Sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform, followed by assembly and gene prediction of a subset of 95 fosmid clones, identified a broad range of bacterial phyla, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, multiple Proteobacteria sub-phyla in addition to some Fungi. Carbohydrate-active enzyme genes from 20 different glycoside hydrolase (GH) families were detected. Using tetranucleotide frequency (TNF) binning of fosmid sequences, multiple enzyme activities from distinct fosmids were linked, demonstrating how biochemically-confirmed functional traits in environmental metagenomes may be attributed to groups of specific organisms. Overall, our results demonstrate how functional screening of metagenomic libraries can be used to connect microbial functionality to community composition and, as a result, complement large-scale metagenomic sequencing efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Nyyssönen
- Ecology Department, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA, USA
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Kennedy J, O'Leary ND, Kiran GS, Morrissey JP, O'Gara F, Selvin J, Dobson ADW. Functional metagenomic strategies for the discovery of novel enzymes and biosurfactants with biotechnological applications from marine ecosystems. J Appl Microbiol 2011; 111:787-99. [PMID: 21777355 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.05106.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are home to bacteria which are exposed to a wide variety of environmental conditions, such as extremes in temperature, salinity, nutrient availability and pressure. Survival under these conditions must have necessitated the adaptation and the development of unique cellular biochemistry and metabolism by these microbes. Thus, enzymes isolated from these microbes have the potential to possess quite unique physiological and biochemical properties. This review outlines a number of function-based metagenomic approaches which are available to screen metagenomic libraries constructed from marine ecosystems to facilitate the exploitation of some of these potentially novel biocatalysts. Functional screens to isolate novel cellulases, lipases and esterases, proteases, laccases, oxidoreductases and biosurfactants are described, together with approaches which can be employed to help overcome some of the typical problems encountered with functional metagenomic-based screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kennedy
- Marine Biotechnology Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Abstract
This article summarizes general design principles for functional metagenomics. The focus is on Escherichia coli as an expression host, although alternative host-vector systems are discussed in relation to optimizing gene recovery in activity-based screens. Examples of DNA isolation and enrichment approaches, library construction and phenotypic read-out are described with special emphasis on the use of high throughput technologies for rapid isolation of environmental clones encoding phenotypic traits of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Taupp
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Canada
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