1
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Reedy JL, Jensen KN, Crossen AJ, Basham KJ, Ward RA, Reardon CM, Brown Harding H, Hepworth OW, Simaku P, Kwaku GN, Tone K, Willment JA, Reid DM, Stappers MHT, Brown GD, Rajagopal J, Vyas JM. Fungal melanin suppresses airway epithelial chemokine secretion through blockade of calcium fluxing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5817. [PMID: 38987270 PMCID: PMC11237042 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50100-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory infections caused by the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a major cause of mortality for immunocompromised patients. Exposure to these pathogens occurs through inhalation, although the role of the respiratory epithelium in disease pathogenesis has not been fully defined. Employing a primary human airway epithelial model, we demonstrate that fungal melanins potently block the post-translational secretion of the chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL8 independent of transcription or the requirement of melanin to be phagocytosed, leading to a significant reduction in neutrophil recruitment to the apical airway both in vitro and in vivo. Aspergillus-derived melanin, a major constituent of the fungal cell wall, dampened airway epithelial chemokine secretion in response to fungi, bacteria, and exogenous cytokines. Furthermore, melanin muted pathogen-mediated calcium fluxing and hindered actin filamentation. Taken together, our results reveal a critical role for melanin interaction with airway epithelium in shaping the host response to fungal and bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Reedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kirstine Nolling Jensen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arianne J Crossen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kyle J Basham
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca A Ward
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher M Reardon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olivia W Hepworth
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patricia Simaku
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geneva N Kwaku
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kazuya Tone
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Janet A Willment
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Delyth M Reid
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H T Stappers
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon D Brown
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Jayaraj Rajagopal
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jatin M Vyas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Díaz-Tapia KM, Zavala-Páramo MG, Villa-Rivera MG, Morelos-Martínez MI, López-Romero E, Simpson J, Bolaños-Rebolledo J, Cano-Camacho H. Differential Carbon Catabolite Repression and Hemicellulolytic Ability among Pathotypes of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum against Natural Plant Substrates. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:406. [PMID: 38921392 PMCID: PMC11204554 DOI: 10.3390/jof10060406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes anthracnose in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and presents a great diversity of pathotypes with different levels of virulence against bean varieties worldwide. The purpose of this study was to establish whether pathotypic diversity is associated with differences in the mycelial growth and secretion of plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs). We evaluated growth, hemicellulase and cellulase activity, and PCWDE secretion in four pathotypes of C. lindemuthianum in cultures with glucose, bean hypocotyls and green beans of P. vulgaris, and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). The results showed differences in the mycelial growth, hemicellulolytic activity, and PCWDE secretion among the pathotypes. Glucose was not the preferred carbon source for the best mycelial growth in all pathotypes, each of which showed a unique PCWDE secretion profile, indicating different levels of carbon catabolite regulation (CCR). The pathotypes showed a high differential hemicellulolytic capacity to degrade host and water hyacinth tissues, suggesting CCR by pentoses and that there are differences in the absorption and metabolism of different monosaccharides and/or disaccharides. We propose that different levels of CCR could optimize growth in different host tissues and could allow for consortium behavior in interactions with bean crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Morelia Díaz-Tapia
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia 58000, Michoacán, Mexico; (K.M.D.-T.); (M.I.M.-M.); (J.B.-R.)
| | - María Guadalupe Zavala-Páramo
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia 58000, Michoacán, Mexico; (K.M.D.-T.); (M.I.M.-M.); (J.B.-R.)
| | - Maria Guadalupe Villa-Rivera
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico;
| | - Ma. Irene Morelos-Martínez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia 58000, Michoacán, Mexico; (K.M.D.-T.); (M.I.M.-M.); (J.B.-R.)
| | - Everardo López-Romero
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta SN, Guanajuato 36030, Guanajuato, Mexico;
| | - June Simpson
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Irapuato, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato 36821, Guanajuato, Mexico;
| | - Jeni Bolaños-Rebolledo
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia 58000, Michoacán, Mexico; (K.M.D.-T.); (M.I.M.-M.); (J.B.-R.)
| | - Horacio Cano-Camacho
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia 58000, Michoacán, Mexico; (K.M.D.-T.); (M.I.M.-M.); (J.B.-R.)
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3
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Li C, Yang S, Zhang M, Yang Y, Li Z, Peng L. SntB Affects Growth to Regulate Infecting Potential in Penicillium italicum. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:368. [PMID: 38921355 PMCID: PMC11204802 DOI: 10.3390/jof10060368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Penicillium italicum, a major postharvest pathogen, causes blue mold rot in citrus fruits through the deployment of various virulence factors. Recent studies highlight the role of the epigenetic reader, SntB, in modulating the pathogenicity of phytopathogenic fungi. Our research revealed that the deletion of the SntB gene in P. italicum led to significant phenotypic alterations, including delayed mycelial growth, reduced spore production, and decreased utilization of sucrose. Additionally, the mutant strain exhibited increased sensitivity to pH fluctuations and elevated iron and calcium ion stress, culminating in reduced virulence on Gannan Novel oranges. Ultrastructural analyses disclosed notable disruptions in cell membrane integrity, disorganization within the cellular matrix, and signs of autophagy. Transcriptomic data further indicated a pronounced upregulation of hydrolytic enzymes, oxidoreductases, and transport proteins, suggesting a heightened energy demand. The observed phenomena were consistent with a carbon starvation response potentially triggering apoptotic pathways, including iron-dependent cell death. These findings collectively underscored the pivotal role of SntB in maintaining the pathogenic traits of P. italicum, proposing that targeting PiSntB could offer a new avenue for controlling citrus fungal infections and subsequent fruit decay.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Litao Peng
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.L.); (S.Y.)
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4
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Vargas-Blanco DA, Hepworth OW, Basham KJ, Simaku P, Crossen AJ, Timmer KD, Hopke A, Brown Harding H, Vandal SR, Jensen KN, Floyd DJ, Reedy JL, Reardon C, Mansour MK, Ward RA, Irimia D, Abramson JS, Vyas JM. BTK inhibitor-induced defects in human neutrophil effector activity against Aspergillus fumigatus are restored by TNF-α. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e176162. [PMID: 38713531 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.176162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) through covalent modifications of its active site (e.g., ibrutinib [IBT]) is a preferred treatment for multiple B cell malignancies. However, IBT-treated patients are more susceptible to invasive fungal infections, although the mechanism is poorly understood. Neutrophils are the primary line of defense against these infections; therefore, we examined the effect of IBT on primary human neutrophil effector activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. IBT significantly impaired the ability of neutrophils to kill A. fumigatus and potently inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis. Importantly, exogenous TNF-α fully compensated for defects imposed by IBT and newer-generation BTK inhibitors and restored the ability of neutrophils to contain A. fumigatus hyphal growth. Blocking TNF-α did not affect ROS production in healthy neutrophils but prevented exogenous TNF-α from rescuing the phenotype of IBT-treated neutrophils. The restorative capacity of TNF-α was independent of transcription. Moreover, the addition of TNF-α immediately rescued ROS production in IBT-treated neutrophils, indicating that TNF-α worked through a BTK-independent signaling pathway. Finally, TNF-α restored effector activity of primary neutrophils from patients on IBT therapy. Altogether, our data indicate that TNF-α rescued the antifungal immunity block imposed by inhibition of BTK in primary human neutrophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Vargas-Blanco
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Olivia W Hepworth
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kyle J Basham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patricia Simaku
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arianne J Crossen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kyle D Timmer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alex Hopke
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hannah Brown Harding
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven R Vandal
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kirstine N Jensen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel J Floyd
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer L Reedy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher Reardon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael K Mansour
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca A Ward
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel Irimia
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeremy S Abramson
- Center for Lymphoma, Mass General Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jatin M Vyas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Shangguan J, Qiao J, Liu H, Zhu L, Han X, Shi L, Zhu J, Liu R, Ren A, Zhao M. The CBS/H 2S signalling pathway regulated by the carbon repressor CreA promotes cellulose utilization in Ganoderma lucidum. Commun Biol 2024; 7:466. [PMID: 38632386 PMCID: PMC11024145 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellulose is an important abundant renewable resource on Earth, and the microbial cellulose utilization mechanism has attracted extensive attention. Recently, some signalling molecules have been found to regulate cellulose utilization and the discovery of underlying signals has recently attracted extensive attention. In this paper, we found that the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration under cellulose culture condition increased to approximately 2.3-fold compared with that under glucose culture condition in Ganoderma lucidum. Further evidence shown that cellulase activities of G. lucidum were improved by 18.2-27.6% through increasing H2S concentration. Then, we observed that the carbon repressor CreA inhibited H2S biosynthesis in G. lucidum by binding to the promoter of cbs, a key gene for H2S biosynthesis, at "CTGGGG". In our study, we reported for the first time that H2S increased the cellulose utilization in G. lucidum, and analyzed the mechanism of H2S biosynthesis induced by cellulose. This study not only enriches the understanding of the microbial cellulose utilization mechanism but also provides a reference for the analysis of the physiological function of H2S signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaolei Shangguan
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jinjin Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - He Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Han
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Liang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Ang Ren
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Mingwen Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
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Jakab Á, Csillag K, Antal K, Boczonádi I, Kovács R, Pócsi I, Emri T. Total transcriptome response for tyrosol exposure in Aspergillus nidulans. Fungal Biol 2024; 128:1664-1674. [PMID: 38575239 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Although tyrosol is a quorum-sensing molecule of Candida species, it has antifungal activity at supraphysiological concentrations. Here, we studied the effect of tyrosol on the physiology and genome-wide transcription of Aspergillus nidulans to gain insight into the background of the antifungal activity of this compound. Tyrosol efficiently reduced germination of conidia and the growth on various carbon sources at a concentration of 35 mM. The growth inhibition was fungistatic rather than fungicide on glucose and was accompanied with downregulation of 2199 genes related to e.g. mitotic cell cycle, glycolysis, nitrate and sulphate assimilation, chitin biosynthesis, and upregulation of 2250 genes involved in e.g. lipid catabolism, amino acid degradation and lactose utilization. Tyrosol treatment also upregulated genes encoding glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), increased specific GST activities and the glutathione (GSH) content of the cells, suggesting that A. nidulans can detoxify tyrosol in a GSH-dependent manner even though this process was weak. Tyrosol did not induce oxidative stress in this species, but upregulated "response to nutrient levels", "regulation of nitrogen utilization", "carbon catabolite activation of transcription" and "autophagy" genes. Tyrosol may have disturbed the regulation and orchestration of cellular metabolism, leading to impaired use of nutrients, which resulted in growth reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágnes Jakab
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Kinga Csillag
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, 3300, Eger, Hungary
| | - Imre Boczonádi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary; HUN-REN-UD Fungal Stress Biology Research Group, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamás Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary; HUN-REN-UD Fungal Stress Biology Research Group, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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7
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Tanaka M. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of genes encoding secretory proteins in Aspergillus oryzae. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2024; 88:381-388. [PMID: 38211972 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus oryzae, also known as the yellow koji mold, produces various hydrolytic enzymes that are widely used in different industries. Its high capacity to produce secretory proteins makes this filamentous fungus a suitable host for heterologous protein production. Amylolytic gene promoter is widely used to express heterologous genes in A. oryzae. The expression of this promoter is strictly regulated by several transcription factors, whose activation involves various factors. Furthermore, the expression levels of amylolytic and heterologous genes are post-transcriptionally regulated by mRNA degradation mechanisms in response to aberrant transcriptional termination or endoplasmic reticulum stress. This review discusses the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling the expression of genes encoding secretory proteins in A. oryzae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Tanaka
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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8
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Randhawa A, A Ogunyewo O, Jawed K, Yazdani SS. Calcium signaling positively regulates cellulase translation and secretion in a Clr-2-overexpressing, catabolically derepressed strain of Penicillium funiculosum. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2024; 17:21. [PMID: 38336687 PMCID: PMC10858516 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low-cost cellulase production is vital to sustainable second-generation biorefineries. The catabolically derepressed strain of Penicillium funiculosum NCIM1228 (PfMig188 or ∆Mig1) secretes a superior set of cellulolytic enzymes, that are most suitable for 2G biorefineries. At a 3% (w/w) load, the ∆Mig1 secretome can release > 80% of fermentable sugars from lignocellulose at a 15% (w/v) biomass load, irrespective of the type of biomass and pretreatment. The robustness of the secretome can be further increased by improving the cellulase production capacity of the fungal strain. RESULTS We began by identifying the transcription factor responsible for cellulase production in NCIM1228. An advanced RNA-seq screen identified three genes, clr-2, ctf1a and ctf1b; the genes were cloned under their native promoters and transformed into NCIM1228. Of the three, clr-2 overexpression led to twofold higher cellulase production than the parent strain and was thus identified as the transcriptional activator of cellulase in NCIM1228. Next, we overexpressed clr-2 in ∆Mig1 and expected an exponential increase in cellulolytic attributes accredited to the reinforced activation mechanisms, conjoint with diminished negative regulation. Although clr-2 overexpression increased the transcript levels of cellulase genes in ∆Mig1, there was no increase in cellulase yield. Even a further increase in the transcript levels of clr-2 via a stronger promoter was ineffective. However, when the CaCO3 concentration was increased to 5 g/l in the growth medium, we achieved a 1.5-fold higher activity of 6.4 FPU/ml in the ∆Mig1 strain with clr-2 overexpression. Enthused by the calcium effect, a transcriptomic screen for genes encoding Ca2+-activated kinase identified ssp1, whose overexpression could further increase cellulase yield to ~ 7.5 FPU/ml. Investigation of the mechanism revealed that calcium signaling exclusively enhances the translation and secretion of cellulase in Penicillium funiculosum. CONCLUSIONS Our study identifies for the first time that cellulose activates two discrete signaling events to govern cellulase transcription and posttranscriptional processes (translation, processing and secretion) in P. funiculosum NCIM1228. Whereas Clr-2, the transcriptional activator of cellulase, governs transcription, calcium signaling specifically activates cellulase translation and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmoldeep Randhawa
- Microbial Engineering Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India.
- DBT-ICGEB Centre for Advanced Bioenergy Research, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India.
- AMITY University, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India.
| | - Olusola A Ogunyewo
- Microbial Engineering Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Kamran Jawed
- Microbial Engineering Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Syed Shams Yazdani
- Microbial Engineering Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India.
- DBT-ICGEB Centre for Advanced Bioenergy Research, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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9
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Wang ZD, Wang BT, Jin L, Ruan HH, Jin FJ. Implications of carbon catabolite repression for Aspergillus-based cell factories: A review. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300551. [PMID: 38403447 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a global regulatory mechanism that allows organisms to preferentially utilize a preferred carbon source (usually glucose) by suppressing the expression of genes associated with the utilization of nonpreferred carbon sources. Aspergillus is a large genus of filamentous fungi, some species of which have been used as microbial cell factories for the production of organic acids, industrial enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and other fermented products due to their safety, substrate convenience, and well-established post-translational modifications. Many recent studies have verified that CCR-related genetic alterations can boost the yield of various carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), even under CCR conditions. Based on these findings, we emphasize that appropriate regulation of the CCR pathway, especially the expression of the key transcription factor CreA gene, has great potential for further expanding the application of Aspergillus cell factories to develop strains for industrial CAZymes production. Further, the genetically modified CCR strains (chassis hosts) can also be used for the production of other useful natural products and recombinant proteins, among others. We here review the regulatory mechanisms of CCR in Aspergillus and its direct application in enzyme production, as well as its potential application in organic acid and pharmaceutical production to illustrate the effects of CCR on Aspergillus cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Dong Wang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bao-Teng Wang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Long Jin
- College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Hua Ruan
- College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng-Jie Jin
- College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
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10
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Liu S, Lu X, Dai M, Zhang S. Transcription factor CreA is involved in the inverse regulation of biofilm formation and asexual development through distinct pathways in Aspergillus fumigatus. Mol Microbiol 2023; 120:830-844. [PMID: 37800624 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The exopolysaccharide galactosaminogalactan (GAG) contributes to biofilm formation and virulence in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Increasing evidence indicates that GAG production is inversely linked with asexual development. However, the mechanisms underlying this regulatory relationship are unclear. In this study, we found that the dysfunction of CreA, a conserved transcription factor involved in carbon catabolite repression in many fungal species, causes abnormal asexual development (conidiation) under liquid-submerged culture conditions specifically in the presence of glucose. The loss of creA decreased GAG production independent of carbon sources. Furthermore, CreA contributed to asexual development and GAG production via distinct pathways. CreA promoted A. fumigatus GAG production by positively regulating GAG biosynthetic genes (uge3 and agd3). CreA suppressed asexual development in glucose liquid-submerged culture conditions via central conidiation genes (brlA, abaA, and wetA) and their upstream activators (flbC and flbD). Restoration of brlA expression to the wild-type level by flbC or flbD deletion abolished the abnormal submerged conidiation in the creA null mutant but did not restore GAG production. The C-terminal region of CreA was crucial for the suppression of asexual development, and the repressive domain contributed to GAG production. Overall, CreA is involved in GAG production and asexual development in an inverse manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengyao Dai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shizhu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
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11
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Son YE, Yu JH, Park HS. The novel spore-specific regulator SscA controls Aspergillus conidiogenesis. mBio 2023; 14:e0184023. [PMID: 37707170 PMCID: PMC10653911 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01840-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Filamentous fungi produce myriads of asexual spores, which are the main reproductive particles that act as infectious or allergenic agents. Although the serial of asexual sporogenesis is coordinated by various genetic regulators, there remain uncharacterized transcription factors in Aspergillus. To understand the underlying mechanism of spore formation, integrity, and viability, we have performed comparative transcriptomic analyses on three Aspergillus species and found a spore-specific transcription factor, SscA. SscA has a major role in conidial formation, maturation and dormancy, and germination in Aspergillus nidulans. Functional studies indicate that SscA coordinates conidial wall integrity, amino acid production, and secondary metabolism in A. nidulans conidia. Furthermore, the roles of SscA are conserved in other Aspergillus species. Our findings that the SscA has broad functions in Aspergillus conidia will help to understand the conidiogenesis of Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
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12
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Kerkaert JD, Huberman LB. Regulation of nutrient utilization in filamentous fungi. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:5873-5898. [PMID: 37540250 PMCID: PMC10983054 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12680-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Organisms must accurately sense and respond to nutrients to survive. In filamentous fungi, accurate nutrient sensing is important in the establishment of fungal colonies and in continued, rapid growth for the exploitation of environmental resources. To ensure efficient nutrient utilization, fungi have evolved a combination of activating and repressing genetic networks to tightly regulate metabolic pathways and distinguish between preferred nutrients, which require minimal energy and resources to utilize, and nonpreferred nutrients, which have more energy-intensive catabolic requirements. Genes necessary for the utilization of nonpreferred carbon sources are activated by transcription factors that respond to the presence of the specific nutrient and repressed by transcription factors that respond to the presence of preferred carbohydrates. Utilization of nonpreferred nitrogen sources generally requires two transcription factors. Pathway-specific transcription factors respond to the presence of a specific nonpreferred nitrogen source, while another transcription factor activates genes in the absence of preferred nitrogen sources. In this review, we discuss the roles of transcription factors and upstream regulatory genes that respond to preferred and nonpreferred carbon and nitrogen sources and their roles in regulating carbon and nitrogen catabolism. KEY POINTS: • Interplay of activating and repressing transcriptional networks regulates catabolism. • Nutrient-specific activating transcriptional pathways provide metabolic specificity. • Repressing regulatory systems differentiate nutrients in mixed nutrient environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Kerkaert
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Lori B Huberman
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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13
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Son YE, Yu JH, Park HS. Regulators of the Asexual Life Cycle of Aspergillus nidulans. Cells 2023; 12:1544. [PMID: 37296664 PMCID: PMC10253035 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus, one of the most abundant airborne fungi, is classified into hundreds of species that affect humans, animals, and plants. Among these, Aspergillus nidulans, as a key model organism, has been extensively studied to understand the mechanisms governing growth and development, physiology, and gene regulation in fungi. A. nidulans primarily reproduces by forming millions of asexual spores known as conidia. The asexual life cycle of A. nidulans can be simply divided into growth and asexual development (conidiation). After a certain period of vegetative growth, some vegetative cells (hyphae) develop into specialized asexual structures called conidiophores. Each A. nidulans conidiophore is composed of a foot cell, stalk, vesicle, metulae, phialides, and 12,000 conidia. This vegetative-to-developmental transition requires the activity of various regulators including FLB proteins, BrlA, and AbaA. Asymmetric repetitive mitotic cell division of phialides results in the formation of immature conidia. Subsequent conidial maturation requires multiple regulators such as WetA, VosA, and VelB. Matured conidia maintain cellular integrity and long-term viability against various stresses and desiccation. Under appropriate conditions, the resting conidia germinate and form new colonies, and this process is governed by a myriad of regulators, such as CreA and SocA. To date, a plethora of regulators for each asexual developmental stage have been identified and investigated. This review summarizes our current understanding of the regulators of conidial formation, maturation, dormancy, and germination in A. nidulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- Major in Food Biomaterials, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- Major in Food Biomaterials, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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14
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Zhang X, Hou X, Xu D, Xue M, Zhang J, Wang J, Yang Y, Lai D, Zhou L. Effects of Carbon, Nitrogen, Ambient pH and Light on Mycelial Growth, Sporulation, Sorbicillinoid Biosynthesis and Related Gene Expression in Ustilaginoidea virens. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9040390. [PMID: 37108845 PMCID: PMC10142091 DOI: 10.3390/jof9040390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorbicillinoids are a class of hexaketide metabolites produced by Ustilaginoidea virens (teleomorph: Villosiclava virens), an important fungal pathogen that causes a devastating rice disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of environmental factors, including carbon and nitrogen sources, ambient pH and light exposure, on mycelial growth, sporulation, as well as the accumulation of sorbicillinoids, and the expression of related genes involved in sorbicillinoid biosynthesis. It was found that the environmental factors had great influences on mycelial growth and sporulation of U. virens. Fructose and glucose, complex nitrogen sources, acidic conditions and light exposure were favorable for sorbicillinoid production. The relative transcript levels of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis genes were up-regulated when U. virens was separately treated with those environmental factors that favored sorbicillinoid production, indicating that sorbicillinoid biosynthesis was mainly regulated at the transcriptional level by different environmental factors. Two pathway-specific transcription factor genes, UvSorR1 and UvSorR2, were found to participate in the regulation of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis. These results will provide useful information to better understand the regulation mechanisms of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis, and be conducive to develop effective means for controlling sorbicillinoid production in U. virens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuping Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xuwen Hou
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dan Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mengyao Xue
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yonglin Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Daowan Lai
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ligang Zhou
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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15
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Aggarwal S, Dorairaj S, Adlakha N. Stoichiometric balance ratio of cellobiose and gentiobiose induces cellulase production in Talaromyces cellulolyticus. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:48. [PMID: 36927685 PMCID: PMC10018878 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02296-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exact mechanism by which fungal strains sense insoluble cellulose is unknown, but research points to the importance of transglycosylation products generated by fungi during cellulose breakdown. Here, we used multi-omics approach to identify the transglycosylation metabolites and determine their function in cellulase induction in a model strain, Talaromyces cellulolyticus MTCC25456. RESULTS Talaromyces sp. is a novel hypercellulolytic fungal strain. Based on genome scrutiny and biochemical analysis, we predicted the presence of cellulases on the surface of its spores. We performed metabolome analysis to show that these membrane-bound cellulases act on polysaccharides to form a mixture of disaccharides and their transglycosylated derivatives. Inevitably, a high correlation existed between metabolite data and the KEGG enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes in the carbohydrate metabolic pathway. Analysis of the contribution of the transglycosylation product mixtures to cellulase induction revealed a 57% increase in total cellulase. Further research into the metabolites, using in vitro induction tests and response surface methodology, revealed that Talaromyces sp. produces cell wall-breaking enzymes in response to cellobiose and gentiobiose as a stimulant. Precisely, a 2.5:1 stoichiometric ratio of cellobiose to gentiobiose led to a 2.4-fold increase in cellulase synthesis. The application of the optimized inducers in cre knockout strain significantly increased the enzyme output. CONCLUSION This is the first study on the objective evaluation and enhancement of cellulase production using optimized inducers. Inducer identification and genetic engineering boosted the cellulase production in the cellulolytic fungus Talaromyces sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivam Aggarwal
- Synthetic Biology and Bioprocessing Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR-Biotech Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Sathish Dorairaj
- Synthetic Biology and Bioprocessing Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR-Biotech Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Nidhi Adlakha
- Synthetic Biology and Bioprocessing Group, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR-Biotech Cluster, Faridabad, India.
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16
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Li X, Liu M, Dong C. Hydrophobin Gene Cmhyd4 Negatively Regulates Fruiting Body Development in Edible Fungi Cordyceps militaris. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054586. [PMID: 36902017 PMCID: PMC10003708 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A deep understanding of the mechanism of fruiting body development is important for mushroom breeding and cultivation. Hydrophobins, small proteins exclusively secreted by fungi, have been proven to regulate the fruiting body development in many macro fungi. In this study, the hydrophobin gene Cmhyd4 was revealed to negatively regulate the fruiting body development in Cordyceps militaris, a famous edible and medicinal mushroom. Neither the overexpression nor the deletion of Cmhyd4 affected the mycelial growth rate, the hydrophobicity of the mycelia and conidia, or the conidial virulence on silkworm pupae. There was also no difference between the micromorphology of the hyphae and conidia in WT and ΔCmhyd4 strains observed by SEM. However, the ΔCmhyd4 strain showed thicker aerial mycelia in darkness and quicker growth rates under abiotic stress than the WT strain. The deletion of Cmhyd4 could promote conidia production and increase the contents of carotenoid and adenosine. The biological efficiency of the fruiting body was remarkably increased in the ΔCmhyd4 strain compared with the WT strain by improving the fruiting body density, not the height. It was indicated that Cmhyd4 played a negative role in fruiting body development. These results revealed that the diverse negative roles and regulatory effects of Cmhyd4 were totally different from those of Cmhyd1 in C. militaris and provided insights into the developmental regulatory mechanism of C. militaris and candidate genes for C. militaris strain breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Mengqian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Caihong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Correspondence:
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17
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Ramamoorthy NK, Pallam RB, Renganathan S, Sarma VV. Cellulase production from disposed COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) using cyclic fed-batch strategies. Process Biochem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2023.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
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18
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Hatmaker EA, Rangel-Grimaldo M, Raja HA, Pourhadi H, Knowles SL, Fuller K, Adams EM, Lightfoot JD, Bastos RW, Goldman GH, Oberlies NH, Rokas A. Genomic and Phenotypic Trait Variation of the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Aspergillus flavus and Its Close Relatives. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0306922. [PMID: 36318036 PMCID: PMC9769809 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03069-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal diseases affect millions of humans annually, yet fungal pathogens remain understudied. The mold Aspergillus flavus can cause both aspergillosis and fungal keratitis infections, but closely related species are not considered clinically relevant. To study the evolution of A. flavus pathogenicity, we examined genomic and phenotypic traits of two strains of A. flavus and three closely related species, Aspergillus arachidicola (two strains), Aspergillus parasiticus (two strains), and Aspergillus nomiae (one strain). We identified >3,000 orthologous proteins unique to A. flavus, including seven biosynthetic gene clusters present in A. flavus strains and absent in the three nonpathogens. We characterized secondary metabolite production for all seven strains under two clinically relevant conditions, temperature and salt concentration. Temperature impacted metabolite production in all species, whereas salinity did not affect production of any species. Strains of the same species produced different metabolites. Growth under stress conditions revealed additional heterogeneity within species. Using the invertebrate fungal disease model Galleria mellonella, we found virulence of strains of the same species varied widely; A. flavus strains were not more virulent than strains of the nonpathogens. In a murine model of fungal keratitis, we observed significantly lower disease severity and corneal thickness for A. arachidicola compared to other species at 48 h postinfection, but not at 72 h. Our work identifies variations in key phenotypic, chemical, and genomic attributes between A. flavus and its nonpathogenic relatives and reveals extensive strain heterogeneity in virulence that does not correspond to the currently established clinical relevance of these species. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus flavus is a filamentous fungus that causes opportunistic human infections, such as aspergillosis and fungal keratitis, but its close relatives are considered nonpathogenic. To begin understanding how this difference in pathogenicity evolved, we characterized variation in infection-relevant genomic, chemical, and phenotypic traits between strains of A. flavus and its relatives. We found extensive variation (or strain heterogeneity) within the pathogenic A. flavus as well as within its close relatives, suggesting that strain-level differences may play a major role in the ability of these fungi to cause disease. Surprisingly, we also found that the virulence of strains from species not considered to be pathogens was similar to that of A. flavus in both invertebrate and murine models of disease. These results contrast with previous studies on Aspergillus fumigatus, another major pathogen in the genus, for which significant differences in infection-relevant chemical and phenotypic traits are observed between closely related pathogenic and nonpathogenic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Anne Hatmaker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Manuel Rangel-Grimaldo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hadi Pourhadi
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kevin Fuller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Emily M. Adams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jorge D. Lightfoot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rafael W. Bastos
- Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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19
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Pareek M, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Csernetics Á, Wu H, Virágh M, Sahu N, Liu XB, Nagy L. Preassembled Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein-Mediated Gene Deletion Identifies the Carbon Catabolite Repressor and Its Target Genes in Coprinopsis cinerea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0094022. [PMID: 36374019 PMCID: PMC9746306 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00940-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cre1 is an important transcription factor that regulates carbon catabolite repression (CCR) and is widely conserved across fungi. The cre1 gene has been extensively studied in several Ascomycota species, whereas its role in gene expression regulation in the Basidiomycota species remains poorly understood. Here, we identified and investigated the role of cre1 in Coprinopsis cinerea, a basidiomycete model mushroom that can efficiently degrade lignocellulosic plant wastes. We used a rapid and efficient gene deletion approach based on PCR-amplified split-marker DNA cassettes together with in vitro assembled Cas9-guide RNA ribonucleoproteins (Cas9 RNPs) to generate C. cinerea cre1 gene deletion strains. Gene expression profiling of two independent C. cinerea cre1 mutants showed significant deregulation of carbohydrate metabolism, plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), plasma membrane transporter-related and several transcription factor-encoding genes, among others. Our results support the notion that, like reports in the ascomycetes, Cre1 of C. cinerea orchestrates CCR through a combined regulation of diverse genes, including PCWDEs, transcription factors that positively regulate PCWDEs, and membrane transporters which could import simple sugars that can induce the expression of PWCDEs. Somewhat paradoxically, though in accordance with other Agaricomycetes, genes related to lignin degradation were mostly downregulated in cre1 mutants, indicating they fall under different regulation than other PCWDEs. The gene deletion approach and the data presented here will expand our knowledge of CCR in the Basidiomycota and provide functional hypotheses on genes related to plant biomass degradation. IMPORTANCE Mushroom-forming fungi include some of the most efficient lignocellulosic plant biomass degraders. They degrade dead plant materials by a battery of lignin-, cellulose-, hemicellulose-, and pectin-degrading enzymes, the encoding genes of which are under tight transcriptional control. One of the highest-level regulations of these metabolic enzymes is known as carbon catabolite repression, which is orchestrated by the transcription factor Cre1, and ensures that costly lignocellulose-degrading enzyme genes are expressed only when simple carbon sources (e.g., glucose) are not available. Here, we identified the Cre1 ortholog in a litter decomposer Agaricomycete, Coprinopsis cinerea, knocked it out, and characterized transcriptional changes in the mutants. We identified several dozen lignocellulolytic enzyme genes as well as membrane transporters and other transcription factors as putative target genes of C. cinerea cre1. These results extend knowledge on carbon catabolite repression to litter decomposer Basidiomycota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Pareek
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Botond Hegedüs
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zhihao Hou
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Árpád Csernetics
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Hongli Wu
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Máté Virágh
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Neha Sahu
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Xiao-Bin Liu
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Nagy
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
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20
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Cho HJ, Son SH, Chen W, Son YE, Lee I, Yu JH, Park HS. Regulation of Conidiogenesis in Aspergillus flavus. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182796. [PMID: 36139369 PMCID: PMC9497164 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is a representative fungal species in the Aspergillus section Flavi and has been used as a model system to gain insights into fungal development and toxin production. A. flavus has several adverse effects on humans, including the production of the most carcinogenic mycotoxin aflatoxins and causing aspergillosis in immune-compromised patients. In addition, A. flavus infection of crops results in economic losses due to yield loss and aflatoxin contamination. A. flavus is a saprophytic fungus that disperses in the ecosystem mainly by producing asexual spores (conidia), which also provide long-term survival in the harsh environmental conditions. Conidia are composed of the rodlet layer, cell wall, and melanin and are produced from an asexual specialized structure called the conidiophore. The production of conidiophores is tightly regulated by various regulators, including the central regulatory cascade composed of BrlA-AbaA-WetA, the fungi-specific velvet regulators, upstream regulators, and developmental repressors. In this review, we summarize the findings of a series of recent studies related to asexual development in A. flavus and provide insights for a better understanding of other fungal species in the section Flavi.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Jin Cho
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Sung-Hun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Wanping Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Inhyung Lee
- Department of Bio and Fermentation Convergence Technology, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Korea
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-950-5751
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Secondary Metabolites Produced during Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation. mBio 2022; 13:e0185022. [PMID: 35856657 PMCID: PMC9426470 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01850-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In cystic fibrosis (CF), mucus plaques are formed in the patient's lungs, creating a hypoxic condition and a propitious environment for colonization and persistence of many microorganisms. There is clinical evidence showing that Aspergillus fumigatus can cocolonize CF patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which has been associated with lung function decline. P. aeruginosa produces several compounds with inhibitory and antibiofilm effects against A. fumigatus in vitro; however, little is known about the fungal compounds produced in counterattack. Here, we annotated fungal and bacterial secondary metabolites (SM) produced in mixed biofilms under normoxia and hypoxia conditions. We detected nine SM produced by P. aeruginosa. Phenazines and different analogs of pyoverdin were the main compounds produced by P. aeruginosa, and their secretion levels were increased by the fungal presence. The roles of the two operons responsible for phenazine production (phzA1 and phzA2) were also investigated, and mutants lacking one of those operons were able to produce partial sets of phenazines. We detected a total of 20 SM secreted by A. fumigatus either in monoculture or in coculture with P. aeruginosa. All these compounds were secreted during biofilm formation in either normoxia or hypoxia. However, only eight compounds (demethoxyfumitremorgin C, fumitremorgin, ferrichrome, ferricrocin, triacetylfusigen, gliotoxin, gliotoxin E, and pyripyropene A) were detected during biofilm formation by the coculture of A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa under normoxia and hypoxia conditions. Overall, we showed how diverse SM secretion is during A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa mixed culture and how this can affect biofilm formation in normoxia and hypoxia. IMPORTANCE The interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus has been well characterized in vitro. In this scenario, the bacterium exerts a strong inhibitory effect against the fungus. However, little is known about the metabolites produced by the fungus to counterattack the bacteria. Our work aimed to annotate secondary metabolites (SM) secreted during coculture between P. aeruginosa and A. fumigatus during biofilm formation in both normoxia and hypoxia. The bacterium produces several different types of phenazines and pyoverdins in response to presence of the fungus. In contrast, we were able to annotate 29 metabolites produced during A. fumigatus biofilm formation, but only 8 compounds were detected during biofilm formation by the coculture of A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa upon either normoxia or hypoxia. In conclusion, we detected many SM secreted during A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. This analysis provides several opportunities to understand the interactions between these two species.
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Suryawanshi N, Eswari JS. New Insights of Carbon Catabolite Repression and Kinetics Modeling for the Growth of
Thermomyces lanuginosus. Chem Eng Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ceat.202100609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Suryawanshi
- Department of Biotechnology National Institute of Technology GE road Raipur Raipur 492010 CG India
| | - Jujjawarapu Satya Eswari
- Department of Biotechnology National Institute of Technology GE road Raipur Raipur 492010 CG India
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Mattam AJ, Chaudhari YB, Velankar HR. Factors regulating cellulolytic gene expression in filamentous fungi: an overview. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:44. [PMID: 35317826 PMCID: PMC8939176 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01764-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing demand for biofuels such as bioethanol has led to the need for identifying alternative feedstock instead of conventional substrates like molasses, etc. Lignocellulosic biomass is a relatively inexpensive feedstock that is available in abundance, however, its conversion to bioethanol involves a multistep process with different unit operations such as size reduction, pretreatment, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, etc. The saccharification or enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose involves a complex family of enzymes called cellulases that are usually fungal in origin. Cellulose hydrolysis requires the synergistic action of several classes of enzymes, and achieving the optimum secretion of these simultaneously remains a challenge. The expression of fungal cellulases is controlled by an intricate network of transcription factors and sugar transporters. Several genetic engineering efforts have been undertaken to modulate the expression of cellulolytic genes, as well as their regulators. This review, therefore, focuses on the molecular mechanism of action of these transcription factors and their effect on the expression of cellulases and hemicellulases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Jose Mattam
- Hindustan Petroleum Green R and D Centre (HPGRDC), KIADB Industrial Area, Tarabanahalli, Devanagundi, Hoskote, Bangalore, 560067, India
| | - Yogesh Babasaheb Chaudhari
- Hindustan Petroleum Green R and D Centre (HPGRDC), KIADB Industrial Area, Tarabanahalli, Devanagundi, Hoskote, Bangalore, 560067, India
| | - Harshad Ravindra Velankar
- Hindustan Petroleum Green R and D Centre (HPGRDC), KIADB Industrial Area, Tarabanahalli, Devanagundi, Hoskote, Bangalore, 560067, India.
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Ma X, Jiang Y, Ma L, Luo S, Du H, Li X, Xing F. Corepressors SsnF and RcoA Regulate Development and Aflatoxin B1 Biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3357. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030174. [PMID: 35324671 PMCID: PMC8954095 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is a saprophytic fungus that can be found across the entire world. It can produce aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which threatens human health. CreA, as the central factor in carbon catabolite repression (CCR), regulates carbon catabolism and AFB1 biosynthesis in A. flavus. Additionally, SsnF-RcoA are recognized as the corepressors of CreA in CCR. In this study, ssnF and rcoA not only regulated the expressions of CCR factors and hydrolase genes, but also positively affected mycelia growth, conidia production, sclerotia formation, and osmotic stress response in A. flavus. More importantly, SsnF and RcoA were identified as positive regulators for AFB1 biosynthesis, as they modulate the AF cluster genes and the relevant regulators at a transcriptional level. Additionally, the interactions of SsnF-CreA and RcoA-CreA were strong and moderate, respectively. However, the interaction of SsnF and RcoA was weak. The interaction models of CreA-SsnF, CreA-RcoA, and SsnF-RcoA were also simulated with a docking analysis. All things considered, SsnF and RcoA are not just the critical regulators of the CCR pathway, but the global regulators involving in morphological development and AFB1 biosynthesis in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xu Li
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (F.X.)
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25
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Franco FP, Túler AC, Gallan DZ, Gonçalves FG, Favaris AP, Peñaflor MFGV, Leal WS, Moura DS, Bento JMS, Silva-Filho MC. Fungal phytopathogen modulates plant and insect responses to promote its dissemination. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3522-3533. [PMID: 34127802 PMCID: PMC8630062 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01010-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne plant pathogens often change host traits to manipulate vector behavior in a way that favors their spread. By contrast, infection by opportunistic fungi does not depend on vectors, although damage caused by an herbivore may facilitate infection. Manipulation of hosts and vectors, such as insect herbivores, has not been demonstrated in interactions with fungal pathogens. Herein, we establish a new paradigm for the plant-insect-fungus association in sugarcane. It has long been assumed that Fusarium verticillioides is an opportunistic fungus, where it takes advantage of the openings left by Diatraea saccharalis caterpillar attack to infect the plant. In this work, we show that volatile emissions from F. verticillioides attract D. saccharalis caterpillars. Once they become adults, the fungus is transmitted vertically to their offspring, which continues the cycle by inoculating the fungus into healthy plants. Females not carrying the fungus prefer to lay their eggs on fungus-infected plants than mock plants, while females carrying the fungus prefer to lay their eggs on mock plants than fungus-infected plants. Even though the fungus impacts D. saccharalis sex behavior, larval weight and reproduction rate, most individuals complete their development. Our data demonstrate that the fungus manipulates both the host plant and insect herbivore across life cycle to promote its infection and dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia P. Franco
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - Amanda C. Túler
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - Diego Z. Gallan
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - Felipe G. Gonçalves
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - Arodí P. Favaris
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | | | - Walter S. Leal
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Daniel S. Moura
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - José Maurício S. Bento
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
| | - Marcio C. Silva-Filho
- grid.11899.380000 0004 1937 0722Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP Brazil
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Zhang T, Mai RM, Fang QQ, Ou JF, Mo LX, Tian D, Li CX, Gu LS, Luo XM, Feng JX, Zhao S. Regulatory function of the novel transcription factor CxrC in Penicillium oxalicum. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:1512-1532. [PMID: 34797006 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Numerous transcription factors (TFs) in ascomycete fungi play crucial roles in cellular processes; however, how most of them function is poorly understood. Here, we identified and characterized a novel TF, CxrC (POX01387), acting downstream of the key TF CxrA, which is essential for plant-biomass-degrading-enzyme (PBDE) production in Penicillium oxalicum. Deletion of cxrC in P. oxalicum significantly affected the production of PBDEs, as well as mycelial growth and conidiospore production. CxrA directly repressed the expression of cxrC after about 12 hr following switch to Avicel culture. CxrC bound the promoters of major PBDE genes and genes involved in conidiospore development. CxrC was found to bind the TSSGTYR core sequence (S: C and G; Y: T and C; R: G and A) of the important cellulase genes cbh1 and eg1. Both N- and C-terminal peptides of CxrC and the CxrC phosphorylation were found to mediate its homodimerization. The conserved motif LPSVRSLLTP (65-74) in CxrC was found to be required for regulating cellulase production. This study reveals novel mechanisms of TF-mediated regulation of the expression of PBDE genes and genes involved in cellular processes in an ascomycete fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong-Ming Mai
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Feng Ou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Xiang Mo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Xi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Sha Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Mei Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Xun Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Research Center for Microbial and Enzyme Engineering Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
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Promoter exchange of the cryptic nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene for oligopeptide production in Aspergillus oryzae. J Microbiol 2021; 60:47-56. [PMID: 34751906 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1442-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oligopeptides with functional activities are of current interest in the nutraceutical and medical sectors. The development of the biosynthetic process of oligopeptides through a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) system has become more challenging. To develop a production platform for nonribosomal peptides (NRPs), reprogramming of transcriptional regulation of the acv gene encoded ACV synthetase (ACVS) was implemented in Aspergillus oryzae using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Awakening silent acv expression was successfully achieved by promoter substitution. Among the three exchanged promoters, AoPgpdA, AoPtef1, and PtPtoxA, the replacement of the native promoter with AoPgpdA led to the highest ACV production in A. oryzae. However, the ACV production of the AoPGpdA strain was also dependent on the medium composition, in which urea was the best nitrogen source, and a C:N ratio of 20:1 was optimal for tripeptide production. In addition to cell growth, magnesium ions are an essential element for ACV production and might participate in ACVS activity. It was also found that ACV was the growth-associated product of the engineered strain that might be a result of constitutive transcriptional control by the AoPgpdA promoter. This study offers a potential strategy for nonribosomal ACV production using the fungal system, which is applicable for redesigning bioactive oligopeptides with industrial relevance.
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Mohamed RA, Ren K, Mou YN, Ying SH, Feng MG. Genome-Wide Insight into Profound Effect of Carbon Catabolite Repressor (Cre1) on the Insect-Pathogenic Lifecycle of Beauveriabassiana. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7110895. [PMID: 34829184 PMCID: PMC8622151 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is critical for the preferential utilization of glucose derived from environmental carbon sources and regulated by carbon catabolite repressor A (Cre1/CreA) in filamentous fungi. However, a role of Cre1-mediated CCR in insect-pathogenic fungal utilization of host nutrients during normal cuticle infection (NCI) and hemocoel colonization remains explored insufficiently. Here, we report an indispensability of Cre1 for Beauveriabassiana's utilization of nutrients in insect integument and hemocoel. Deletion of cre1 resulted in severe defects in radial growth on various media, hypersensitivity to oxidative stress, abolished pathogenicity via NCI or intrahemocoel injection (cuticle-bypassing infection) but no change in conidial hydrophobicity and adherence to insect cuticle. Markedly reduced biomass accumulation in the Δcre1 cultures was directly causative of severe defect in aerial conidiation and reduced secretion of various cuticle-degrading enzymes. The majority (1117) of 1881 dysregulated genes identified from the Δcre1 versus wild-type cultures were significantly downregulated, leading to substantial repression of many enriched function terms and pathways, particularly those involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolisms, cuticle degradation, antioxidant response, cellular transport and homeostasis, and direct/indirect gene mediation. These findings offer a novel insight into profound effect of Cre1 on the insect-pathogenic lifestyle of B. bassiana.
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Pang AP, Zhang F, Hu X, Luo Y, Wang H, Durrani S, Wu FG, Li BZ, Zhou Z, Lu Z, Lin F. Glutamine involvement in nitrogen regulation of cellulase production in fungi. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:199. [PMID: 34645509 PMCID: PMC8513308 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellulase synthesized by fungi can environment-friendly and sustainably degrades cellulose to fermentable sugars for producing cellulosic biofuels, biobased medicine and fine chemicals. Great efforts have been made to study the regulation mechanism of cellulase biosynthesis in fungi with the focus on the carbon sources, while little attention has been paid to the impact and regulation mechanism of nitrogen sources on cellulase production. RESULTS Glutamine displayed the strongest inhibition effect on cellulase biosynthesis in Trichoderma reesei, followed by yeast extract, urea, tryptone, ammonium sulfate and L-glutamate. Cellulase production, cell growth and sporulation in T. reesei RUT-C30 grown on cellulose were all inhibited with the addition of glutamine (a preferred nitrogen source) with no change for mycelium morphology. This inhibition effect was attributed to both L-glutamine itself and the nitrogen excess induced by its presence. In agreement with the reduced cellulase production, the mRNA levels of 44 genes related to the cellulase production were decreased severely in the presence of glutamine. The transcriptional levels of genes involved in other nitrogen transport, ribosomal biogenesis and glutamine biosynthesis were decreased notably by glutamine, while the expression of genes relevant to glutamate biosynthesis, amino acid catabolism, and glutamine catabolism were increased noticeably. Moreover, the transcriptional level of cellulose signaling related proteins ooc1 and ooc2, and the cellular receptor of rapamycin trFKBP12 was increased remarkably, whose deletion exacerbated the cellulase depression influence of glutamine. CONCLUSION Glutamine may well be the metabolite effector in nitrogen repression of cellulase synthesis, like the role of glucose plays in carbon catabolite repression. Glutamine under excess nitrogen condition repressed cellulase biosynthesis significantly as well as cell growth and sporulation in T. reesei RUT-C30. More importantly, the presence of glutamine notably impacted the transport and metabolism of nitrogen. Genes ooc1, ooc2, and trFKBP12 are associated with the cellulase repression impact of glutamine. These findings advance our understanding of nitrogen regulation of cellulase production in filamentous fungi, which would aid in the rational design of strains and fermentation strategies for cellulase production in industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Ping Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Funing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongsheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Samran Durrani
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fu-Gen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing-Zhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fengming Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Li X, Wang F, Liu M, Dong C. Hydrophobin CmHYD1 Is Involved in Conidiation, Infection and Primordium Formation, and Regulated by GATA Transcription Factor CmAreA in Edible Fungus, Cordyceps militaris. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080674. [PMID: 34436213 PMCID: PMC8400498 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrophobins are a family of small proteins exclusively secreted by fungi, and play a variety of roles in the life cycle. Cmhyd1, one of the hydrophobin class II members in Cordyceps militaris, has been shown to have a high transcript level during fruiting body development. Here, deletion of Cmhyd1 results in reduction in aerial mycelia, conidiation, hydrophobicity and infection ability, and complete inhibition of pigmentation and primordium differentiation. Cmhyd1 plays roles in conidiation and cuticle-bypassing infection by regulating the transcripts of frequency clock protein, Cmfrq, and velvet protein, Cmvosa, as well as primordium formation via the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Cmhyd1 also participates in stress response, including tolerance of mycelia to osmotic and oxidative stresses, and conidia to high or low temperatures. CmAreA, a transcription factor of nitrogen regulatory, is recruited to the promoter of Cmhyd1 and activates the transcription of Cmhyd1 with coactivator CmOTam using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and transient luciferase expression in tobacco. Furthermore, CmHYD1 is proved to regulate the transcription of Cmarea at different developmental stages via a positive feedback loop. These results reveal the diverse roles and regulation of Cmhyd1 in C. militaris, and provide insights into the developmental regulatory mechanism of mushrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (X.L.); (F.W.); (M.L.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (X.L.); (F.W.); (M.L.)
| | - Mengqian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (X.L.); (F.W.); (M.L.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Caihong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (X.L.); (F.W.); (M.L.)
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Breeding, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550000, China
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a major opportunistic fungal pathogen of immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. To successfully establish an infection, A. fumigatus needs to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in the body fluids and peripheral tissues. However, utilization of acetate as a carbon source by fungi in the context of infection has not been investigated. This work shows that acetate is metabolized via different pathways in A. fumigatus and that acetate utilization is under the regulatory control of a transcription factor (TF), FacB. A. fumigatus acetate utilization is subject to carbon catabolite repression (CCR), although this is only partially dependent on the TF and main regulator of CCR CreA. The available extracellular carbon source, in this case glucose and acetate, significantly affected A. fumigatus virulence traits such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition, with the latter having consequences for resistance to oxidative stress, antifungal drugs, and human neutrophil-mediated killing. Furthermore, deletion of facB significantly impaired the in vivo virulence of A. fumigatus in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report on acetate utilization in A. fumigatus, and this work further highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping fungal virulence traits and subsequent disease outcome, and a potential target for the development of antifungal strategies. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen in humans. During infection, A. fumigatus is predicted to use host carbon sources, such as acetate, present in body fluids and peripheral tissues, to sustain growth and promote colonization and invasion. This work shows that A. fumigatus metabolizes acetate via different pathways, a process that is dependent on the transcription factor FacB. Furthermore, the type and concentration of the extracellular available carbon source were determined to shape A. fumigatus virulence determinants such as secondary metabolite secretion and cell wall composition. Subsequently, interactions with immune cells are altered in a carbon source-specific manner. FacB is required for A. fumigatus in vivo virulence in both insect and mammalian models of invasive aspergillosis. This is the first report that characterizes acetate utilization in A. fumigatus and highlights the importance of available host-specific carbon sources in shaping virulence traits and potentially subsequent disease outcome.
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The F-box protein gene exo- 1 is a target for reverse engineering enzyme hypersecretion in filamentous fungi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025689118. [PMID: 34168079 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025689118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) are vital for the lignocellulose-based biorefinery. The development of hypersecreting fungal protein production hosts is therefore a major aim for both academia and industry. However, despite advances in our understanding of their regulation, the number of promising candidate genes for targeted strain engineering remains limited. Here, we resequenced the genome of the classical hypersecreting Neurospora crassa mutant exo-1 and identified the causative point of mutation to reside in the F-box protein-encoding gene, NCU09899. The corresponding deletion strain displayed amylase and invertase activities exceeding those of the carbon catabolite derepressed strain Δcre-1, while glucose repression was still mostly functional in Δexo-1 Surprisingly, RNA sequencing revealed that while plant cell wall degradation genes are broadly misexpressed in Δexo-1, only a small fraction of CAZyme genes and sugar transporters are up-regulated, indicating that EXO-1 affects specific regulatory factors. Aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanism of enzyme hypersecretion, we found the high secretion of amylases and invertase in Δexo-1 to be completely dependent on the transcriptional regulator COL-26. Furthermore, misregulation of COL-26, CRE-1, and cellular carbon and nitrogen metabolism was confirmed by proteomics. Finally, we successfully transferred the hypersecretion trait of the exo-1 disruption by reverse engineering into the industrially deployed fungus Myceliophthora thermophila using CRISPR-Cas9. Our identification of an important F-box protein demonstrates the strength of classical mutants combined with next-generation sequencing to uncover unanticipated candidates for engineering. These data contribute to a more complete understanding of CAZyme regulation and will facilitate targeted engineering of hypersecretion in further organisms of interest.
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Tanaka M, Gomi K. Induction and Repression of Hydrolase Genes in Aspergillus oryzae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:677603. [PMID: 34108952 PMCID: PMC8180590 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.677603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae, also known as yellow koji mold, produces high levels of hydrolases such as amylolytic and proteolytic enzymes. This property of producing large amounts of hydrolases is one of the reasons why A. oryzae has been used in the production of traditional Japanese fermented foods and beverages. A wide variety of hydrolases produced by A. oryzae have been used in the food industry. The expression of hydrolase genes is induced by the presence of certain substrates, and various transcription factors that regulate such expression have been identified. In contrast, in the presence of glucose, the expression of the glycosyl hydrolase gene is generally repressed by carbon catabolite repression (CCR), which is mediated by the transcription factor CreA and ubiquitination/deubiquitination factors. In this review, we present the current knowledge on the regulation of hydrolase gene expression, including CCR, in A. oryzae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Tanaka
- Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory, School of Food and Nutritional Science, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Katsuya Gomi
- Laboratory of Fermentation Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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Functional Genomic and Biochemical Analysis Reveals Pleiotropic Effect of Congo Red on Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.00863-21. [PMID: 34006660 PMCID: PMC8262895 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00863-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of fungal growth by Congo red (CR) has been putatively associated with specific binding to β-1,3-glucans, which blocks cell wall polysaccharide synthesis. In this study, we searched for transcription factors (TFs) that regulate the response to CR and interrogated their regulon. During the investigation of the susceptibility to CR of the TF mutant library, several CR-resistant and -hypersensitive mutants were discovered and further studied. Abnormal distorted swollen conidia called Quasimodo cells were seen in the presence of CR. Quasimodo cells in the resistant mutants were larger than the ones in the sensitive and parental strains; consequently, the conidia of the resistant mutants absorbed more CR than the germinating conidia of the sensitive or parental strains. Accordingly, this higher absorption rate by Quasimodo cells resulted in the removal of CR from the culture medium, allowing a subset of conidia to germinate and grow. In contrast, all resting conidia of the sensitive mutants and the parental strain were killed. This result indicated that the heterogeneity of the conidial population is essential to promote the survival of Aspergillus fumigatus in the presence of CR. Moreover, amorphous surface cell wall polysaccharides such as galactosaminogalactan control the influx of CR inside the cells and, accordingly, resistance to the drug. Finally, long-term incubation with CR led to the discovery of a new CR-induced growth effect, called drug-induced growth stimulation (DIGS), since the growth of one of them could be stimulated after recovery from CR stress.
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Reijngoud J, Arentshorst M, Ruijmbeek C, Reid I, Alazi ED, Punt PJ, Tsang A, Ram AFJ. Loss of function of the carbon catabolite repressor CreA leads to low but inducer-independent expression from the feruloyl esterase B promoter in Aspergillus niger. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 43:1323-1336. [PMID: 33738610 PMCID: PMC8197723 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-021-03104-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective
With the aim to decipher the mechanisms involved in the transcriptional regulation of feruloyl esterase encoded by faeB, a genetic screen was performed to isolate A. niger mutants displaying inducer-independent expression from the faeB promoter.
Result PfaeB-amdS and PfaeB-lux dual reporter strains were constructed and used to isolate trans-acting mutants in which the expression of both reporters was increased, based on the ability to grow on acetamide plates and higher luciferase activity, respectively. The genetic screen on the non-inducing carbon source D-fructose yielded in total 111 trans-acting mutants. The genome of one of the mutants was sequenced and revealed several SNPs, including a point mutation in the creA gene encoding a transcription factor known to be involved in carbon catabolite repression. Subsequently, all mutants were analyzed for defects in carbon catabolite repression by determining sensitivity towards allyl alcohol. All except four of the 111 mutants were sensitive to allyl alcohol, indicating that the vast majority of the mutants are defective in carbon catabolite repression. The creA gene of 32 allyl alcohol sensitive mutants was sequenced and 27 of them indeed contained a mutation in the creA gene. Targeted deletion of creA in the reporter strain confirmed that the loss of CreA results in constitutive expression from the faeB promoter. Conclusion
Loss of function of CreA leads to low but inducer-independent expression from the faeB promoter in A. niger. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10529-021-03104-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jos Reijngoud
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Bioscienz, Goeseelsstraat 10, 4817 MV, Breda, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Arentshorst
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Claudine Ruijmbeek
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ian Reid
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ebru Demirci Alazi
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J Punt
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Dutch DNA Biotech, Hugo R Kruytgebouw 4-Noord, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian Tsang
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Arthur F J Ram
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Rocha MC, Fabri JHTM, Silva LP, Angolini CFF, Bertolini MC, da Cunha AF, Valiante V, Goldman GH, Fill TP, Malavazi I. Transcriptional Control of the Production of Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia-Borne Secondary Metabolite Fumiquinazoline C Important for Phagocytosis Protection. Genetics 2021; 218:6168429. [PMID: 33705521 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus produces diverse secondary metabolites whose biological functions and regulation remain to be understood. Despite the importance of the conidia for this fungus, the role of the conidia-born metabolite fumiquinazoline C (FqC) is unclear. Here, we describe a dual function of the cell-wall integrity pathway in regulating FqC biosynthesis dictated by the MAPK kinase MpkA, which phosphorylates one of the nonribosomal peptide synthetases enzymes of the cluster (FmqC), and the transcription factor RlmA, which directly regulates the expression of fmq genes. Another level of crosstalk between the FqC regulation and the cell physiology is described since the deletion of the stress-responsive transcription factor sebA provokes derepression of the fmq cluster and overproduction of FqC. Thus, we describe a mechanism by which A. fumigatus controls FqC biosynthesis orchestrated by MpkA-RlmA and SebA and hence enabling survival and adaptation to the environmental niche, given that FqC is a deterrent of ameba predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Henrique Tadini Marilhano Fabri
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Célia Bertolini
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Tecnologia, Instituto de Química de Araraquara, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Ferreira da Cunha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vito Valiante
- Leibniz Research Group Biobricks of Microbial Natural Product Syntheses, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Taicia Pacheco Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Peng M, Khosravi C, Lubbers RJM, Kun RS, Aguilar Pontes MV, Battaglia E, Chen C, Dalhuijsen S, Daly P, Lipzen A, Ng V, Yan J, Wang M, Visser J, Grigoriev IV, Mäkelä MR, de Vries RP. CreA-mediated repression of gene expression occurs at low monosaccharide levels during fungal plant biomass conversion in a time and substrate dependent manner. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 7:100050. [PMID: 33778219 PMCID: PMC7985698 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2021.100050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression enables fungi to utilize the most favourable carbon source in the environment, and is mediated by a key regulator, CreA, in most fungi. CreA-mediated regulation has mainly been studied at high monosaccharide concentrations, an uncommon situation in most natural biotopes. In nature, many fungi rely on plant biomass as their major carbon source by producing enzymes to degrade plant cell wall polysaccharides into metabolizable sugars. To determine the role of CreA when fungi grow in more natural conditions and in particular with respect to degradation and conversion of plant cell walls, we compared transcriptomes of a creA deletion and reference strain of the ascomycete Aspergillus niger during growth on sugar beet pulp and wheat bran. Transcriptomics, extracellular sugar concentrations and growth profiling of A. niger on a variety of carbon sources, revealed that also under conditions with low concentrations of free monosaccharides, CreA has a major effect on gene expression in a strong time and substrate composition dependent manner. In addition, we compared the CreA regulon from five fungi during their growth on crude plant biomass or cellulose. It showed that CreA commonly regulated genes related to carbon metabolism, sugar transport and plant cell wall degrading enzymes across different species. We therefore conclude that CreA has a crucial role for fungi also in adapting to low sugar concentrations as occurring in their natural biotopes, which is supported by the presence of CreA orthologs in nearly all fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Peng
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Claire Khosravi
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ronnie J M Lubbers
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roland S Kun
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Victoria Aguilar Pontes
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Evy Battaglia
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cindy Chen
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Sacha Dalhuijsen
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Daly
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Lipzen
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Vivian Ng
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Juying Yan
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Mei Wang
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Jaap Visser
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- USA Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States.,Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Miia R Mäkelä
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ronald P de Vries
- Fungal Physiology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Carbon Catabolite Repression Governs Diverse Physiological Processes and Development in Aspergillus nidulans. mBio 2021; 13:e0373421. [PMID: 35164551 PMCID: PMC8844935 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03734-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a common phenomenon of microorganisms that enable efficient utilization of carbon nutrients, critical for the fitness of microorganisms in the wild and for pathogenic species to cause infection. In most filamentous fungal species, the conserved transcription factor CreA/Cre1 mediates CCR. Previous studies demonstrated a primary function for CreA/Cre1 in carbon metabolism; however, the phenotype of creA/cre1 mutants indicated broader roles. The global function and regulatory mechanism of this wide-domain transcription factor has remained elusive. Here, we applied two powerful genomics methods (transcriptome sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) to delineate the direct and indirect roles of Aspergillus nidulans CreA across diverse physiological processes, including secondary metabolism, iron homeostasis, oxidative stress response, development, N-glycan biosynthesis, unfolded protein response, and nutrient and ion transport. The results indicate intricate connections between the regulation of carbon metabolism and diverse cellular functions. Moreover, our work also provides key mechanistic insights into CreA regulation and identifies CreA as a master regulator controlling many transcription factors of different regulatory networks. The discoveries for this highly conserved transcriptional regulator in a model fungus have important implications for CCR in related pathogenic and industrial species. IMPORTANCE The ability to scavenge and use a wide range of nutrients for growth is crucial for microorganisms' survival in the wild. Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a transcriptional regulatory phenomenon of both bacteria and fungi to coordinate the expression of genes required for preferential utilization of carbon sources. Since carbon metabolism is essential for growth, CCR is central to the fitness of microorganisms. In filamentous fungi, CCR is mediated by the conserved transcription factor CreA/Cre1, whose function in carbon metabolism has been well established. However, the global roles and regulatory mechanism of CreA/Cre1 are poorly defined. This study uncovers the direct and indirect functions of CreA in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans over diverse physiological processes and development and provides mechanistic insights into how CreA controls different regulatory networks. The work also reveals an interesting functional divergence between filamentous fungal and yeast CreA/Cre1 orthologues.
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Qadri H, Qureshi MF, Mir MA, Shah AH. Glucose - The X factor for the survival of human fungal pathogens and disease progression in the host. Microbiol Res 2021; 247:126725. [PMID: 33676311 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of human fungal infections is increasing due to the expansion of the immunocompromised patient population. The continuous use of different antifungal agents has eventually resulted in the establishment of resistant fungal species. The fungal pathogens unfold multiple resistance strategies to successfully tackle the effect of different antifungal agents. For the successful colonization and establishment of infection inside the host, the pathogenic fungi switch to the process of metabolic flexibility to regulate distinct nutrient uptake systems as well as to modulate their metabolism accordingly. Glucose the most favourable carbon source helps carry out the important survival and niche colonization processes. Adopting glucose as the center, this review has been put forward to provide an outline of the important processes like growth, the progression of infection, and the metabolism regulated by glucose, affecting the pathogenicity and virulence traits in the human pathogenic fungi. This could help in the identification of better treatment options and appropriate target-oriented antifungal drugs based on the glucose-regulated pathways and processes. In the article, we have also presented a summary of the novel studies and findings pointing to glucose-based potential therapeutic avenues to be explored to tackle the problem of globally increasing multidrug-resistant human fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafsa Qadri
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, J&K, India
| | - Munazah Fazal Qureshi
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, 191201, J&K, India
| | - Manzoor Ahmad Mir
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, J&K, India.
| | - Abdul Haseeb Shah
- Department of Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, J&K, India.
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Lai T, Sun Y, Liu Y, Li R, Chen Y, Zhou T. Cinnamon Oil Inhibits Penicillium expansum Growth by Disturbing the Carbohydrate Metabolic Process. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020123. [PMID: 33572180 PMCID: PMC7915993 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Penicillium expansum is a major postharvest pathogen that mainly threatens the global pome fruit industry and causes great economic losses annually. In the present study, the antifungal effects and potential mechanism of cinnamon oil against P. expansum were investigated. Results indicated that 0.25 mg L−1 cinnamon oil could efficiently inhibit the spore germination, conidial production, mycelial accumulation, and expansion of P. expansum. In addition, it could effectively control blue mold rots induced by P. expansum in apples. Cinnamon oil could also reduce the expression of genes involved in patulin biosynthesis. Through a proteomic quantitative analysis, a total of 146 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) involved in the carbohydrate metabolic process, most of which were down-regulated, were noticed for their large number and functional significance. Meanwhile, the expressions of 14 candidate genes corresponding to DEPs and the activities of six key regulatory enzymes (involving in cellulose hydrolyzation, Krebs circle, glycolysis, and pentose phosphate pathway) showed a similar trend in protein levels. In addition, extracellular carbohydrate consumption, intracellular carbohydrate accumulation, and ATP production of P. expansum under cinnamon oil stress were significantly decreased. Basing on the correlated and mutually authenticated results, we speculated that disturbing the fungal carbohydrate metabolic process would be partly responsible for the inhibitory effects of cinnamon oil on P. expansum growth. The findings would provide new insights into the antimicrobial mode of cinnamon oil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongfei Lai
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (T.L.); (R.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yangying Sun
- Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Safety of Agricultural Products, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Safety of Agricultural Products, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
| | - Ran Li
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (T.L.); (R.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yuanzhi Chen
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (T.L.); (R.L.); (Y.C.)
| | - Ting Zhou
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (T.L.); (R.L.); (Y.C.)
- Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Safety of Agricultural Products, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +86-571-28861007; Fax: +86-571-28866065
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Wang Q, Zhao Q, Liu Q, He X, Zhong Y, Qin Y, Gao L, Liu G, Qu Y. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in Penicillium oxalicum and Trichoderma reesei using 5S rRNA promoter-driven guide RNAs. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 43:495-502. [PMID: 33048255 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-03024-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To construct convenient CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing systems in industrial enzyme-producing fungi Penicillium oxalicum and Trichoderma reesei. RESULTS Employing the 5S rRNA promoter from Aspergillus niger for guide RNA expression, the β-glucosidase gene bgl2 in P. oxalicum was deleted using a donor DNA carrying 40-bp homology arms or a donor containing no selectable marker gene. Using a markerless donor DNA as editing template, precise replacement of a small region was achieved in the creA gene. In T. reesei, the A. niger 5S rRNA promoter was less efficient than that in P. oxalicum when used for gene editing. Using a native 5S rRNA promoter, stop codons were introduced into the lae1 coding region using a markerless donor DNA with an editing efficiency of 36.67%. CONCLUSIONS Efficient genome editing systems were developed in filamentous fungi P. oxalicum and T. reesei by using heterologous or native 5S rRNA promoters for guide RNA expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Qinqin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Xin He
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Yaohua Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Yuqi Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Liwei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Guodong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Yinbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, 27 Binhai Road, Qingdao, 266237, China
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Li J, Liu Q, Li J, Lin L, Li X, Zhang Y, Tian C. RCO-3 and COL-26 form an external-to-internal module that regulates the dual-affinity glucose transport system in Neurospora crassa. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:33. [PMID: 33509260 PMCID: PMC7841889 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01877-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low- and high-affinity glucose transport system is a conserved strategy of microorganism to cope with environmental glucose fluctuation for their growth and competitiveness. In Neurospora crassa, the dual-affinity glucose transport system consists of a low-affinity glucose transporter GLT-1 and two high-affinity glucose transporters HGT-1/HGT-2, which play diverse roles in glucose transport, carbon metabolism, and cellulase expression regulation. However, the regulation of this dual-transporter system in response to environmental glucose fluctuation is not yet clear. RESULTS In this study, we report that a regulation module consisting of a downstream transcription factor COL-26 and an upstream non-transporting glucose sensor RCO-3 regulates the dual-affinity glucose transport system in N. crassa. COL-26 directly binds to the promoter regions of glt-1, hgt-1, and hgt-2, whereas RCO-3 is an upstream factor of the module whose deletion mutant resembles the Δcol-26 mutant phenotypically. Transcriptional profiling analysis revealed that Δcol-26 and Δrco-3 mutants had similar transcriptional profiles, and both mutants had impaired response to a glucose gradient. We also showed that the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) complex is involved in regulation of the glucose transporters. AMPK is required for repression of glt-1 expression in starvation conditions by inhibiting the activity of RCO-3. CONCLUSIONS RCO-3 and COL-26 form an external-to-internal module that regulates the glucose dual-affinity transport system. Transcription factor COL-26 was identified as the key regulator. AMPK was also involved in the regulation of the dual-transporter system. Our findings provide novel insight into the molecular basis of glucose uptake and signaling in filamentous fungi, which may aid in the rational design of fungal strains for industrial purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyang Li
- 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
| | - Qian Liu
- 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
| | - Liangcai Lin
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Xiaolin Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology and MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 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
| | - Chaoguang Tian
- 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
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
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de Assis LJ, Silva LP, Bayram O, Dowling P, Kniemeyer O, Krüger T, Brakhage AA, Chen Y, Dong L, Tan K, Wong KH, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Carbon Catabolite Repression in Filamentous Fungi Is Regulated by Phosphorylation of the Transcription Factor CreA. mBio 2021; 12:e03146-20. [PMID: 33402538 PMCID: PMC8545104 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03146-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi of the genus Aspergillus are of particular interest for biotechnological applications due to their natural capacity to secrete carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) that target plant biomass. The presence of easily metabolizable sugars such as glucose, whose concentrations increase during plant biomass hydrolysis, results in the repression of CAZy-encoding genes in a process known as carbon catabolite repression (CCR), which is undesired for the purpose of large-scale enzyme production. To date, the C2H2 transcription factor CreA has been described as the major CC repressor in Aspergillus spp., although little is known about the role of posttranslational modifications in this process. In this work, phosphorylation sites were identified by mass spectrometry on Aspergillus nidulans CreA, and subsequently, the previously identified but uncharacterized site S262, the characterized site S319, and the newly identified sites S268 and T308 were chosen to be mutated to nonphosphorylatable residues before their effect on CCR was investigated. Sites S262, S268, and T308 are important for CreA protein accumulation and cellular localization, DNA binding, and repression of enzyme activities. In agreement with a previous study, site S319 was not important for several here-tested phenotypes but is key for CreA degradation and induction of enzyme activities. All sites were shown to be important for glycogen and trehalose metabolism. This study highlights the importance of CreA phosphorylation sites for the regulation of CCR. These sites are interesting targets for biotechnological strain engineering without the need to delete essential genes, which could result in undesired side effects.IMPORTANCE In filamentous fungi, the transcription factor CreA controls carbohydrate metabolism through the regulation of genes encoding enzymes required for the use of alternative carbon sources. In this work, phosphorylation sites were identified on Aspergillus nidulans CreA, and subsequently, the two newly identified sites S268 and T308, the previously identified but uncharacterized site S262, and the previously characterized site S319 were chosen to be mutated to nonphosphorylatable residues before their effect on CCR was characterized. Sites S262, S268, and T308 are important for CreA protein accumulation and cellular localization, DNA binding, and repression of enzyme activities. In agreement with a previous study, site S319 is not important for several here-tested phenotypes but is key for CreA degradation and induction of enzyme activities. This work characterized novel CreA phosphorylation sites under carbon catabolite-repressing conditions and showed that they are crucial for CreA protein turnover, control of carbohydrate utilization, and biotechnologically relevant enzyme production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ozgur Bayram
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Paul Dowling
- Biology Department, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Yingying Chen
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Liguo Dong
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Kaeling Tan
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Laure N A Ries
- University of Exeter, MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
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Effect of Oligosaccharide Degree of Polymerization on the Induction of Xylan-Degrading Enzymes by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245849. [PMID: 33322262 PMCID: PMC7764074 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Xylan is one of the most abundant carbohydrates on Earth. Complete degradation of xylan is achieved by the collaborative action of endo-β-1,4-xylanases and β-d-xylosidases and a number of accessories enzymes. In filamentous fungi, the xylanolytic system is controlled through induction and repression. However, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Substrates containing xylan promote the induction of xylanases, which release xylooligosaccharides. These, in turn, induce expression of xylanase-encoding genes. Here, we aimed to determine which xylan degradation products acted as inducers, and whether the size of the released oligomer correlated with its induction strength. To this end, we compared xylanase production by different inducers, such as sophorose, lactose, cellooligosaccharides, and xylooligosaccharides in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Results indicate that xylooligosaccharides are more effective than other substrates at inducing endoxylanase and β-xylosidases. Moreover, we report a correlation between the degree of xylooligosaccharide polymerization and induction efficiency of each enzyme. Specifically, xylotetraose is the best inducer of endoxylanase, xylohexaose of extracellular β-xylosidase, and xylobiose of cell-bound β-xylosidase.
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Hong Y, Cai R, Guo J, Zhong Z, Bao J, Wang Z, Chen X, Zhou J, Lu GD. Carbon catabolite repressor MoCreA is required for the asexual development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 146:103496. [PMID: 33290821 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103496] [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] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During the infection and colonization process, the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae faces various challenges from hostile environment, such as nutrient limitation and carbon stress, while carbon catabolite repression (CCR) mechanism would facilitate the fungus to shrewdly and efficiently utilize carbon nutrients under fickle nutritional conditions since it ensures the preferential utilization of most preferred carbon sources through repressing the expression of enzymes required for the utilization of less preferred carbon sources. Researches on M. oryzae CCR have made some progress, however the involved regulation mechanism is still largely obscured, especially, little is known about the key carbon catabolite repressor CreA. Here we identified and characterized the biological functions of the CreA homolog MoCreA in M. oryzae. MoCreA is constitutively expressed throughout all the life stages of the fungus, and it can shuttle between nucleus and cytoplasm which is induced by glucose. Following functional analyses of MoCreA suggested that it was required for the vegetative growth, conidiation, appressorium formation and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Moreover, comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that disruption of MoCreA resulted in the extensive gene expression variations, including a large number of carbon metabolism enzymes, transcription factors and pathogenicity-related genes. Taken together, our results demonstrated that, as a key regulator of CCR, MoCreA plays a vital role in precise regulation of the asexual development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghe Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Renli Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jiayuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhenhui Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jiandong Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zonghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Guo-Dong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Transcriptomic Insights into the Antifungal Effects of Magnolol on the Growth and Mycotoxin Production of Alternaria alternata. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12100665. [PMID: 33092244 PMCID: PMC7594048 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12100665] [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: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternaria alternata is an important phytopathogen causing fruit black rot and also producing a variety of mycotoxins, such as alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) as two main contaminants. This could lead to economic losses of agricultural products as well as human health risks. In this study, magnolol extracted from the traditional Chinese herb, Mangnolia officinalis, exhibited an obvious antifungal property and could completely suppress the mycelial growth at 100 μM. Morphological differences of A. alternata were observed to be significantly shrunk and wrinkled after the exposure to magnolol. Furthermore, AOH and AME were no longer produced in response to 50 μM of magnolol. To uncover the antifungal and antimycotoxigenic mechanisms, the transcriptomic profiles of A. alternata—treated with or without magnolol—were evaluated. The clustered genes responsible for AOH and AME biosynthesis were obviously less transcribed under magnolol stress and this was further confirmed by qRT-PCR. The global regulators of carbon and nitrogen utilization, such as CreA and NmrA, were significantly down-regulated and this possibly caused the reduction in mycotoxins. In addition, fatty acid β-oxidation was regarded to contribute to polyketide mycotoxin production for the supply of precursor acetyl-CoA while the expression of these related genes was inhibited. The response to magnolol led to the marked alteration of oxidative stress and the down-expression of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway from the transcriptome data and the determination of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) assays. This above might be the very reason for the growth supression and mycotoxin production of A. alternata by magnolol. This study provides new insights into its potential as an important active ingredient for the control of A. alternata and its mycotoxins in fruits and their products.
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47
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de Assis LJ, Silva LP, Liu L, Schmitt K, Valerius O, Braus GH, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. The High Osmolarity Glycerol Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase regulates glucose catabolite repression in filamentous fungi. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008996. [PMID: 32841242 PMCID: PMC7473523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The utilization of different carbon sources in filamentous fungi underlies a complex regulatory network governed by signaling events of different protein kinase pathways, including the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) and protein kinase A (PKA) pathways. This work unraveled cross-talk events between these pathways in governing the utilization of preferred (glucose) and non-preferred (xylan, xylose) carbon sources in the reference fungus Aspergillus nidulans. An initial screening of a library of 103 non-essential protein kinase (NPK) deletion strains identified several mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to be important for carbon catabolite repression (CCR). We selected the MAPKs Ste7, MpkB, and PbsA for further characterization and show that they are pivotal for HOG pathway activation, PKA activity, CCR via regulation of CreA cellular localization and protein accumulation, as well as for hydrolytic enzyme secretion. Protein-protein interaction studies show that Ste7, MpkB, and PbsA are part of the same protein complex that regulates CreA cellular localization in the presence of xylan and that this complex dissociates upon the addition of glucose, thus allowing CCR to proceed. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) A was also identified as part of this protein complex and shown to potentially phosphorylate two serine residues of the HOG MAPKK PbsA. This work shows that carbon source utilization is subject to cross-talk regulation by protein kinases of different signaling pathways. Furthermore, this study provides a model where the correct integration of PKA, HOG, and GSK signaling events are required for the utilization of different carbon sources. Filamentous fungi secrete an array of biotechnologically valuable enzymes, with enzyme production being inhibited in the presence of preferred carbon sources, such as glucose, in a process known as carbon catabolite repression (CCR). This work unravels upstream signalling events that regulate CCR in Aspergillus nidulans. Different mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were identified and shown to be crucial for CCR and protein kinase A (PKA) activity, which is essential for carbon source utilisation in filamentous fungi. Furthermore, the MAPKs formed a protein complex with additional protein kinases, such as glycogen synthase kinase (GSK), which is important for glucose metabolism; resulting in the inhibition of CCR in the presence of non-preferred carbon sources. GSK was shown to potentially phosphorylate the MAPK PbsA of the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. This study thus unravels the cross-talk between protein kinases from different signalling pathways that regulate carbon source utilisation in filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro José de Assis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schmitt
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Valerius
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H. Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Laure Nicolas Annick Ries
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Bloco Q, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- * E-mail: (GHB); (LNAR); (GHG)
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Okal EJ, Aslam MM, Karanja JK, Nyimbo WJ. Mini review: Advances in understanding regulation of cellulase enzyme in white-rot basidiomycetes. Microb Pathog 2020; 147:104410. [PMID: 32707312 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
White-rot basidiomycetic fungi have gained a lot of scientific attention in recent years owing to their ability to produce cellulase enzymes that are of great importance in numerous industrial applications. This has seen a rise in number of studies seeking to comprehend both physical and molecular mechanisms that regulate the production of cellulase enzymes in these fungi. Cellulase has several applications in production of food and beverages, biofuel, biological detergents, pharmaceuticals, and deinking in paper and pulp industry. Enhanced understanding of genetic mechanisms that regulate cellulase production would have utility for optimal cellulase production in white-rot basidiomycetes using biotechnology approaches. Carbon catabolite repression and various transcriptional factors such as XlnR, Cre, Clr, Ace, and gna1 control expression of genes encoding cellobiohydrolase (CBH), endoglucanase (EGL) and β-glucosidase (BGL). In this review, we have consolidated and summarised some of recent findings on genetic regulation of cellulase with an aim of highlighting the general regulatory mechanisms that underlie cellulase expressions in white-rot fungi. This review further outlines some of important transcription factors that regulate cellulase genes, and key research gaps that may need to be addressed by future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyalira J Okal
- Juncao Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China.
| | - Mehtab Muhammad Aslam
- Center for Plant Water-Use and Nutrition Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Joint International Research Laboratory of Water and Nutrient in Cops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
| | - Joseph K Karanja
- Center for Plant Water-Use and Nutrition Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Joint International Research Laboratory of Water and Nutrient in Cops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
| | - Witness J Nyimbo
- Juncao Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
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Zhang T, Liu H, Lv B, Li C. Regulating Strategies for Producing Carbohydrate Active Enzymes by Filamentous Fungal Cell Factories. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:691. [PMID: 32733865 PMCID: PMC7360787 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00691] [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: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are important eukaryotic organisms crucial in substrate degradation and carbon cycle on the earth and have been harnessed as cell factories for the production of proteins and other high value-added products in recent decades. As cell factories, filamentous fungi play a crucial role in industrial protein production as both native hosts and heterologous hosts. In this review, the regulation strategies of carbohydrate active enzyme expression at both transcription level and protein level are introduced, and the transcription regulations are highlighted with induction mechanism, signaling pathway, and promoter and transcription factor regulation. Afterward, the regulation strategies in protein level including suitable posttranslational modification, protein secretion enhancement, and protease reduction are also presented. Finally, the challenges and perspectives in this field are discussed. In this way, a comprehensive knowledge regarding carbohydrate active enzyme production regulation at both transcriptional and protein levels is provided with the particular goal of aiding in the practical application of filamentous fungi for industrial protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Zhang
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Hu Liu
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Lv
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Chun Li
- Institute for Synthetic Biosystem/Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Key Lab for Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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50
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Ries LNA, Pardeshi L, Dong Z, Tan K, Steenwyk JL, Colabardini AC, Ferreira Filho JA, de Castro PA, Silva LP, Preite NW, Almeida F, de Assis LJ, dos Santos RAC, Bowyer P, Bromley M, Owens RA, Doyle S, Demasi M, Hernández DCR, Netto LES, Pupo MT, Rokas A, Loures FV, Wong KH, Goldman GH. The Aspergillus fumigatus transcription factor RglT is important for gliotoxin biosynthesis and self-protection, and virulence. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008645. [PMID: 32667960 PMCID: PMC7384679 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that secretes an array of immune-modulatory molecules, including secondary metabolites (SMs), which contribute to enhancing fungal fitness and growth within the mammalian host. Gliotoxin (GT) is a SM that interferes with the function and recruitment of innate immune cells, which are essential for eliminating A. fumigatus during invasive infections. We identified a C6 Zn cluster-type transcription factor (TF), subsequently named RglT, important for A. fumigatus oxidative stress resistance, GT biosynthesis and self-protection. RglT regulates the expression of several gli genes of the GT biosynthetic gene cluster, including the oxidoreductase-encoding gene gliT, by directly binding to their respective promoter regions. Subsequently, RglT was shown to be important for virulence in a chemotherapeutic murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Homologues of RglT and GliT are present in eurotiomycete and sordariomycete fungi, including the non-GT-producing fungus A. nidulans, where a conservation of function was described. Phylogenetically informed model testing led to an evolutionary scenario in which the GliT-based resistance mechanism is ancestral and RglT-mediated regulation of GliT occurred subsequently. In conclusion, this work describes the function of a previously uncharacterised TF in oxidative stress resistance, GT biosynthesis and self-protection in both GT-producing and non-producing Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure N. A. Ries
- Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lakhansing Pardeshi
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Zhiqiang Dong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Kaeling Tan
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Centre for Precision Medicine and Research and Training, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jaire A. Ferreira Filho
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Patricia A. de Castro
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lilian P. Silva
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nycolas W. Preite
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Leandro J. de Assis
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Renato A. C. dos Santos
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Marilene Demasi
- Institute Butantan, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diego C. R. Hernández
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Monica T. Pupo
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Flavio V. Loures
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Koon H. Wong
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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