title: Genome sequence and description of the anaerobic lignin-degrading bacterium Tolumonas lignolytica sp. nov.
abstract: Tolumonas lignolytica BRL6-1(T) sp. nov. is the type strain of T. lignolytica sp. nov., a proposed novel species of the Tolumonas genus. This strain was isolated from tropical rainforest soils based on its ability to utilize lignin as a sole carbon source. Cells of Tolumonas lignolytica BRL6-1(T) are mesophilic, non-spore forming, Gram-negative rods that are oxidase and catalase negative. The genome for this isolate was sequenced and returned in seven unique contigs totaling 3.6Mbp, enabling the characterization of several putative pathways for lignin breakdown. Particularly, we found an extracellular peroxidase involved in lignin depolymerization, as well as several enzymes involved in β-aryl ether bond cleavage, which is the most abundant linkage between lignin monomers. We also found genes for enzymes involved in ferulic acid metabolism, which is a common product of lignin breakdown. By characterizing pathways and enzymes employed in the bacterial breakdown of lignin in anaerobic environments, this work should assist in the efficient engineering of biofuel production from lignocellulosic material.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA USA.
authors.forename: Andrew F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Billings
authors.affiliation: Microbial Communities Group, Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA USA ; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA.
authors.forename: Julian L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fortney
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA ; Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA ; Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USA.
authors.forename: Terry C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hazen
authors.affiliation: Microbial Communities Group, Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA USA ; Sandia National Lab, Livermore, CA USA.
authors.forename: Blake
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM USA.
authors.forename: Karen W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM USA.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ivanova
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA.
authors.forename: Nikos C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Kyrpides
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mavromatis
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Woyke
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA USA.
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: DeAngelis
keywords: Anaerobic lignin degradation; Tolumonas; Tropical forest soil isolate