Abstract
Mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread and recalcitrant pollutants that threaten both environmental and human health. By exploiting the powerful enzymatic machinery of fungi, mycoremediation in contaminated sites aims at removing a wide range of pollutants in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques are powerful tools for understanding the molecular basis of biotransformation of PAHs by selected fungal strains, allowing genome mining to identify genetic features of biotechnological value. Trichoderma lixii MUT3171, isolated from a historically PAH-contaminated soil in Italy, can grow on phenanthrene, as a sole carbon source. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of T. lixii MUT3171 obtained with high-throughput sequencing method. The genome of T. lixii MUT3171 was compared with other 14 Trichoderma genomes, highlighting both shared and unique features that can shed a light on the biotransformation of PAHs. Moreover, the genes potentially involved in the production of important biosurfactants and bioactive molecules have been investigated. The gene repertoire of T. lixii MUT3171 indicates a high degrading potential and provides hints on putative survival strategies in a polluted environment.
Highlights
The fungal genus Trichoderma (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreaceae) gathers successful colonizers of very diverse environments and is found wherever decaying plant material is available
We have investigated the degradative potential of T. lixii MUT3171 by characterizing the enzyme-encoding genes that may participate in the cleavage of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other pollutants found in the sampling site
Since genome mining revealed a rough overlap between T. lixii MUT3171 and other sequenced Trichoderma species in terms of degrading enzyme composition, we focused on other genetic traits that may guarantee the survival of T. lixii MUT3171 in petroleum-polluted environments
Summary
The fungal genus Trichoderma (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreaceae) gathers successful colonizers of very diverse environments and is found wherever decaying plant material is available. The carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) repertoire that characterizes Trichoderma spp. as efficient phytosaprotrophs was likely acquired ancestrally through mycoparasitism of fungal phytopathogens [5]. These well-developed metabolic pathways enable Trichoderma spp. to grow even in highly polluted environments [6], a capacity that is supported by the presence in their genome of genes encoding for multicopper laccases, peroxidases, and ring-cleavage dioxygenases
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