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Molecular insight into cellulose degradation by the phototrophic green alga Scenedesmus.
  • +2
  • Julieta Barchiesi,
  • María B. Velazquez,
  • María Busi,
  • Diego F. Gomez-Casati,
  • Chitralekha Nag-Dasgupta
Julieta Barchiesi
Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos

Corresponding Author:barchiesi@cefobi-conicet.gov.ar

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María B. Velazquez
Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos
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María Busi
Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos
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Diego F. Gomez-Casati
Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos
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Chitralekha Nag-Dasgupta
Research Cell Lucknow Amity University Uttar Pradesh India
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Abstract

Lignocellulose is the most abundant natural biopolymer on earth and a potential raw material for the production of fuels and chemicals. However, only some organisms such as bacteria and fungi produce the necessary enzymes to metabolize it. In this work we detected the presence of extracellular cellulases in the genome of five species of Scenedesmus. These microalgae grow in both, freshwater and saltwater regions as well as in soils, displaying highly flexible metabolic properties. The comparison of sequences of the different cellulases with hydrolytic enzymes from other organisms by means of multi-sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees showed that these enzymes belong to the families of glycosyl hydrolases 1, 5, 9 and 10. In addition, most of these presented a greater similarity of sequence with enzymes from invertebrates, fungi, bacteria and other microalgae than with cellulases from plants; and the 3D modeling data obtained showed that both the main structures of the modeled proteins and the main amino acid residues implicated in catalysis and substrate binding are well conserved in Scenedesmus enzymes. We propose that these cellulase-producing phototrophic microorganisms could act as catalysts for the hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass fueled by sunlight.
12 Aug 2022Submitted to PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics
12 Aug 2022Submission Checks Completed
12 Aug 2022Assigned to Editor
24 Aug 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
16 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
02 Jan 20231st Revision Received
02 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
02 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
02 Jan 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Jan 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
03 Jan 2023Editorial Decision: Accept