A polysaccharide utilization locus from Flavobacterium johnsoniae enables conversion of recalcitrant chitin.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide on earth and as such a great target for bioconversion applications. The phylum Bacteroidetes is one of nature's most ubiquitous bacterial lineages and is essential in the global carbon cycle with many members being highly efficient degraders of complex carbohydrates. However, despite their specialist reputation in carbohydrate conversion, mechanisms for degrading recalcitrant crystalline polysaccharides such as chitin and cellulose are hitherto unknown.

Results

Here we describe a complete functional analysis of a novel polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) in the soil Bacteroidete Flavobacterium johnsoniae, tailored for conversion of chitin. The F. johnsoniae chitin utilization locus (ChiUL) consists

SUBMITTER: Larsbrink J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5127042 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature