University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Purdue Research Foundation

Michael E Scharf

Marsha M Wheeler

Monique R Coy

Xuguo Zhou

Faith M Oi

Drion G Boucias

Aurelien Tartar

Sanjay B Jadhao

Amit Sethi

Matthew R Tarver

Brittany F Peterson

Tamer Ibrahim Zaki Salem

Methods and compositions for controlling termite populations by leveraging newly discovered mechanisms for symbiont- and host mediated anti-fungal defenses in the termite hind-gut. Such methods may include administering a composition to a termite, the composition formulated to promote protist dysbiosis in the gut of the termite, or silencing specific host or symbiont genes by RNA interference, and exposing the termite to a pathogen, where the composition increases the susceptibility of the termite to the pathogen. Compositions are also provided for the treatment of fungal infections, the composition comprising a medically effective amount of recombinant glycosyl hydrolase family 7 cellulase, as well as methods for utilizing the same.

Methods, compositions, and molecular targets that exploit synergies and symbioses in the termite gut

Termites have specialized digestive systems that overcome the lignin barrier in wood to release fermentable simple sugars. Using the termiteand its gut symbionts, high-throughput titanium pyrosequencing and proteomics approaches experimentally compared the effects of lignin-containing diets on host-symbiont digestome composition. Proteomic investigations and functional digestive studies with recombinant lignocellulases conducted in parallel provided strong evidence of congruence at the transcription and translational levels and provide enzymatic strategies for overcoming recalcitrant lignin barriers in biofuel feedstocks. Briefly described, therefore, the disclosure provides a system for generating a fermentable product from a lignified plant material, the system comprising a cooperating series of at least two catalytically active polypeptides, where said catalytically active polypeptides are selected from the group consisting of: cellulase Cell-1, &#x3b2;-glu cellulase, an aldo-keto-reductase, a catalase, a laccase, and an endo-xylanase.

Lignases and aldo-keto reductases for conversion of lignin-containing materials to fermentable products

The disclosure provides isolated nucleic acid molecules derived from the gut of the termite, recombinant nucleic acid molecules comprising a vector and an isolated heterologous nucleic acid molecule operably inserted therein, whereby, when transformed into an appropriate host cell system, the heterologous nucleic acid sequence is expressed as a polypeptide having an activity similar to that when expressed in the gut of the termite. The recombinant nucleic acid molecules can comprise more than one heterologous nucleic acid molecule such that more than one polypeptide may be expressed by the host system. The expressed polypeptides may be substantially purified, or used in a substantially unpurified form, to be admixed with a lignocellulose source to be converted to a fermentable product such as a sugar or a mixture of sugars. One aspect of the present disclosure, therefore, encompasses methods of converting a lignified plant material to a fermentable product, the method comprising obtaining a series of isolated polypeptides of a termite, wherein the series of polypeptides cooperate to convert a plant lignocellulose to a fermentable product; and incubating the series of polypeptides with a source of lignified plant material, under conditions allowing the polypeptides to cooperatively produce a fermentable product from the lignified plant material.

Termite enzymes and uses thereof for in vitro conversion of lignin-containing materials to fermentable products

Methods, matrix compositions and kits for increasing the mortality of termites () and interfering with termite development using RNA interference techniques to target cellulase, lignocellulase, hexamerin, broad, farnesoic acid methyl transferase, cytochrome P450 and vitellogenin activity are provided.

Use of RNA interference to validate new termiticide target sites and a method of termite control

Growing community of inventors

Battle Ground, IN, United States of America

Michael E Scharf