Enzymes and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel enzymes and the uses thereof. The invention also relates to methods of producing such enzymes, coding nucleic acid molecules, recombinant cells and methods of transforming biomass from such materials. The invention is particularly suited to degrade biomass and/or to improve biomass degradation, and to produce bioenergy products or recombinant proteins. This invention also relates to various applications of the enzymes in the field of paper industry, textile industry as well as in the chemical and medical fields.

1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid encoding an enzyme and a heterologous promoter, wherein the enzyme is derived from a  Deinococcus  or a related bacterium and is involved in energetic metabolism and wherein the nucleic acid is operably linked to the heterologous promoter. 
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said enzyme is selected from xylanases, cellulases, acetaldehyde dehydrogenases and alcohol dehydrogenases and amylases. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said enzyme comprises all or an active part of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 4-12, 27-41, 58, 60, 64, 66, 68, 70 and 72 or a functional variant thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A vector comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . A recombinant cell comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said recombinant cell is a yeast, fungal or bacterial cell. 
     
     
         6 . The recombinant cell of  claim 5 , wherein said recombinant cell is transformed or transfected with a vector comprising said polynucleotide. 
     
     
         7 . The recombinant cell of  claim 5 , which is a  Deinococcus  bacterium. 
     
     
         8 . A method for modifying biomass, comprising contacting the biomass with the recombinant cell of  claim 5  to thereby modify the biomass. 
     
     
         9 . A method for producing a metabolite or bioenergy product, comprising contacting a carbon source with the recombinant cell of  claim 5  to thereby producing the metabolite or bioenergy product. 
     
     
         10 . A co-culture of at least two distinct microorganisms, wherein at least one of said microorganisms is the  Deinococcus  bacterium of  claim 7  and at least one of said microorganisms is a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, wherein each of said at least two microorganisms requires the other microorganism(s) for its survival and growth. 
     
     
         11 . The co-culture of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of said microorganisms is a yeast cell.