Complete Genome Sequence of Geobacillus thermodenitrificans T12, A Potential Host for Biotechnological Applications

• Published in: Current microbiology Vol. 75; no. 1; pp. 49 - 56
• Main Authors: Daas, Martinus J. A., Vriesendorp, Bastienne, van de Weijer, Antonius H. P., van der Oost, John, van Kranenburg, Richard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.01.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amino acids; Anaerobic respiration; Base Composition; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Biotin; Composts; CRISPR; Degradation; Denitrification; Genes; Genome, Bacterial; Genomes; Geobacillus - genetics; Geobacillus - metabolism; Geobacillus thermodenitrificans; Hemicellulose; Homology; Industrial applications; Inositol; Laboratorium voor Microbiologie; Lactic acid; Life Sciences; Lignocellulose; Localization; Loci; Microbiological Laboratory; Microbiologie; Microbiology; Nucleotide sequence; Nutrients; Plasmids; Plasmids - genetics; Plasmids - metabolism; Polysaccharides - metabolism; Restriction-modification; Substrates; Vitamin D; Vitamins; VLAG; Xylan; Xylose; Xylose - metabolism
• ISSN: 0343-8651; 1432-0991
• DOI: 10.1007/s00284-017-1349-0

In attempt to obtain a thermophilic host for the conversion of lignocellulose derived substrates into lactic acid, Geobacillus thermodenitrificans T12 was isolated from a compost heap. It was selected from over 500 isolates as a genetically tractable hemicellulolytic lactic acid producer, requiring little nutrients. The strain is able to ferment glucose and xylose simultaneously and can produce lactic acid from xylan, making it a potential host for biotechnological applications. The genome of strain T12 consists of a 3.64 Mb chromosome and two plasmids of 59 and 56 kb. It has a total of 3.676 genes with an average genomic GC content of 48.7%. The T12 genome encodes a denitrification pathway, allowing for anaerobic respiration. The identity and localization of the responsible genes are similar to those of the denitrification pathways found in strain NG80-2. The hemicellulose utilization (HUS) locus was identified based on sequence homology against G. stearothermophilus T-6. It appeared that T12 has all the genes that are present in strain T-6 except for the arabinan degradation cluster. Instead, the HUS locus of strain T12 contains genes for both an inositol and a pectate degradation pathway. Strain T12 has complete pathways for the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine, all 20 amino acids and several vitamins except D-biotin. The host-defense systems present comprise a Type II and a Type III restriction-modification system, as well as a CRISPR-Cas Type II system. It is concluded that G. thermodenitrificans T12 is a potentially interesting candidate for industrial applications.