Work

Strategies for GH functional annotation: toward harmonized and predictive CAZymology

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The functional annotation and biochemical characterization of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) for polysaccharides and oligosaccharides deconstruction are a major challenge. Here, we traced the transition from traditional "activity first" approaches, based on biochemical assays, to modern "sequence first" discovery methods enabled by modern genomics. RESULTS: We reported 169 glycosidase activities, the substrates, and the techniques used for the characterization of GHs. We highlight the challenges posed by the diversity of GH families including overlapping substrate specificities, heterogeneous assay conditions, and inconsistent reporting standards. To address these issues, we compiled a list of substrates for each GH family's glycosidase activities as a practical guide to serve as an initial framework for characterizing newly identified GHs. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of standardized substrates and protocols, uniform reporting practices, and community-driven data sharing initiatives provides a practical roadmap toward harmonized GH functional annotation and predictive enzymology while acknowledging current limitations in data standardization and reporting heterogeneity.

Source: Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts

DOI: 10.1186/s13068-026-02781-3

Authors: D. S. Erdody, N. G. Griffin, A. E. Hughes, J. Munoz-Munoz, R. Berlemont

Institutions: California State University, Long Beach, Durham University, California State University System

Language: English

Topic: Biofuel production and bioconversion

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,440

Funder: National Science Foundation