We conducted transcriptome analyses of the benthic foraminifer Cymbaloporetta bradyi and identified a diverse set of endogenous enzymes capable of degrading recalcitrant polysaccharides, including cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, mannan, fucoidan, laminarin, and chitin. These hydrolytic enzymes have traditionally been considered characteristic of microorganisms; however, our results suggest that foraminifera themselves possess metabolic capabilities to access a wide range of sedimentary polysaccharides. Because benthic foraminifera constitute a large biomass in marine sediments, this metabolic versatility may play an important role in organic matter degradation and global carbon cycling in marine ecosystems.
Tanimura, M.W.L., et al., ISME Communications, 5(1), ycaf149, 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf149
