The Santorini Volcanic Complex as a Valuable Source of Enzymes for Bioenergy

Marine microbial communities are an untapped reservoir of genetic and metabolic diversity a valuable source for the discovery new natural products biotechnological interest. The newly discovered hydrothermal vent field Santorini volcanic complex located in Aegean Sea is gaining increasing interest potential exploitation. conditions these environments, i.e., high temperatures, low pH values concentration heavy metals, often resemble harsh industrial settings. Thus, environments may serve as pools enzymes enhanced catalytic properties that provide benefits to biotechnology. Here, we screened 11 metagenomic libraries previously constructed from mat samples covering seafloor polymetallic chimneys Kolumbo volcano well caldera, mine, silico, genes associated with bioenergy applications. We particularly focused on encoding biomass hydrolysis such cellulases, hemicellulases lignin-degrading enzymes. A total 10,417 were found three specific groups enzymes—i.e., endoglucanases, different beta-glucosidases BGL, bglX bglB, alpha-galactosidases melA, rafA. Overall, concluded Santorini–Kolumbo ecosystems constitute significant resource novel applications deserve further investigation.