Project description:Background: Wood-decay basidiomycetes are effective for the degradation of highly lignified and recalcitrant substrates. Brown-rot strain produces carbohydrate-active enzymes involved in the degradation of lignocellulosic materials, along with a non-enzymatic mechanism, via Fenton reaction. Differences in the lignocellulose metabolism occurring even among closely related brown-rots are not completely understood, bringing attention to a multi-omics study of brown-rot L. sulphureus. Results: To evidence the oxidative-hydrolytic mechanism, the Laetiporus sulphureus ATCC 52600 genome was sequenced and the response to lignocellulosic substrates was analyzed by transcriptomics and proteomics. The transcriptomic profile in response to a short cultivation period on in natura sugarcane bagasse revealed 128 out of 12,802 upregulated transcripts. The high upregulated transcripts included a set of redox enzymes along with hemicellulases. The exoproteome in response to extended-time cultivation with Avicel, and steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane straw, and Eucalyptus grandis revealed 121 proteins. Contrasting to the mainly oxidative profile observed in the transcriptome, the secretomes showed a diverse hydrolytic repertoire including constitutive cellulases and hemicellulases, in addition to 19 proteins upregulated relative to glucose. The secretome produced on sugarcane bagasse was evaluated in the saccharification of pretreated sugarcane straw by supplementing a commercial cocktail. Additionally, growth analysis revealed that L. sulphureus ATCC 52600 has higher efficiency to assimilate glucose than other mono and disaccharides. Conclusion: This study shows the singularity of L. sulphureus ATCC 52600 relative to other Polyporales brown-rots, regarding the presence of cellobiohydrolase and peroxidase class II. The multi-omic analysis reinforces the oxidative-hydrolytic metabolism involved in lignocellulose deconstruction, providing insights into the overall mechanisms as well as specific proteins of each step.
Project description:The Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) and the Asian subterranean termite (Coptotermes gestroi) are the most destructive termite pests in the world. Both species have spread to various regions worldwide with overlapping distributions in a few areas in which pre- and post-zygotic barriers against hybridization between the two species have been lifted. Although initial colony growth rates of hybrid colonies are similar to those of the parental species, colony growth appears to slow down in the hybrids after several years. Observations suggest that workers in hybrid colonies are slower to molt than those of the parental species, suggesting a disruption in this process. To understand the comprehensive gene expression profiles during the molting cycle of workers, differential gene expression profiles based on RNA-seq analysis were recorded for four mating combinations (2 conspecific workers and 2 heterospecific workers) at three different molting periods (pre-, post- and inter-molt). Many differentially expressed genes were identified between heterospecific and conspecific matings at each molting stage as well as within termite species among molting periods. We successfully identified molting-related genes by characterizing gene expression profiles of the parental species during the molting cycle conducting a time course analysis of transcriptome data. We then compared expression levels of these molting-related genes in the hybrids to identify genes that were over or under expressed compared to the parental species. Genes related to the molting cycle, muscle contraction, response to stress, and ecdysone metabolism were found to be under-expressed in hybrids relative to their parents. These differences will help elucidate the stability and fitness of hybrids between these two Coptotermes species. Moreover, identification of molting related genes in subterranean termites highlights the molecular pathways involved in the molting process in termites.
Project description:Examination of aging in social insects. Differential gene expression between old and young individuals of four castes of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus. Minor workers, major workers, kings, queens. Collected in January 2015 in Ivory Coast.