Extreme ecosystems are rich sources of industrial biocatalysts, as enzymes from these environments have evolved to withstand harsh ecological conditions, such as extreme pH, metal concentrations, and pressures. Several copper mines in Vermont are on the Superfund National Priorities List due to having poor water quality, high metal concentrations, and high metal sulfide oxidation rates. Ely Copper Mine, a Superfund site in Vershire, VT, has been abandoned and accumulating acidic water or acid mine drainage (AMD) for more than 50 years. Recently, our lab characterized the microbial community and the genes they actively express in the water and sediment at Ely Brook, which drains Ely Copper Mine.
Using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic datasets, we are now investigating this extreme environment along with other AMD sites to search for useful lignin degrading enzymes involved in the production of biofuels. Specifically, we used BLASTp, HMMER, Diamond+, and the NCBI CD search tool to annotate for lignin degrading enzymes. After identifying the number of hits in each lignin degrading superfamily, we compared BLASTp and HMMER for overlap. With an increased demand for a source of renewable energy, candidates for new lignin degradation enzymes are required. By analyzing the protein sequences of collected samples, this study shows potential for novel enzyme discovery in nature that contributes to the future of the biochemical industry.
A poster deriving from academic research with Lesley-Ann Giddings, Assistant Professor of Chemistry.