title: Lignocellulose degradation mechanisms across the Tree of Life.
abstract: Organisms use diverse mechanisms involving multiple complementary enzymes, particularly glycoside hydrolases (GHs), to deconstruct lignocellulose. Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) produced by bacteria and fungi facilitate deconstruction as does the Fenton chemistry of brown-rot fungi. Lignin depolymerisation is achieved by white-rot fungi and certain bacteria, using peroxidases and laccases. Meta-omics is now revealing the complexity of prokaryotic degradative activity in lignocellulose-rich environments. Protists from termite guts and some oomycetes produce multiple lignocellulolytic enzymes. Lignocellulose-consuming animals secrete some GHs, but most harbour a diverse enzyme-secreting gut microflora in a mutualism that is particularly complex in termites. Shipworms however, house GH-secreting and LPMO-secreting bacteria separate from the site of digestion and the isopod Limnoria relies on endogenous enzymes alone. The omics revolution is identifying many novel enzymes and paradigms for biomass deconstruction, but more emphasis on function is required, particularly for enzyme cocktails, in which LPMOs may play an important role.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1st St., Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK. Electronic address: simon.cragg@port.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cragg
authors.affiliation: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Bioenergy Centre, Golden, CO 80401 USA.
authors.forename: Gregg T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Beckham
authors.affiliation: University of York, Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Neil C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Timothy D H
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bugg
authors.affiliation: Ocean Genome Legacy, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Distel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dupree
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1st St., Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK.
authors.forename: Amaia Green
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Etxabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, 216 ICTAS II Bldg., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Barry S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Goodell
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jellison
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1st St., Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McGeehan
authors.affiliation: University of York, Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: McQueen-Mason
authors.affiliation: Novozymes AS, DK-2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schnorr
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1st St., Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK.
authors.forename: Joy E M
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D055162:Biocatalysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058105:Polymerization; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: C036909:lignocellulose; D008031:Lignin; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases