Soil microorganisms are important mediators of carbon cycling in nature. Although cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading bacteria have been isolated from Algerian ecosystems, the information on the composition of soil bacterial communities and thus the potential of their members to decompose plant residues is still limited. The objective of the present study was to describe and compare the bacterial community composition in Algerian soils (crop, forest, garden, and desert) and the activity of cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading enzymes. Bacterial communities were characterized by high-throughput 16S amplicon sequencing followed by the in silico prediction of their functional potential. The highest lignocellulolytic activity was recorded in forest and garden soils whereas activities in the agricultural and desert soils were typically low. The bacterial phyla Proteobacteria (in particular classes α-proteobacteria, δ-proteobacteria, and γ-proteobacteria), Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria dominated in all soils. Forest and garden soils exhibited higher diversity than agricultural and desert soils. Endocellulase activity was elevated in forest and garden soils. In silico analysis predicted higher share of genes assigned to general metabolism in forest and garden soils compared with agricultural and arid soils, particularly in carbohydrate metabolism. The highest potential of lignocellulose decomposition was predicted for forest soils, which is in agreement with the highest activity of corresponding enzymes.

Faculty of Computer Science Dalhousie University 6050 University Avenue Halifax NS B3H 4R2 Canada

Laboratoire de Microbiologie Appliquée Département de Microbiologie Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université de Bejaia 06000 Bejaia Algérie

Laboratoire de Microbiologie Appliquée Département de Microbiologie Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie Université de Bejaia 06000 Bejaia Algérie Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology Institute of Microbiology of the CAS Vídeňská 1083 14220 Praha 4 Czech Republic

Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada Departmento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales Universidad de La Frontera Ave Franciosco Salazar 01145 Temuco Chile Scientific and Biotechnological Bioresource Nucleus Universidad de La Frontera Ave Franciosco Salazar 01145 Temuco Chile

Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology Institute of Microbiology of the CAS Vídeňská 1083 14220 Praha 4 Czech Republic

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