Editing Acidobacteriota (section)

=== Carbon ===
Some members of subdivision 1 are able to use [[glucose|<small>D</small>-glucose]], [[xylose|<small>D</small>-xylose]], and [[lactose]] as carbon sources,<ref name=":022"/> but are unable to use [[fucose]] or [[sorbose]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Li|first1=Zijie|last2=Gao|first2=Yahui|last3=Nakanishi|first3=Hideki|last4=Gao|first4=Xiaodong|last5=Cai|first5=Li|date=2013-11-12|title=Biosynthesis of rare hexoses using microorganisms and related enzymes|journal=Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry|volume=9|pages=2434–2445|doi=10.3762/bjoc.9.281|pmid=24367410|issn=1860-5397|doi-access=free|pmc=3869271}}</ref> Members of subdivision 1 also contain enzymes such as [[galactosidases]] used in the breakdown of sugars.<ref name=":022"/> Members of subdivision 4 have been found to use [[chitin]] as a carbon source.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Huber|first1=K. J.|last2=Wust|first2=P. K.|last3=Rohde|first3=M.|last4=Overmann|first4=J.|last5=Foesel|first5=B. U.|date=2014-02-26|title=''Aridibacter famidurans'' gen. nov., sp. nov. and ''Aridibacter kavangonensis'' sp. nov., two novel members of subdivision 4 of the ''Acidobacteria'' isolated from semiarid savannah soil|journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology|volume=64|issue=Pt 6|pages=1866–1875|doi=10.1099/ijs.0.060236-0|pmid=24573163|issn=1466-5026|hdl=10033/344212|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Foesel|first1=Bärbel U.|last2=Rohde|first2=Manfred|last3=Overmann|first3=Jörg|date=March 2013|title=''Blastocatella fastidiosa'' gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from semiarid savanna soil – The first described species of ''Acidobacteria'' subdivision 4|journal=Systematic and Applied Microbiology|volume=36|issue=2|pages=82–89|doi=10.1016/j.syapm.2012.11.002|pmid=23266188|issn=0723-2020}}</ref><ref name=":022"/>

Despite the presence of genetic information generally known to encode for carbohydrate processing machinery in various genera of Acidobacteria, several experimental studies have demonstrated the inability to break down various polysaccharides.<ref name=":022" />

Cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls and a seemingly opportune resource for carbon. However, only a single species across all subdivisions has been shown to process it, ''Telmactobacter bradus'' from subvision 1. Scientists note that it is much too early in their understanding of the field to draw conclusions about carbon processing in Acidobacteria, but believe that xylan degradation (a polysaccharide primarily found in the secondary cell wall of plants) currently appears to be the most universal carbon breakdown ability.<ref name=":022" />

Researchers believe that an additional factor in the lack of understanding of carbon degradation by acidobacteria may stem from the present limited ability to provide adequate cultivation conditions.<ref name=":022" /> To study the natural behavior of these bacteria, they must grow and live in a controlled, observable environment. If such a habitat cannot be provided, recorded data cannot reliably report on the activity of the microbes in question. Therefore, the inconsistencies between genome sequence based predictions and observed carbon processes may be explained by present study methods.