The Caldocellulosiruptor genus contain bacteria that are capable of producing hydrogen and degrading plant biomass. Found all over the world, such as in geothermal hot springs in Russia and Iceland to solar-heated mud flats in California, the bacteria thrive in high temperatures.
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| C. saccharolyticus (Image courtesy of A. Pereira & M. Verhaart, Wageningen University, Netherlands) |
Three bacterial genomes from this genus have been sequenced, two of them at the DOE JGI. The genome of C. saccharolyticus was finished in 2007 and the genome of C. obsidiansis was announced in September 2010.
In a study published ahead of print January 7, 2011 in the Journal of Bacteriology, a team of researchers including DOE JGI’s Susan Lucas, Jan-Fang Cheng, Tanja Woyke and
Nikos Kyrpides report the availability of five more genome sequences for the Caldicellulosiruptor genus.
“With optimal growth temperatures ranging from 70-78°C, the genus Caldicellulosiruptor contains the most thermophilic microorganisms capable of biological cellulose hydrolysis known,” the team noted in their paper. “[The additional genomes] also provide additional geographical diversity for examining Caldicellulosiruptor physiology.”
The genomes of C. hydrothermalis, C. kristjanssonii , C. kronotskyensis, C. lactoaceticus and C. owensensis were sequenced using 454 and Illumina platforms. All bacterial genomes were within 2.4 to 2.97 Mb in size. They were then assembled using Velvet or converted for use in a Phred/Phrap/Consed package. The Illumina data was then checked using the Polisher tool developed by the DOE JGI’s Finishing group.