201
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Caesar LK, Kelleher NL, Keller NP. In the fungus where it happens: History and future propelling Aspergillus nidulans as the archetype of natural products research. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 144:103477. [PMID: 33035657 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In 1990 the first fungal secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene was cloned in Aspergillus nidulans. Thirty years later, >30 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) have been linked to specific natural products in this one fungal species. While impressive, over half of the BGCs in A. nidulans remain uncharacterized and their compounds structurally and functionally unknown. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of past advances that have enabled A. nidulans to rise to its current status as a natural product powerhouse focusing on the discovery and annotation of secondary metabolite clusters. From genome sequencing, heterologous expression, and metabolomics to CRISPR and epigenetic manipulations, we present a guided tour through the evolution of technologies developed and utilized in the last 30 years. These insights provide perspective to future efforts to fully unlock the biosynthetic potential of A. nidulans and, by extension, the potential of other filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay K Caesar
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States; Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.
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202
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Meile L, Peter J, Puccetti G, Alassimone J, McDonald BA, Sánchez-Vallet A. Chromatin Dynamics Contribute to the Spatiotemporal Expression Pattern of Virulence Genes in a Fungal Plant Pathogen. mBio 2020; 11:e02343-20. [PMID: 33024042 PMCID: PMC7542367 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02343-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic changes in transcription profiles are key for the success of pathogens in colonizing their hosts. In many pathogens, genes associated with virulence, such as effector genes, are located in regions of the genome that are rich in transposable elements and heterochromatin. The contribution of chromatin modifications to gene expression in pathogens remains largely unknown. Using a combination of a reporter gene-based approach and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we show that the heterochromatic environment of effector genes in the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici is a key regulator of their specific spatiotemporal expression patterns. Enrichment in trimethylated lysine 27 of histone H3 dictates the repression of effector genes in the absence of the host. Chromatin decondensation during host colonization, featuring a reduction in this repressive modification, indicates a major role for epigenetics in effector gene induction. Our results illustrate that chromatin modifications triggered during host colonization determine the specific expression profile of effector genes at the cellular level and, hence, provide new insights into the regulation of virulence in fungal plant pathogens.IMPORTANCE Fungal plant pathogens possess a large repertoire of genes encoding putative effectors, which are crucial for infection. Many of these genes are expressed at low levels in the absence of the host but are strongly induced at specific stages of the infection. The mechanisms underlying this transcriptional reprogramming remain largely unknown. We investigated the role of the genomic environment and associated chromatin modifications of effector genes in controlling their expression pattern in the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici Depending on their genomic location, effector genes are epigenetically repressed in the absence of the host and during the initial stages of infection. Derepression of effector genes occurs mainly during and after penetration of plant leaves and is associated with changes in histone modifications. Our work demonstrates the role of chromatin in shaping the expression of virulence components and, thereby, the interaction between fungal pathogens and their plant hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Meile
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jules Peter
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Guido Puccetti
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julien Alassimone
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bruce A McDonald
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Sánchez-Vallet
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), Spain
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203
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de Souza CP, Ribeiro BD, Zarur Coelho MA, Almeida RV, Nicaud JM. Construction of wild-type Yarrowia lipolytica IMUFRJ 50682 auxotrophic mutants using dual CRISPR/Cas9 strategy for novel biotechnological approaches. Enzyme Microb Technol 2020; 140:109621. [PMID: 32912681 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2020.109621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Yarrowia lipolytica IMUFRJ 50682 is a Brazilian wild-type strain with potential application in bioconversion processes which can be improved through synthetic biology. In this study, we focused on a combinatorial dual cleavage CRISPR/Cas9-mediated for construction of irreversible auxotrophic mutants IMUFRJ 50682, which genomic information is not available, thought paired sgRNAs targeting upstream and downstream sites of URA3 gene. The disruption efficiency ranged from 5 to 28 % for sgRNAs combinations closer to URA3's start and stop codon and the auxotrophic mutants lost about 970 bp containing all coding sequence, validating this method for genomic edition of wild-type strains. In addition, we introduced a fluorescent phenotype and achieved cloning rates varying from 80 to 100 %. The ura3Δ strains IMUFRJ 50682 were also engineered for β-carotene synthesis as proof of concept. Carotenoid-producing strains exhibited a similar growth profile compared to the wild-type strain and were able to synthesized 30.54-50.06 mg/L (up to 4.8 mg/g DCW) of β-carotene in YPD and YNB flask cultures, indicating a promisor future of the auxotrophic mutants IMUFRJ 50682 as a chassis for production of novel value-added chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Pires de Souza
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-909, RJ, Brazil; Biochemical Engineering Department, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-909, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Dias Ribeiro
- Biochemical Engineering Department, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-909, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Alice Zarur Coelho
- Biochemical Engineering Department, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-909, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Volcan Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-909, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Jean-Marc Nicaud
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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204
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Manglekar RR, Geng A. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated seb1 disruption in Talaromyces pinophilus EMU for its enhanced cellulase production. Enzyme Microb Technol 2020; 140:109646. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2020.109646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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205
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Naranjo‐Ortiz MA, Gabaldón T. Fungal evolution: cellular, genomic and metabolic complexity. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1198-1232. [PMID: 32301582 PMCID: PMC7539958 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The question of how phenotypic and genomic complexity are inter-related and how they are shaped through evolution is a central question in biology that historically has been approached from the perspective of animals and plants. In recent years, however, fungi have emerged as a promising alternative system to address such questions. Key to their ecological success, fungi present a broad and diverse range of phenotypic traits. Fungal cells can adopt many different shapes, often within a single species, providing them with great adaptive potential. Fungal cellular organizations span from unicellular forms to complex, macroscopic multicellularity, with multiple transitions to higher or lower levels of cellular complexity occurring throughout the evolutionary history of fungi. Similarly, fungal genomes are very diverse in their architecture. Deep changes in genome organization can occur very quickly, and these phenomena are known to mediate rapid adaptations to environmental changes. Finally, the biochemical complexity of fungi is huge, particularly with regard to their secondary metabolites, chemical products that mediate many aspects of fungal biology, including ecological interactions. Herein, we explore how the interplay of these cellular, genomic and metabolic traits mediates the emergence of complex phenotypes, and how this complexity is shaped throughout the evolutionary history of Fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Naranjo‐Ortiz
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyDr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona08003Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyDr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona08003Spain
- Department of Experimental Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003BarcelonaSpain
- ICREAPg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010BarcelonaSpain
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206
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Kanja C, Hammond‐Kosack KE. Proteinaceous effector discovery and characterization in filamentous plant pathogens. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2020; 21:1353-1376. [PMID: 32767620 PMCID: PMC7488470 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The complicated interplay of plant-pathogen interactions occurs on multiple levels as pathogens evolve to constantly evade the immune responses of their hosts. Many economically important crops fall victim to filamentous pathogens that produce small proteins called effectors to manipulate the host and aid infection/colonization. Understanding the effector repertoires of pathogens is facilitating an increased understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying virulence as well as guiding the development of disease control strategies. The purpose of this review is to give a chronological perspective on the evolution of the methodologies used in effector discovery from physical isolation and in silico predictions, to functional characterization of the effectors of filamentous plant pathogens and identification of their host targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Kanja
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop ProtectionRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
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207
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Deng H, Liang W, Fan TP, Zheng X, Cai Y. Modular engineering of Shiraia bambusicola for hypocrellin production through an efficient CRISPR system. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 165:796-803. [PMID: 33010268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Shiraia bambusicola exhibits an excellent capability to produce high-value pharmacological drugs, such as hypocrellin. However, less effective molecular tools hamper the processes to discover or exploit these metabolites. To address this issue, the more effective CRISPR/Cas9 system was constructed by optimizing the sgRNA transcription elements and disrupting the endogenous non-homologous end-joining pathway. These tactics prompted the gene-targeting frequency of 100% and simultaneously multiplex genome editing in S. bambusicola. This optimal CRISPR system encouraged us to rewire the entire hypocrellin flux and improve the yield by orchestrating the substrate pool supply, the central hypocrellin pathway, and the antioxidant system. Thus, 8632 mg/L hypocrellin was obtained, resulting in a 12-fold increase than that of the wild-type strain. This engineered S. bambusicola can still endure oxidative stresses from higher target metabolites and sustain an excellent biological activity. This study provides a whole conception to establish the more efficient genome-editing system. Higher conserved transcription elements for sgRNA expressions inspire us to adopt this system for gene modifications of other filamentous fungi. The rational and global biosystems outline will offer guidance to modulate metabolite productivity in other filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxiang Deng
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Weiyue Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Tai-Ping Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaohui Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shanxi 710069, China
| | - Yujie Cai
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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208
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Abstract
Aspergilli have been widely used in the production of organic acids, enzymes, and secondary metabolites for almost a century. Today, several GRAS (generally recognized as safe) Aspergillus species hold a central role in the field of industrial biotechnology with multiple profitable applications. Since the 1990s, research has focused on the use of Aspergillus species in the development of cell factories for the production of recombinant proteins mainly due to their natively high secretion capacity. Advances in the Aspergillus-specific molecular toolkit and combination of several engineering strategies (e.g., protease-deficient strains and fusions to carrier proteins) resulted in strains able to generate high titers of recombinant fungal proteins. However, the production of non-fungal proteins appears to still be inefficient due to bottlenecks in fungal expression and secretion machinery. After a brief overview of the different heterologous expression systems currently available, this review focuses on the filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus and their use in recombinant protein production. We describe key steps in protein synthesis and secretion that may limit production efficiency in Aspergillus systems and present genetic engineering approaches and bioprocessing strategies that have been adopted in order to improve recombinant protein titers and expand the potential of Aspergilli as competitive production platforms.
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209
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Li C, Zhou J, Du G, Chen J, Takahashi S, Liu S. Developing Aspergillus niger as a cell factory for food enzyme production. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 44:107630. [PMID: 32919011 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus niger has become one of the most important hosts for food enzyme production due to its unique food safety characteristics and excellent protein secretion systems. A series of food enzymes such as glucoamylase have been commercially produced by A. niger strains, making this species a suitable platform for the engineered of strains with improved enzyme production. However, difficulties in genetic manipulations and shortage of expression strategies limit the progress in this regard. Moreover, several mycotoxins have recently been detected in some A. niger strains, which raises the necessity for a regulatory approval process for food enzyme production. With robust strains, processing engineering strategies are also needed for producing the enzymes on a large scale, which is also challenging for A. niger, since its culture is aerobic, and non-Newtonian fluid properties are developed during submerged culture, making mixing and aeration very energy-intensive. In this article, the progress and challenges of developing A. niger for the production of food enzymes are reviewed, including its genetic manipulations, strategies for more efficient production of food enzymes, and elimination of mycotoxins for product safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Jiangsu Provisional Research Center for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Guocheng Du
- School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Jian Chen
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Jiangsu Provisional Research Center for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
| | - Shunji Takahashi
- Natural Product Biosynthesis Research Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Song Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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210
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Newman A, Starrs L, Burgio G. Cas9 Cuts and Consequences; Detecting, Predicting, and Mitigating CRISPR/Cas9 On- and Off-Target Damage: Techniques for Detecting, Predicting, and Mitigating the On- and off-target Effects of Cas9 Editing. Bioessays 2020; 42:e2000047. [PMID: 32643177 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Large deletions and genomic re-arrangements are increasingly recognized as common products of double-strand break repair at Clustered Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeats - CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) on-target sites. Together with well-known off-target editing products from Cas9 target misrecognition, these are important limitations, that need to be addressed. Rigorous assessment of Cas9-editing is necessary to ensure validity of observed phenotypes in Cas9-edited cell-lines and model organisms. Here the mechanisms of Cas9 specificity, and strategies to assess and mitigate unwanted effects of Cas9 editing are reviewed; covering guide-RNA design, RNA modifications, Cas9 modifications, control of Cas9 activity; computational prediction for off-targets, and experimental methods for detecting Cas9 cleavage. Although recognition of the prevalence of on- and off-target effects of Cas9 editing has increased in recent years, broader uptake across the gene editing community will be important in determining the specificity of Cas9 across diverse applications and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Newman
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Lora Starrs
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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211
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Liu W, An C, Shu X, Meng X, Yao Y, Zhang J, Chen F, Xiang H, Yang S, Gao X, Gao SS. A Dual-Plasmid CRISPR/Cas System for Mycotoxin Elimination in Polykaryotic Industrial Fungi. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2087-2095. [PMID: 32531165 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mycotoxin contamination causes disease and death in both humans and animals. Monascus Red, produced by Monascus purpureus, is used as a food colorant. However, its application is limited by contamination of the nephrotoxin citrinin, which is also produced by the fungus. Suppressing citrinin production by genetic engineering is difficult in a polykaryotic fungus such as M. purpureus. Hence, we developed a CRISPR/Cas system to delete large genomic fragments in polykaryotic fungi. Protoplast preparation and regeneration were optimized, and a dual-plasmid CRISPR/Cas system was designed to enable the deletion of the 15-kb citrinin biosynthetic gene cluster in M. purpureus industrial strain KL-001. The obtained homokaryotic mutants were stable, and citrinin was unambiguously eliminated. Moreover, the Monascus Red pigment production was increased by 2-5%. Our approach provides a powerful solution to solve this long-standing problem in the food industry and enables engineering of polykaryotic fungi for mycotoxin eliminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Chunyan An
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Xian Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Xiangxi Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Yongpeng Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Jun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Fusheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hua Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, PR China
| | - Shuyuan Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Xue Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Shu-Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
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212
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Leisen T, Bietz F, Werner J, Wegner A, Schaffrath U, Scheuring D, Willmund F, Mosbach A, Scalliet G, Hahn M. CRISPR/Cas with ribonucleoprotein complexes and transiently selected telomere vectors allows highly efficient marker-free and multiple genome editing in Botrytis cinerea. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008326. [PMID: 32804988 PMCID: PMC7451986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas has become the state-of-the-art technology for genetic manipulation in diverse organisms, enabling targeted genetic changes to be performed with unprecedented efficiency. Here we report on the first establishment of robust CRISPR/Cas editing in the important necrotrophic plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea based on the introduction of optimized Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) into protoplasts. Editing yields were further improved by development of a novel strategy that combines RNP delivery with cotransformation of transiently stable vectors containing telomeres, which allowed temporary selection and convenient screening for marker-free editing events. We demonstrate that this approach provides superior editing rates compared to existing CRISPR/Cas-based methods in filamentous fungi, including the model plant pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. Genome sequencing of edited strains revealed very few additional mutations and no evidence for RNP-mediated off-targeting. The high performance of telomere vector-mediated editing was demonstrated by random mutagenesis of codon 272 of the sdhB gene, a major determinant of resistance to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides by in bulk replacement of the codon 272 with codons encoding all 20 amino acids. All exchanges were found at similar frequencies in the absence of selection but SDHI selection allowed the identification of novel amino acid substitutions which conferred differential resistance levels towards different SDHI fungicides. The increased efficiency and easy handling of RNP-based cotransformation is expected to accelerate molecular research in B. cinerea and other fungi. In this study, we describe the establishment of the CRISPR/Cas technology for genome editing in the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea, one of the economically most important plant pathogens worldwide. We report the development of a strategy which combines the introduction of an optimized nuclear-targeted Cas9-single guide RNA ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) and a repair template together with unstable telomere vectors for transient selection into fungal protoplasts. A high proportion of the transformants contains the desired genetic changes, and the telomere vector is lost subsequently when selection is stopped. This system allowed introduction of changes into the genome without the requirement of selection markers. It shows superior editing efficiencies compared to existing CRISPR/Cas protocols for filamentous fungi, and leads to a very low number of additional off-target mutations. To demonstrate the performance of our protocol, we conducted for the first time a site-directed, random mutagenesis in a gene encoding an important fungicide target. This approach allows new applications such as in vivo structure-function analysis of proteins and rational fungicide resistance studies. As demonstrated with the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, the RNP-based CRISPR/Cas toolset with telomere vectors can be transferred to other fungi and is expected to boost their genetic manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Leisen
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Fabian Bietz
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Janina Werner
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Alex Wegner
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Plant Physiology, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schaffrath
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Plant Physiology, Aachen, Germany
| | - David Scheuring
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Felix Willmund
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | | | | | - Matthias Hahn
- University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Biology, Kaiserslautern, Germany
- * E-mail:
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213
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Zou Z, Liu F, Selin C, Fernando WGD. Generation and Characterization of a Virulent Leptosphaeria maculans Isolate Carrying a Mutated AvrLm7 Gene Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1969. [PMID: 32849487 PMCID: PMC7432424 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Blackleg, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most important disease affecting canola (Brassica napus) crops worldwide. We employed the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) system to generate the mutant isolate umavr7 from a point mutation of the AvrLm7 coding region in a L. maculans isolate (UMAvr7). Reverse transcription PCR and transcriptome data confirmed that the AvrLm7 gene was knocked out in the mutant isolate. Pathogenicity tests indicated that umavr7 can cause large lesions on a set of Brassica differential genotypes that express different resistance (R) genes. Comparative pathogenicity tests between UMAvr7 (wild type) and umavr7 on the corresponding B. napus genotype 01-23-2-1 (with Rlm7) showed that umavr7 is a mutant isolate, producing large gray/green lesions on cotyledons. The pathogenicity of the mutant isolate was shifted from avirulent to virulent on the B. napus Rlm7 genotype. Therefore, this mutant is virulence on the identified resistant genes to blackleg disease in B. napus genotypes. Superoxide accumulated differently in cotyledons in response to infection with UMAvr7 and umavr7, especially in resistant B. napus genotype 01-23-2-1. Resistance/susceptibility was further evaluated on 123 B. napus genotypes with the mutant isolate, umavr7. Only 6 of the 123 genotypes showed resistance to umavr7. The identification of these six resistant B. napus genotypes will lead to further studies on the development of blackleg disease resistance through breeding and the identification of novel R genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Zou
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Carrie Selin
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Haddad Momeni M, Leth ML, Sternberg C, Schoof E, Nielsen MW, Holck J, Workman CT, Hoof JB, Abou Hachem M. Loss of AA13 LPMOs impairs degradation of resistant starch and reduces the growth of Aspergillus nidulans. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:135. [PMID: 32774456 PMCID: PMC7405360 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01775-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are often studied in simple models involving activity measurements of a single LPMO or a blend thereof with hydrolytic enzymes towards an insoluble substrate. However, the contribution of LPMOs to polysaccharide breakdown in complex cocktails of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes, similar to fungal secretomes, remains elusive. Typically, two starch-specific AA13 LPMOs are encoded by mainly Ascomycota genomes. Here, we investigate the impact of LPMO loss on the growth and degradation of starches of varying resistance to amylolytic hydrolases by Aspergillus nidulans. RESULTS Deletion of the genes encoding AnAA13A that possesses a CBM20 starch-binding module, AnAA13B (lacking a CBM20) or both AA13 genes resulted in reduced growth on solid media with resistant, but not soluble processed potato starch. Larger size and amount of residual starch granules were observed for the AA13-deficient strains as compared to the reference and the impairment of starch degradation was more severe for the strain lacking AnAA13A based on a microscopic analysis. After 5 days of growth on raw potato starch in liquid media, the mount of residual starch was about fivefold higher for the AA13 gene deletion strains compared to the reference, which underscores the importance of LPMOs for degradation of especially resistant starches. Proteomic analyses revealed substantial changes in the secretomes of the double AA13 gene deletion, followed by the AnAA13A-deficient strain, whereas only a single protein was significantly different in the proteome of the AnAA13B-deficient strain as compared to the reference. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that the loss of AA13, especially the starch-binding AnAA13A, impairs degradation of resistant potato starch, but has limited impact on less-resistant wheat starch and no impact on processed solubilized starch. The effects of LPMO loss are more pronounced at the later stages of fungal growth, likely due to the accumulation of the less-accessible regions of the substrate. The striking impairment in granular starch degradation due to the loss of a single LPMO from the secretome offers insight into the crucial role played by AA13 in the breakdown of resistant starch and presents a methodological framework to analyse the contribution of distinct LPMOs towards semi-crystalline polysaccharides under in vivo conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Haddad Momeni
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Maria Louise Leth
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Claus Sternberg
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Erwin Schoof
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Maike Wennekers Nielsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jesper Holck
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christopher T. Workman
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jakob Blæsbjerg Hoof
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Maher Abou Hachem
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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215
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CRISPR-Cas9 system: A genome-editing tool with endless possibilities. J Biotechnol 2020; 319:36-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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216
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The polyketide synthase PKS15 has a crucial role in cell wall formation in Beauveria bassiana. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12630. [PMID: 32724143 PMCID: PMC7387532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69417-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi utilize specific secondary metabolites to defend against insect immunity, thereby enabling colonization of their specific hosts. We are particularly interested in the polyketide synthesis gene pks15, which is involved in metabolite production, and its role in fungal virulence. Targeted disruption of pks15 followed by genetic complementation with a functional copy of the gene would allow for functional characterization of this secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene. Using a Beauveria bassiana ∆pks15 mutant previously disrupted by a bialophos-resistance (bar) cassette, we report here an in-cis complementation at bar cassette using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. A bar-specific short guide RNA was used to target and cause a double-strand break in bar, and a donor DNA carrying a wild-type copy of pks15 was co-transformed with the guide RNA. Isolate G6 of ∆pks15 complemented with pks15 was obtained and verified by PCR, Southern analyses and DNA sequencing. Compared to ∆pks15 which showed a marked reduction in sporulation and insect virulence, the complementation in G6 restored with insect virulence, sporulation and conidial germination to wild-type levels. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy revealed that G6 and wild-type conidial wall surfaces possessed the characteristic rodlet bundles and rough surface while ∆pks15 walls lacked the bundles and were relatively smoother. Conidia of ∆pks15 were larger and more elongated than that of G6 and the wild type, indicating changes in their cell wall organization. Our data indicate that PKS15 and its metabolite are likely not only important for fungal virulence and asexual reproduction, but also cell wall formation.
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217
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Dort EN, Tanguay P, Hamelin RC. CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing: An Unexplored Frontier for Forest Pathology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:1126. [PMID: 32793272 PMCID: PMC7387688 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology has taken the scientific community by storm since its development in 2012. First discovered in 1987, CRISPR/Cas systems act as an adaptive immune response in archaea and bacteria that defends against invading bacteriophages and plasmids. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology modifies this immune response to function in eukaryotic cells as a highly specific, RNA-guided complex that can edit almost any genetic target. This technology has applications in all biological fields, including plant pathology. However, examples of its use in forest pathology are essentially nonexistent. The aim of this review is to give researchers a deeper understanding of the native CRISPR/Cas systems and how they were adapted into the CRISPR/Cas9 technology used today in plant pathology-this information is crucial for researchers aiming to use this technology in the pathosystems they study. We review the current applications of CRISPR/Cas9 in plant pathology and propose future directions for research in forest pathosystems where this technology is currently underutilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika N. Dort
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Philippe Tanguay
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Richard C. Hamelin
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Département des Sciences du bois et de la Forêt, Faculté de Foresterie et Géographie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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218
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Kadooka C, Yamaguchi M, Okutsu K, Yoshizaki Y, Takamine K, Katayama T, Maruyama JI, Tamaki H, Futagami T. A CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout system in Aspergillus luchuensis mut. kawachii. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2020; 84:2179-2183. [PMID: 32657224 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2020.1792761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We developed an approach to genome editing of the white koji fungus, Aspergillus luchuensis mut. kawachii using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. Co-transformation of AMA1-based Cas9 and gRNA expression plasmids achieved efficient gene knockout in A. kawachii. The plasmids were easily lost when selective pressure was removed, allowing for successive rounds of genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Kadooka
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan.,Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masaaki Yamaguchi
- Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kayu Okutsu
- Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yumiko Yoshizaki
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan.,Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kazunori Takamine
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan.,Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Takuya Katayama
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan.,Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Maruyama
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan.,Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hisanori Tamaki
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan.,Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Taiki Futagami
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan.,Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University , Kagoshima, Japan
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219
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Dadwal A, Sharma S, Satyanarayana T. Progress in Ameliorating Beneficial Characteristics of Microbial Cellulases by Genetic Engineering Approaches for Cellulose Saccharification. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1387. [PMID: 32670240 PMCID: PMC7327088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable and sustainable energy source. Cellulases are the enzymes that cleave β-1, 4-glycosidic linkages in cellulose to liberate sugars that can be fermented to ethanol, butanol, and other products. Low enzyme activity and yield, and thermostability are, however, some of the limitations posing hurdles in saccharification of lignocellulosic residues. Recent advancements in synthetic and systems biology have generated immense interest in metabolic and genetic engineering that has led to the development of sustainable technology for saccharification of lignocellulosics in the last couple of decades. There have been several attempts in applying genetic engineering in the production of a repertoire of cellulases at a low cost with a high biomass saccharification. A diverse range of cellulases are produced by different microbes, some of which are being engineered to evolve robust cellulases. This review summarizes various successful genetic engineering strategies employed for improving cellulase kinetics and cellulolytic efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anica Dadwal
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Shilpa Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Tulasi Satyanarayana
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, New Delhi, India
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220
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Abstract
The food industry faces a 2050 deadline for the advancement and expansion of the food supply chain to support the world's growing population. Improvements are needed across crops, livestock, and microbes to achieve this goal. Since 2005, researchers have been attempting to make the necessary strides to reach this milestone, but attempts have fallen short. With the introduction of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins, the food production field is now able to achieve some of its most exciting advancements since the Green Revolution. This review introduces the concept of applying CRISPR-Cas technology as a genome-editing tool for use in the food supply chain, focusing on its implementation to date in crop, livestock, and microbe production, advancement of products to market, and regulatory and societal hurdles that need to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Brandt
- Genomic Sciences, Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA; .,Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Rodolphe Barrangou
- Genomic Sciences, Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA; .,Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
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221
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Adiego-Pérez B, Randazzo P, Daran JM, Verwaal R, Roubos JA, Daran-Lapujade P, van der Oost J. Multiplex genome editing of microorganisms using CRISPR-Cas. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2020; 366:5489186. [PMID: 31087001 PMCID: PMC6522427 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial production of chemical compounds often requires highly engineered microbial cell factories. During the last years, CRISPR-Cas nucleases have been repurposed as powerful tools for genome editing. Here, we briefly review the most frequently used CRISPR-Cas tools and describe some of their applications. We describe the progress made with respect to CRISPR-based multiplex genome editing of industrial bacteria and eukaryotic microorganisms. We also review the state of the art in terms of gene expression regulation using CRISPRi and CRISPRa. Finally, we summarize the pillars for efficient multiplexed genome editing and present our view on future developments and applications of CRISPR-Cas tools for multiplex genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Adiego-Pérez
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paola Randazzo
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jean Marc Daran
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - René Verwaal
- DSM Biotechnology Center, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes A Roubos
- DSM Biotechnology Center, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Pascale Daran-Lapujade
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - John van der Oost
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
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222
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CRISPR-Cas9-Based Mutagenesis of the Mucormycosis-Causing Fungus Lichtheimia corymbifera. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103727. [PMID: 32466287 PMCID: PMC7279233 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichtheimia corymbifera is considered as one of the most frequent agents of mucormycosis. The lack of efficient genetic manipulation tools hampers the characterization of the pathomechanisms and virulence factors of this opportunistic pathogenic fungus. Although such techniques have been described for certain species, the performance of targeted mutagenesis and the construction of stable transformants have remained a great challenge in Mucorales fungi. In the present study, a plasmid-free CRISPR-Cas9 system was applied to carry out a targeted gene disruption in L. corymbifera. The described method is based on the non-homologous end-joining repair of the double-strand break caused by the Cas9 enzyme. Using this method, short, one-to-five nucleotide long-targeted deletions could be induced in the orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase gene (pyrG) and, as a result, uracil auxotrophic strains were constructed. These strains are applicable as recipient strains in future gene manipulation studies. As we know, this is the first genetic modification of this clinically relevant fungus.
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223
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Fatma Z, Schultz JC, Zhao H. Recent advances in domesticating non‐model microorganisms. Biotechnol Prog 2020; 36:e3008. [DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zia Fatma
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
| | - J. Carl Schultz
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
- Departments of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Bioengineering University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
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224
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Pohl C, Polli F, Schütze T, Viggiano A, Mózsik L, Jung S, de Vries M, Bovenberg RAL, Meyer V, Driessen AJM. A Penicillium rubens platform strain for secondary metabolite production. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7630. [PMID: 32376967 PMCID: PMC7203126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64893-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a Penicillium rubens strain with an industrial background in which the four highly expressed biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC) required to produce penicillin, roquefortine, chrysogine and fungisporin were removed. This resulted in a minimal secondary metabolite background. Amino acid pools under steady-state growth conditions showed reduced levels of methionine and increased intracellular aromatic amino acids. Expression profiling of remaining BGC core genes and untargeted mass spectrometry did not identify products from uncharacterized BGCs. This platform strain was repurposed for expression of the recently identified polyketide calbistrin gene cluster and achieved high yields of decumbenone A, B and C. The penicillin BGC could be restored through in vivo assembly with eight DNA segments with short overlaps. Our study paves the way for fast combinatorial assembly and expression of biosynthetic pathways in a fungal strain with low endogenous secondary metabolite burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Pohl
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Technische Universität Berlin, Faculty III Process Sciences, Institute of Biotechnology, Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabiola Polli
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tabea Schütze
- Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annarita Viggiano
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - László Mózsik
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sascha Jung
- Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maaike de Vries
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Roel A L Bovenberg
- DSM Biotechnology Centre, Delft, The Netherlands
- Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera Meyer
- Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arnold J M Driessen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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225
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Blin K, Kim HU, Medema MH, Weber T. Recent development of antiSMASH and other computational approaches to mine secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. Brief Bioinform 2020; 20:1103-1113. [PMID: 29112695 PMCID: PMC6781578 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbx146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many drugs are derived from small molecules produced by microorganisms and plants, so-called natural products. Natural products have diverse chemical structures, but the biosynthetic pathways producing those compounds are often organized as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and follow a highly conserved biosynthetic logic. This allows for the identification of core biosynthetic enzymes using genome mining strategies that are based on the sequence similarity of the involved enzymes/genes. However, mining for a variety of BGCs quickly approaches a complexity level where manual analyses are no longer possible and require the use of automated genome mining pipelines, such as the antiSMASH software. In this review, we discuss the principles underlying the predictions of antiSMASH and other tools and provide practical advice for their application. Furthermore, we discuss important caveats such as rule-based BGC detection, sequence and annotation quality and cluster boundary prediction, which all have to be considered while planning for, performing and analyzing the results of genome mining studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tilmann Weber
- Corresponding author: Tilmann Weber, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. Tel.: +45 24 89 61 32; E-mail:
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226
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Rojas-Sánchez U, López-Calleja AC, Millán-Chiu BE, Fernández F, Loske AM, Gómez-Lim MA. Enhancing the yield of human erythropoietin in Aspergillus niger by introns and CRISPR-Cas9. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 168:105570. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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227
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Khan H, McDonald MC, Williams SJ, Solomon PS. Assessing the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in the wheat pathogen Parastagonspora nodorum. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2020; 7:4. [PMID: 32257291 PMCID: PMC7110818 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-020-00094-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The genome-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized gene manipulation by providing an efficient method to generate targeted mutations. This technique deploys the Cas9 endonuclease and a guide RNA (sgRNA) which interact to form a Cas9-sgRNA complex that initiates gene editing through the introduction of double stranded DNA breaks. We tested the efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas9 approach as a means of facilitating a variety of reverse genetic approaches in the wheat pathogenic fungus Parastagonospora nodorum. Results Parastagonospora nodorum protoplasts were transformed with the Cas9 protein and sgRNA in the form of a preassembled ribonuclear protein (RNP) complex targeting the Tox3 effector gene. Subsequent screening of the P. nodorum transformants revealed 100% editing of those mutants screened. We further tested the efficacy of RNP complex when co-transformed with a Tox3-Homology Directed Repair cassette harbouring 1 kb of homologous flanking DNA. Subsequent screening of resulting transformants demonstrated homologous recombination efficiencies exceeding 70%. A further transformation with a Tox3-Homology Directed Repair cassette harbouring a selectable marker with 50 bp micro-homology flanks was also achieved with 25% homologous recombination efficiency. The success of these homology directed repair approaches demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 is amenable to other in vivo DNA manipulation approaches such as the insertion of DNA and generating point mutations. Conclusion These data highlight the significant potential that CRISPR/Cas9 has in expediting transgene-free gene knockouts in Parastagonospora nodorum and also in facilitating other gene manipulation approaches. Access to these tools will significantly decrease the time required to assess the requirement of gene for disease and to undertake functional studies to determine its role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haseena Khan
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
| | - Megan C McDonald
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
| | - Simon J Williams
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
| | - Peter S Solomon
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601 Australia
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Acurin A, a novel hybrid compound, biosynthesized by individually translated PKS- and NRPS-encoding genes in Aspergillus aculeatus. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 139:103378. [PMID: 32234543 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This work presents the identification and proposed biosynthetic pathway for a compound of mixed polyketide-nonribosomal peptide origin that we named acurin A. The compound was isolated from an extract of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus aculeatus, and its core structure resemble that of the mycotoxin fusarin C produced by several Fusarium species. Based on bioinformatics in combination with RT-qPCR experiments and gene-deletion analysis, we identified a biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) in A. aculeatus responsible for the biosynthesis of acurin A. Moreover, we were able to show that a polyketide synthase (PKS) and a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzyme separately encoded by this BGC are responsible for the synthesis of the PK-NRP compound, acurin A, core structure. In comparison, the production of fusarin C is reported to be facilitated by a linked PKS-NRPS hybrid enzyme. Phylogenetic analyses suggest the PKS and NRPS in A. aculeatus resulted from a recent fission of an ancestral hybrid enzyme followed by gene duplication. In addition to the PKS- and NRPS-encoding genes of acurin A, we show that six other genes are influencing the biosynthesis including a regulatory transcription factor. Altogether, we have demonstrated the involvement of eight genes in the biosynthesis of acurin A, including an in-cluster transcription factor. This study highlights the biosynthetic capacity of A. aculeatus and serves as an example of how the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be exploited for the construction of fungal strains that can be readily engineered.
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229
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Cen YK, Lin JG, Wang YL, Wang JY, Liu ZQ, Zheng YG. The Gibberellin Producer Fusarium fujikuroi: Methods and Technologies in the Current Toolkit. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:232. [PMID: 32292777 PMCID: PMC7118215 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in research interests on the Fusarium species, which includes prevalent plant pathogens and human pathogens, common microbial food contaminants and industrial microbes. Taken the advantage of gibberellin synthesis, Fusarium fujikuroi succeed in being a prevalent plant pathogen. At the meanwhile, F. fujikuroi was utilized for industrial production of gibberellins, a group of extensively applied phytohormone. F. fujikuroi has been known for its outstanding performance in gibberellin production for almost 100 years. Research activities relate to this species has lasted for a very long period. The slow development in biological investigation of F. fujikuroi is largely due to the lack of efficient research technologies and molecular tools. During the past decade, technologies to analyze the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions and metabolic regulations have been developed rapidly, especially on the aspects of genetic manipulation. At the meanwhile, the industrial fermentation technologies kept sustained development. In this article, we reviewed the currently available research tools/methods for F. fujikuroi research, focusing on the topics about genetic engineering and gibberellin production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ke Cen
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Guang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - You-Liang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun-You Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Guo Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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230
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Zhang L, Zheng X, Cairns TC, Zhang Z, Wang D, Zheng P, Sun J. Disruption or reduced expression of the orotidine-5'-decarboxylase gene pyrG increases citric acid production: a new discovery during recyclable genome editing in Aspergillus niger. Microb Cell Fact 2020; 19:76. [PMID: 32209089 PMCID: PMC7092557 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-01334-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aspergillus niger is a filamentous fungus used for the majority of global citric acid production. Recent developments in genome editing now enable biotechnologists to engineer and optimize A. niger. Currently, however, genetic-leads for maximizing citric acid titers in industrial A. niger isolates is limited. Results In this study, we try to engineer two citric acid A. niger production isolates, WT-D and D353, to serve as platform strains for future high-throughput genome engineering. Consequently, we used genome editing to simultaneously disrupt genes encoding the orotidine-5′-decarboxylase (pyrG) and non-homologous end-joining component (kusA) to enable use of the pyrG selection/counter selection system, and to elevate homologous recombination rates, respectively. During routine screening of these pyrG mutant strains, we unexpectedly observed a 2.17-fold increase in citric acid production when compared to the progenitor controls, indicating that inhibition of uridine/pyrimidine synthesis may increase citric acid titers. In order to further test this hypothesis, the pyrG gene was placed under the control of a tetracycline titratable cassette, which confirmed that reduced expression of this gene elevated citric acid titers in both shake flask and bioreactor fermentation. Subsequently, we conducted intracellular metabolomics analysis, which demonstrated that pyrG disruption enhanced the glycolysis flux and significantly improved abundance of citrate and its precursors. Conclusions In this study, we deliver two citric acid producing isolates which are amenable to high throughput genetic manipulation due to pyrG/kusA deletion. Strikingly, we demonstrate for the first time that A. niger pyrG is a promising genetic lead for generating citric acid hyper-producing strains. Our data support the hypothesis that uridine/pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway offer future avenues for strain engineering efforts.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Zhang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.,Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Xiaomei Zheng
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Timothy C Cairns
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Zhidan Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Depei Wang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
| | - Ping Zheng
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jibin Sun
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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231
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Dong BZ, Guo LY. An efficient gene disruption method for the woody plant pathogen Botryosphaeria dothidea. BMC Biotechnol 2020; 20:14. [PMID: 32138699 PMCID: PMC7059327 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-020-00608-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Botryosphaeria dothidea causes apple white rot and infects many tree plants. Genome data for B. dothidea are available and many pathogenesis-related genes have been predicted. However, a gene manipulation method is needed to study the pathogenic mechanism of B. dothidea. Results We established a gene disruption (GD) method based on gene homologous recombination (GHR) for B. dothidea using polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast transformation. The results showed that a GHR cassette gave much higher GD efficiency than a GHR plasmid. A high GD efficiency (1.3 ± 0.14 per 106 protopasts) and low frequency of random insertions were achieved with a DNA cassette quantity of 15 μg per 106 protoplasts. Moreover, we successfully disrupted genes in two strains. Bdo_05381-disrupted transformants produced less melanin, whereas the Bdo_02540-disrupted transformant showed a slower growth rate and a stronger resistance to Congo red. Conclusion The established GD method is efficient and convenient and has potential for studying gene functions and the pathogenic mechanisms of B. dothidea and other coenocytic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Zhu Dong
- Laboratory of Mycology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Li-Yun Guo
- Laboratory of Mycology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. .,Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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232
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Bauer I, Gross S, Merschak P, Kremser L, Karahoda B, Bayram ÖS, Abt B, Binder U, Gsaller F, Lindner H, Bayram Ö, Brosch G, Graessle S. RcLS2F - A Novel Fungal Class 1 KDAC Co-repressor Complex in Aspergillus nidulans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:43. [PMID: 32117098 PMCID: PMC7010864 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal class 1 lysine deacetylase (KDAC) RpdA is a promising target for prevention and treatment of invasive fungal infection. RpdA is essential for survival of the most common air-borne mold pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and the model organism Aspergillus nidulans. In A. nidulans, RpdA depletion induced production of previously unknown small bioactive substances. As known from yeasts and mammals, class 1 KDACs act as components of multimeric protein complexes, which previously was indicated also for A. nidulans. Composition of these complexes, however, remained obscure. In this study, we used tandem affinity purification to characterize different RpdA complexes and their composition in A. nidulans. In addition to known class 1 KDAC interactors, we identified a novel RpdA complex, which was termed RcLS2F. It contains ScrC, previously described as suppressor of the transcription factor CrzA, as well as the uncharacterized protein FscA. We show that recruitment of FscA depends on ScrC and we provide clear evidence that ΔcrzA suppression by ScrC depletion is due to a lack of transcriptional repression caused by loss of the novel RcLS2F complex. Moreover, RcLS2F is essential for sexual development and engaged in an autoregulatory feed-back loop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Bauer
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Silke Gross
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Petra Merschak
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Leopold Kremser
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Betim Karahoda
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | | | - Beate Abt
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Fabio Gsaller
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Özgür Bayram
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Gerald Brosch
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Graessle
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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233
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Contributions of Spore Secondary Metabolites to UV-C Protection and Virulence Vary in Different Aspergillus fumigatus Strains. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.03415-19. [PMID: 32071276 PMCID: PMC7029147 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03415-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal spores contain secondary metabolites that can protect them from a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses. Conidia (asexual spores) of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus synthesize several metabolites, including melanin, which has been reported to be important for virulence in this species and to be protective against UV radiation in other fungi. Here, we investigate the role of melanin in diverse isolates of A. fumigatus and find variability in its ability to protect spores from UV-C radiation or impact virulence in a zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis in two clinical strains and one ISS strain. Further, we assess the role of other spore metabolites in a clinical strain of A. fumigatus and identify fumiquinazoline as an additional UV-C-protective molecule but not a virulence determinant. The results show differential roles of secondary metabolites in spore protection dependent on the environmental stress and strain of A. fumigatus. As protection from elevated levels of radiation is of paramount importance for future human outer space explorations, the discovery of small molecules with radiation-protective potential may result in developing novel safety measures for astronauts. Fungi are versatile organisms which thrive in hostile environments, including the International Space Station (ISS). Several isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus have been found contaminating the ISS, an environment with increased exposure to UV radiation. Secondary metabolites (SMs) in spores, such as melanins, have been shown to protect spores from UV radiation in other fungi. To test the hypothesis that melanin and other known spore SMs provide UV protection to A. fumigatus isolates, we subjected SM spore mutants to UV-C radiation. We found that 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin mutants of two clinical A. fumigatus strains (Af293 and CEA17) but not an ISS-isolated strain (IF1SW-F4) were more sensitive to UV-C than their respective wild-type (WT) strains. Because DHN-melanin has been shown to shield A. fumigatus from the host immune system, we examined all DHN mutants for virulence in the zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis. Following recent studies highlighting the pathogenic variability of different A. fumigatus isolates, we found DHN-melanin to be a virulence factor in CEA17 and IF1SW-F4 but not Af293. Three additional spore metabolites were examined in Af293, where fumiquinazoline also showed UV-C-protective properties, but two other spore metabolites, monomethylsulochrin and fumigaclavine, provided no UV-C-protective properties. Virulence tests of these three SM spore mutants indicated a slight increase in virulence of the monomethylsulochrin deletion strain. Taken together, this work suggests differential roles of specific spore metabolites across Aspergillus isolates and by types of environmental stress.
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234
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CRISPR/Cas9 technology enables the development of the filamentous ascomycete fungus Penicillium subrubescens as a new industrial enzyme producer. Enzyme Microb Technol 2020; 133:109463. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2019.109463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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235
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Zhang S, Guo F, Yan W, Dai Z, Dong W, Zhou J, Zhang W, Xin F, Jiang M. Recent Advances of CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genetic Engineering and Transcriptional Regulation in Industrial Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 7:459. [PMID: 32047743 PMCID: PMC6997136 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Industrial biology plays a crucial role in the fields of medicine, health, food, energy, and so on. However, the lack of efficient genetic engineering tools has restricted the rapid development of industrial biology. Recently, the emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system brought a breakthrough in genome editing technologies due to its high orthogonality, versatility, and efficiency. In this review, we summarized the barriers of CRISPR/Cas9 and corresponding solutions for efficient genetic engineering in industrial microorganisms. In addition, the advances of industrial biology employing the CRISPR/Cas9 system were compared in terms of its application in bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi. Furthermore, the cooperation between CRISPR/Cas9 and synthetic biology was discussed to help build complex and programmable gene circuits, which can be used in industrial biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhongxue Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiliang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fengxue Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
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Blechert O, Mei H, Zang X, Zheng H, Liang G, Liu W. Auxotrophic mutations of Trichophyton rubrum created by in vitro synthesized Cas9 ribonucleoprotein. BMC Biotechnol 2020; 20:6. [PMID: 31959181 PMCID: PMC6971929 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-020-0601-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trichophyton rubrum is an obligate human parasitic fungus and responsible for approximately 80-90% of dermatomycosis in human. Molecular genetic manipulations of this pathogen are challenging and available tools and protocols are only rudimentary. We adapt molecular genetics methods of well established fungal model organism, to knock out genes in T. rubrum. For the adaptation, crucial modifications are necessary. With the implementation of in vitro synthesized Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, it is possible to adapt molecular genetic methods, to knock out genes in T. rubrum. RESULTS The gene knock-out method is based on integration of a selection marker into the target site, to interrupt the gene translation. The target gene gets preassigned by the homologous sequence of the in vitro synthesized Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex. To develop the method, we first isolated and characterized a T. rubrum strain with a high amount of microconidia. Next, we developed a transformation protocol, whereby the Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein gets delivered into the fungal protoplast by the PEG method. We knocked out the URA3 gene and resulted, as predicted, uracil auxotrophic strains. These strains can be used for specific gene knock-outs by reintegrating the URA3 fragment and selection on uracil lacking cultivation media. Exemplary, we knocked out the TRP3 gene and got the predicted phenotype, tryptophan auxotrophic strains. The mutation had been verified by sequencing. CONCLUSIONS We developed a method, based on in vitro synthesized Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, for target specific gene knock-outs in T. rubrum. We knocked out the Ura3 gene and resulted uracil auxotrophic strains. These strains were used for target specific gene knock-outs by reintegrating the Ura3 fragment into the target gene site to interrupt the gene transcription. The developed method allows to adapt sophisticate gene manipulation methods of model fungal species to non-model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Blechert
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Mei
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Zang
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Hailin Zheng
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanzhao Liang
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Weida Liu
- Department of Medical Mycology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Skin Diseases and STIs, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210042, People's Republic of China.
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, People's Republic of China.
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237
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Deng H, Bai Y, Fan TP, Zheng X, Cai Y. Advanced strategy for metabolite exploration in filamentous fungi. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2020; 40:180-198. [PMID: 31906740 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2019.1709798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi comprise an abundance of gene clusters that encode high-value metabolites, whereas affluent gene clusters remain silent during laboratory conditions. Complex cellular metabolism further limits these metabolite yields. Therefore, diverse strategies such as genetic engineering and chemical mutagenesis have been developed to activate these cryptic pathways and improve metabolite productivity. However, lower efficiencies of gene modifications and screen tools delayed the above processes. To address the above issues, this review describes an alternative design-construction evaluation optimization (DCEO) approach. The DCEO tool provides theoretical and practical principles to identify potential pathways, modify endogenous pathways, integrate exogenous pathways, and exploit novel pathways for their diverse metabolites and desirable productivities. This DCEO method also offers different tactics to balance the cellular metabolisms, facilitate the genetic engineering, and exploit the scalable metabolites in filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxiang Deng
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yajun Bai
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Tai-Ping Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Xiaohui Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Yujie Cai
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
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238
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Improving expression of thermostable trehalase from Myceliophthora sepedonium in Aspergillus niger mediated by the CRISPR/Cas9 tool and its purification, characterization. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 165:105482. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2019.105482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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239
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Mäkelä MR, Hildén K, Kowalczyk JE, Hatakka A. Progress and Research Needs of Plant Biomass Degradation by Basidiomycete Fungi. GRAND CHALLENGES IN FUNGAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-29541-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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240
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Chen C, Liu J, Duan C, Pan Y, Liu G. Improvement of the CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene disruption and large DNA fragment deletion based on a chimeric promoter in Acremonium chrysogenum. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 134:103279. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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241
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Villena GK, Kitazono AA, Hernández-Macedo M L. Bioengineering Fungi and Yeast for the Production of Enzymes, Metabolites, and Value-Added Compounds. Fungal Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-41870-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Gabriel R, Prinz J, Jecmenica M, Romero-Vazquez C, Chou P, Harth S, Floerl L, Curran L, Oostlander A, Matz L, Fritsche S, Gorman J, Schuerg T, Fleißner A, Singer SW. Development of genetic tools for the thermophilic filamentous fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:167. [PMID: 33062053 PMCID: PMC7547499 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01804-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungal enzymes are vital for industrial biotechnology, including the conversion of plant biomass to biofuels and bio-based chemicals. In recent years, there is increasing interest in using enzymes from thermophilic fungi, which often have higher reaction rates and thermal tolerance compared to currently used fungal enzymes. The thermophilic filamentous fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus produces large amounts of highly thermostable plant cell wall-degrading enzymes. However, no genetic tools have yet been developed for this fungus, which prevents strain engineering efforts. The goal of this study was to develop strain engineering tools such as a transformation system, a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system and a sexual crossing protocol to improve the enzyme production. RESULTS Here, we report Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) of T. aurantiacus using the hph marker gene, conferring resistance to hygromycin B. The newly developed transformation protocol was optimized and used to integrate an expression cassette of the transcriptional xylanase regulator xlnR, which led to up to 500% increased xylanase activity. Furthermore, a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system was established in this fungus, and two different gRNAs were tested to delete the pyrG orthologue with 10% and 35% deletion efficiency, respectively. Lastly, a sexual crossing protocol was established using a hygromycin B- and a 5-fluoroorotic acid-resistant parent strain. Crossing and isolation of progeny on selective media were completed in a week. CONCLUSION The genetic tools developed for T. aurantiacus can now be used individually or in combination to further improve thermostable enzyme production by this fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Gabriel
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Julia Prinz
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marina Jecmenica
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Carlos Romero-Vazquez
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- College of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto-Rico, Rio Pedras, 17 Ave. Universidad STE 1701, San Juan, 00925 Puerto Rico USA
| | - Pallas Chou
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- American High School, 36300 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536 USA
| | - Simon Harth
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Frankfurt Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Lena Floerl
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laure Curran
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Vaud 1015 Switzerland
| | - Anne Oostlander
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Linda Matz
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Susanne Fritsche
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jennifer Gorman
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
| | - Timo Schuerg
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
| | - André Fleißner
- Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Steven W. Singer
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California 94608 United States
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Fonseca LM, Parreiras LS, Murakami MT. Rational engineering of the Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30 strain into an industrially relevant platform for cellulase production. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:93. [PMID: 32461765 PMCID: PMC7243233 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01732-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The path for the development of hypersecreting strains of Trichoderma reesei capable of producing industrially relevant enzyme titers remains elusive despite over 70 years of research and industrial utilization. Herein, we describe the rational engineering of the publicly available T. reesei RUT-C30 strain and a customized process for cellulase production based on agroindustrial by-products. RESULTS A CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to introduce six genetic modifications in RUT-C30. Implemented changes included the constitutive expression of a mutated allele of the cellulase master regulator XYR1, the expression of two heterologous enzymes, the β-glucosidase CEL3A from Talaromyces emersonii and the invertase SUC1 from Aspergillus niger, and the deletion of genes encoding the cellulase repressor ACE1 and the extracellular proteases SLP1 and PEP1. These alterations resulted in a remarkable increase of protein secretion rates by RUT-C30 and amended its well described β-glucosidase deficiency while enabling the utilization of sucrose and eliminating the requirement of inducing sugars for enzyme production. With a developed sugarcane molasses-based bioprocess, the engineered strain reached an extracellular protein titer of 80.6 g L-1 (0.24 g L-1 h-1), which is the highest experimentally supported titer so far reported for T. reesei. The produced enzyme cocktail displayed increased levels of cellulase and hemicellulase activities, with particularly large increments being observed for the specific activities of β-glucosidase (72-fold) and xylanase (42-fold). Notably, it also exhibited a saccharification efficiency similar to that of a commercially available cellulase preparation in the deconstruction of industrially pretreated sugarcane straw. CONCLUSION This work demonstrates the rational steps for the development of a cellulase hyperproducing strain from a well-characterized genetic background available in the public domain, the RUT-C30, associated with an industrially relevant bioprocess, paving new perspectives for Trichoderma research on cellulase production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Miranda Fonseca
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-100 Brazil
| | - Lucas Salera Parreiras
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-100 Brazil
| | - Mario Tyago Murakami
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-100 Brazil
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244
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Lichius A, Ruiz DM, Zeilinger S. Genetic Transformation of Filamentous Fungi: Achievements and Challenges. GRAND CHALLENGES IN FUNGAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-29541-7_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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245
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Ferrara M, Haidukowski M, Logrieco AF, Leslie JF, Mulè G. A CRISPR-Cas9 System for Genome Editing of Fusarium proliferatum. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19836. [PMID: 31882627 PMCID: PMC6934662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56270-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium proliferatum causes diverse diseases of many economically important plants. The fungus produces several mycotoxins of which the fumonisins are the most toxic. Currently, deletion of key genes for mycotoxin biosynthesis is a laborious and time-consuming procedure. We developed a novel CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-editing tool for the direct delivery of preassembled Cas9 ribonucleoproteins into protoplasts of F. proliferatum. Our CRISPR–Cas9 system couples a site-specific double-strand DNA break mediated by two Cas9 ribonucleoproteins with microhomology recombination requiring only 50-bp regions flanking the target gene. This system reduces the risk of off-target mutations and minimizes the risk of altering any gene adjacent to the target region. We used this tool to delete a polyketide synthase gene (FUM1) required for fumonisin biosynthesis. The mutants generated are no longer able to produce fumonisins, confirming the key role of FUM1 in fumonisin biosynthesis. Our CRISPR-Cas9 system is an important new tool for genetic studies of Fusarium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Ferrara
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Bari, Italy.
| | - Miriam Haidukowski
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio F Logrieco
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Bari, Italy
| | - John F Leslie
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Giuseppina Mulè
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Research Council, Bari, Italy
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246
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van Leeuwe TM, Gerritsen A, Arentshorst M, Punt PJ, Ram AFJ. Rab GDP-dissociation inhibitor gdiA is an essential gene required for cell wall chitin deposition in Aspergillus niger. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 136:103319. [PMID: 31884054 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall is a distinctive feature of filamentous fungi, providing them with structural integrity and protection from both biotic and abiotic factors. Unlike plant cell walls, fungi rely on structurally strong hydrophobic chitin core for mechanical strength together with alpha- and beta-glucans, galactomannans and glycoproteins. Cell wall stress conditions are known to alter the cell wall through the signaling cascade of the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway and can result in increased cell wall chitin deposition. A previously isolated set of Aspergillus niger cell wall mutants was screened for increased cell wall chitin deposition. UV-mutant RD15.8#16 was found to contain approximately 60% more cell wall chitin than the wild type. In addition to the chitin phenotype, RD15.8#16 exhibits a compact colony morphology and increased sensitivity towards SDS. RD15.8#16 was subjected to classical genetic approach for identification of the underlying causative mutation, using co-segregation analysis and SNP genotyping. Genome sequencing of RD15.8#16 revealed eight SNPs in open reading frames (ORF) which were individually checked for co-segregation with the associated phenotypes, and showed the potential relevance of two genes located on chromosome IV. In situ re-creation of these ORF-located SNPs in a wild type background, using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, showed the importance Rab GTPase dissociation inhibitor A (gdiA) for the phenotypes of RD15.8#16. An alteration in the 5' donor splice site of gdiA reduced pre-mRNA splicing efficiency, causing aberrant cell wall assembly and increased chitin levels, whereas gene disruption attempts showed that a full gene deletion of gdiA is lethal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim M van Leeuwe
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anne Gerritsen
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Arentshorst
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Peter J Punt
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands; Dutch DNA Biotech, Hugo R Kruytgebouw 4-Noord, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Arthur F J Ram
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands.
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247
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Li S, Song Z, Liu C, Chen XL, Han H. Biomimetic Mineralization-Based CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Nanoparticles for Gene Editing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:47762-47770. [PMID: 31773942 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b17598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex has provided an alternative strategy for the regulation of CRISPR functions, offering a transient and DNA-free means for genomic editing. Chemical methods of delivering the RNPs via nanocomplexes have the potential to address these delivery problems for efficiency, safety, and packaging capacity. Here, we developed a biomimetic mineralization-mediated strategy for efficient DNA-free genome editing by using CRISPR/Cas9 RNPs. We found that the RNPs have the ability to form the biomimetic mineralized RNP nanoparticles (Bm-RNP NPs) quickly in situ and can be effectively delivered into the fungal protoplast cells. Biomimetic mineralization can maintain the natural function of Cas9 protein and protect the sgRNA activity. At the same time, the encapsulated RNPs can be effectively released into the cytoplasm, and the Sytalone dehydratase (SDH) gene can be edited in a targeted manner. Except for phenotypic defects, molecular detections indicated that the delivery of Bm-RNP NPs achieved 20% genomic editing for Magnaporthe oryzae compared to RNPs alone. Moreover, the Bm-RNP NP-mediated editing of the SDH gene significantly affects the appressorium-mediated penetration and invasive growth in M. oryzae. Our system has the advantages of being cheap, fast, and effective, without the traditional transformation process, suggesting the potential application of this DNA-free gene-editing strategy in different organisms.
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248
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Liu Q, Zhang Y, Li F, Li J, Sun W, Tian C. Upgrading of efficient and scalable CRISPR-Cas-mediated technology for genetic engineering in thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:293. [PMID: 31890021 PMCID: PMC6927189 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1637-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thermophilic filamentous fungus Myceliophthora thermophila has great capacity for biomass degradation and is an attractive system for direct production of enzymes and chemicals from plant biomass. Its industrial importance inspired us to develop genome editing tools to speed up the genetic engineering of this fungus. First-generation CRISPR-Cas9 technology was developed in 2017 and, since then, some progress has been made in thermophilic fungi genetic engineering, but a number of limitations remain. They include the need for complex independent expression cassettes for targeting multiplex genomic loci and the limited number of available selectable marker genes. RESULTS In this study, we developed an Acidaminococcus sp. Cas12a-based CRISPR system for efficient multiplex genome editing, using a single-array approach in M. thermophila. These CRISPR-Cas12a cassettes worked well for simultaneous multiple gene deletions/insertions. We also developed a new simple approach for marker recycling that relied on the novel cleavage activity of the CRISPR-Cas12a system to make DNA breaks in selected markers. We demonstrated its performance by targeting nine genes involved in the cellulase production pathway in M. thermophila via three transformation rounds, using two selectable markers neo and bar. We obtained the nonuple mutant M9 in which protein productivity and lignocellulase activity were 9.0- and 18.5-fold higher than in the wild type. We conducted a parallel investigation using our transient CRISPR-Cas9 system and found the two technologies were complementary. Together we called them CRISPR-Cas-assisted marker recycling technology (Camr technology). CONCLUSIONS Our study described new approaches (Camr technology) that allow easy and efficient marker recycling and iterative stacking of traits in the same thermophilic fungus strain either, using the newly established CRISPR-Cas12a system or the established CRISPR-Cas9 system. This Camr technology will be a versatile and efficient tool for engineering, theoretically, an unlimited number of genes in fungi. We expect this advance to accelerate biotechnology-oriented engineering processes in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Yongli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Fangya Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Jingen Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Wenliang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Chaoguang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
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Liu F, Selin C, Zou Z, Dilantha Fernando WG. LmCBP1, a secreted chitin-binding protein, is required for the pathogenicity of Leptosphaeria maculans on Brassica napus. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 136:103320. [PMID: 31863838 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Leptosphaeria maculans is the causal agent of blackleg disease on Brassica napus. Determining the underlying functions of genes required for pathogenesis is essential for understanding the infection process. A chitin-binding protein (LmCBP1) was discovered as a pathogenicity factor for the infection of B. napus by L. maculans through gene knockout using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Chitin-binding activity was demonstrated through a chitin-protein binding assay. A secreted signal peptide was detected using a yeast secreted-signal peptide trap assay. An increased expression level during the infection stage was also observed, suggesting that LmCBP1 is a secreted protein. The knockout mutants showed decreased infection on B. napus, with reduced pathogenicity on ten cultivars with/without diverse R genes. The mutants were more sensitive to H2O2 compared to wild type L. maculans isolate JN3. This study provides evidence of the virulence of a novel chitin-binding protein LmCBP1 on B. napus through mutants created via the CRISPR-Cas9 system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Liu
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Carrie Selin
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Zhongwei Zou
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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250
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Nakamura M, Okamura Y, Iwai H. Plasmid-based and -free methods using CRISPR/Cas9 system for replacement of targeted genes in Colletotrichum sansevieriae. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18947. [PMID: 31831810 PMCID: PMC6908651 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55302-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has a potential for wide application in organisms that particularly present low homologous integration rates. In this study, we developed three different methods using this system to replace a gene through homology-directed repair in the plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum sansevieriae, which has a low recombination frequency. The gene encoding scytalone dehydratase was used as the target so that mutants can be readily distinguished owning to a lack of melanin biosynthesis. First, we performed a plasmid-based method using plasmids containing a Cas9 expression cassette and/or a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) under the control of the endogenous U6 snRNA promoter, and 67 out of 69 (97.1%) transformants exhibited a melanin-deficient phenotype with high efficiency. Second, we performed a transformation using a Cas9 protein/sgRNA complex and obtained 23 out of 28 (82.1%) transformants. Lastly, we developed a hybrid system combining a Cas9 protein and donor DNA-sgRNA expression plasmid, which yielded 75 out of 84 (89.2%) transformants. This system was also applicable to four other genes at different loci of the fungus. This is the first study to establish a CRISPR/Cas9 gene replacement system in Colletotrichum spp. and it presents a potential application for a broad range of use in other species of the genus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuta Okamura
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Hisashi Iwai
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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