Metagenomic and functional analysis of hindgut microbiota of a wood-feeding higher termite
From the standpoints of both basic research and biotechnology, there is considerable interest in reaching a clearer understanding of the diversity of biological mechanisms employed during lignocellulose degradation. Globally, termites are an extremely successful group of wood-degrading organisms and are therefore important both for their roles in carbon turnover in the environment and as potential sources of biochemical catalysts for efforts aimed at converting wood into biofuels. Only recently have data supported any direct role for the symbiotic bacteria in the gut of the termite in cellulose and xylan hydrolysis. Here we use a metagenomic analysis of the bacterial community resident in the hindgut paunch of a wood-feeding Nasutitermes species to show the presence of a large, diverse set of bacterial genes for cellulose and xylan hydrolysis. Many of these genes were expressed in vivo or had cellulase activity in vitro, and further analyses implicate spirochete and fibrobacter species in gut lignocellulose degradation. New insights into other important symbiotic functions including H{sub 2} metabolism, CO{sub 2}-reductive acetogenesis and N{sub 2} fixation are also provided by this first system-wide gene analysis of a microbial community specialized towards plant lignocellulose degradation. Our results underscore how complex even a 1-{micro}l environment can be.
- Research Organization:
- Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Genomics Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 934732
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-436E
- Journal Information:
- Nature, Journal Name: Nature Journal Issue: 7169 Vol. 450
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Proteome Insights into the Symbiotic Relationship Between a Captive Colony of Nasutitermes corniger and its Hindgut Microbiome
Metagenomic analysis of the microbiota in the highly compartmented hindguts of six wood- or soil-feeding higher termites
Neotropical termite microbiomes as sources of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes
Journal Article
·
Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2010
· The ISME Journal, 5(1):161-164
·
OSTI ID:1009706
Metagenomic analysis of the microbiota in the highly compartmented hindguts of six wood- or soil-feeding higher termites
Journal Article
·
Wed Nov 25 19:00:00 EST 2015
· Microbiome
·
OSTI ID:1240993
Neotropical termite microbiomes as sources of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes
Journal Article
·
Sun Mar 01 19:00:00 EST 2020
· Scientific Reports
·
OSTI ID:1615315