Defining functional diversity for lignocellulose degradation in a microbial community using multi-omics studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lignocellulose is one of the most abundant forms of fixed carbon in the biosphere. Current industrial approaches to the degradation of lignocellulose employ enzyme mixtures, usually from a single fungal species, which are only effective in hydrolyzing polysaccharides following biomass pre-treatments. While the enzymatic mechanisms of lignocellulose degradation have been characterized in detail in individual microbial species, the microbial communities that efficiently breakdown plant materials in nature are species rich and secrete a myriad of enzymes to perform "community-level" metabolism of lignocellulose. Single-species approaches are, therefore, likely to miss important aspects of lignocellulose degradation that will be central to optimizing commercial processes.

SUBMITTER: Alessi AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6004670 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature