Caldicellulosiruptor bescii Adheres to Polysaccharides via a Type IV Pilin-Dependent Mechanism.

Biological hydrolysis of cellulose above 70°C involves microorganisms that secrete free enzymes and deploy separate protein systems to adhere to their substrate. Strongly cellulolytic is one such extreme thermophile, which deploys modular, multifunctional carbohydrate-acting enzymes to deconstruct plant biomass. Additionally, also encodes noncatalytic carbohydrate binding proteins, which likely evolved as a mechanism to compete against other heterotrophs in carbon-limited biotopes that these bacteria inhabit.