Title: Re-routing of Sugar Catabolism Provides a Better Insight Into Fungal Flexibility in Using Plant Biomass-Derived Monomers as Substrates

Abstract

The filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus niger has received increasing interest as a cell factory, being able to efficiently degrade plant cell wall polysaccharides as well as having an extensive metabolism to convert the released monosaccharides into value added compounds. The pentoses D-xylose and L-arabinose are the most abundant monosaccharides in plant biomass after the hexose D-glucose, being major constituents of xylan, pectin and xyloglucan. In this study, the influence of selected pentose catabolic pathway (PCP) deletion strains on growth on plant biomass and re-routing of sugar catabolism was addressed to gain a better understanding of the flexibility of this fungus in using plant biomass-derived monomers. The transcriptome, metabolome and proteome response of three PCP mutant strains, ΔlarAΔxyrAΔxyrB, ΔladAΔxdhAΔsdhA and ΔxkiA, grown on wheat bran (WB) and sugar beet pulp (SBP), was evaluated. Our results showed that despite the absolute impact of these PCP mutations on pure pentose sugars, they are not as critical for growth of A. niger on more complex biomass substrates, such as WB and SBP. However, significant phenotypic variation was observed between the two biomass substrates, but also between the different PCP mutants. This shows that the high sugar heterogeneity of these substrates in combination with the highmore » complexity and adaptability of the fungal sugar metabolism allow for activation of alternative strategies to support growth.« less

Authors:

Chroumpi, Tania ^[1]; Peng, Mao ^[1]; Markillie, Lye Meng ^[2]; Mitchell, Hugh D. ^[2]; Nicora, Carrie D.  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Nicora, Carrie D."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-2461-9548"

Hutchinson, Chelsea M. ^[2]; Paurus, Vanessa L. ^[2]; Tolic, Nikola ^[2]; Clendinen, Chaevien S. ^[2]; Orr, Galya  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Orr, Galya"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-5552-2151"

Baker, Scott E.  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Baker, Scott E."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-5085-3106"

Makela, Miia ^[3]; de Vries, Ronald P. ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Utrecht (Netherlands)
2. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
3. Univ. of Utrecht (Netherlands); Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)

Publication Date:

Mon Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2021

Research Org.:

Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Academy of Finland

OSTI Identifier:

1785530

Report Number(s):

PNNL-SA-158642
Journal ID: ISSN 2296-4185

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-76RL01830; 308284

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2296-4185

Publisher:

Frontiers Research Foundation

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; lignocellulosic substrates; pentose catabolic pathway; D-galacturonic acid catabolic pathway; L-rhamnose catabolic pathway; wheat bran; sugar beet pulp; CAZymes; Aspergillus niger