Choline stimulates synthesis of extracellular proteins in Trichoderma reesei QM 9414

Comparative analysis of the Trichoderma reesei transcriptome during growth on the cellulase inducing substrates wheat straw and lactose

BACKGROUND

Renewable lignocellulosic biomass is an advantageous resource for the production of second generation biofuels and other biorefinery products. In Middle Europe, wheat straw is one of the most abundant low-cost sources of lignocellulosic biomass. For its efficient use, an efficient mix of cellulases and hemicellulases is required. In this paper, we investigated how cellulase production by T. reesei on wheat straw compares to that on lactose, the only soluble and also cheap inducing carbon source for enzyme production.

RESULTS

We have examined and compared the transcriptome of T. reesei growing on wheat straw and lactose as carbon sources under otherwise similar conditions. Gene expression on wheat straw exceeded that on lactose, and 1619 genes were found to be only induced on wheat straw but not on lactose. They comprised 30% of the CAZome, but were also enriched in genes associated with phospholipid metabolism, DNA synthesis and repair, iron homeostatis and autophagy. Two thirds of the CAZome was expressed both on wheat straw as well as on lactose, but 60% of it at least >2-fold higher on the former. Major wheat straw specific genes comprised xylanases, chitinases and mannosidases. Interestingly, the latter two CAZyme families were significantly higher expressed in a strain in which xyr1 encoding the major regulator of cellulase and hemicellulase biosynthesis is non-functional.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data reveal several major differences in the transcriptome between wheat straw and lactose which may be related to the higher enzyme formation on the former and their further investigation could lead to the development of methods for increasing enzyme production on lactose.

The Trichoderma cellulase regulatory puzzle: from the interior life of a secretory fungus

Novel applications for cellulases have reinitiated interest in the regulation of production of these enzymes by the soft rot fungus Trichoderma reesei and related species. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge concerning the question "How can insoluble molecules like cellulose initiate their own breakdown by a microorganism?" The evidence available--based on biochemical as well as molecular biological approaches--favors a model in which conidial bound cellobiohydrolases carry out a first exo-exo-wise attack on the cellulose molecule. The disaccharides so formed (cellobiose, alpha-cellobiono-1,5-lactone) are then taken up by the mycelia and promote further cellulase biosynthesis. Evidence available suggests that they are further metabolized to, rather than being, the "true" inducer. Speculations on the nature of the inducer are presented. The roles of the beta-glucosidases of Trichoderma in this process are discussed. The pathway of cellulase secretion is discussed on the basis of electron microscopical as well as gene sequence information.