Mining of unexplored habitats for novel chitinases--chiA as a helper gene proxy in metagenomics.

ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study was to assess the abundance and diversity of chitin-degrading microbial communities in ten terrestrial and aquatic habitats in order to provide guidance to the subsequent exploration of such environments for novel chitinolytic enzymes. A combined protocol which encompassed (1) classical overall enzymatic assays, (2) chiA gene abundance measurement by qPCR, (3) chiA gene pyrosequencing, and (4) chiA gene-based PCR-DGGE was used. The chiA gene pyrosequencing is unprecedented, as it is the first massive parallel sequencing of this gene. The data obtained showed the existence across habitats of core bacterial communities responsible for chitin assimilation irrespective of ecosystem origin. Conversely, there were habitat-specific differences. In addition, a suit

SUBMITTER: Cretoiu MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3353111 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature