biostudies-literatureLiu NChina Scolarship Council127https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9675976biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)<h4>Background</h4>Primary degraders of polysaccharides play a key role in anaerobic biotopes, where plant cell wall accumulates, providing extracellular enzymes to release fermentable carbohydrates to fuel themselves and other non-degrader species. Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum is a model primary degrader growing amongst others on arabinoxylan. It produces large multi-enzymatic complexes called cellulosomes, which efficiently deconstruct arabinoxylan into fermentable monosaccharides.<h4>Results</h4>Complete extracellular arabinoxylan degradation was long thought to be required to fuel the bacterium during this plant cell wall deconstruction stage. We discovered and characterized a second system of "arabinoxylan" degradation in R. cellulolyticum, which challenged this paradigm. This "seBiotechnology for biofuels and bioproductsSelfish uptake versus extracellular arabinoxylan degradation in the primary degrader Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum, a new string to its bow.PMC9675976201806950015Denis YFaulds CLiu NFierobe HPPerret SByrne DGagnot SfalseSelfish uptake versus extracellular arabinoxylan degradation in the primary degrader Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum, a new string to its bow.<h4>Background</h4>Primary degraders of polysaccharides play a key role in anaerobic biotopes, where plant cell wall accumulates, providing extracellular enzymes to release fermentable carbohydrates to fuel themselves and other non-degrader species. Ruminiclostridium cellulolyticum is a model primary degrader growing amongst others on arabinoxylan. It produces large multi-enzymatic complexes called cellulosomes, which efficiently deconstruct arabinoxylan into fermentable monosaccharides.<h4>Results</h4>Complete extracellular arabinoxylan degradation was long thought to be required to fuel the bacterium during this plant cell wall deconstruction stage. We discovered and characterized a second system of "arabinoxylan" degradation in R. cellulolyticum, which challenged this paradigm. This "se2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Nov2025-04-18T16:54:44.467Z2025-04-07T04:19:24.143ZS-EPMC96759763640306810.1186/s13068-022-02225-8