Enzymatic Adaptation of Podospora anserina to Different Plant Biomass Provides Leads to Optimized Commercial Enzyme Cocktails

• Published in: Biotechnology journal 2019-04, Vol.14 (4), p.e1800185-n/a
• Main Authors: Benocci, Tiziano, Daly, Paul, Aguilar‐Pontes, Maria Victoria, Lail, Kathleen, Wang, Mei, Lipzen, Anna, Ng, Vivian, Grigoriev, Igor V., de Vries, Ronald P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amylases - chemistry; Biomass; Biotechnology - methods; CAZy; coprophilous fungi; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Glycine max - chemistry; lignocellulose degradation; lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs); Podospora - enzymology; Podospora - genetics; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Proteomics; Substrate Specificity; Transcriptome - genetics; Zea mays - chemistry; Zea mays - enzymology
• ISSN: 1860-6768; 1860-7314
• DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800185

As a late colonizer of herbivore dung, Podospora anserina has evolved an enzymatic machinery to degrade the more recalcitrant fraction of plant biomass, suggesting a great potential for biotechnology applications. The authors investigated its transcriptome during growth on two industrial feedstocks, soybean hulls (SBH) and corn stover (CS). Initially, CS and SBH results in the expression of hemicellulolytic and amylolytic genes, respectively, while at later time points a more diverse gene set is induced, especially for SBH. Substrate adaptation is also observed for carbon catabolism. Overall, SBH resulted in a larger diversity of expressed genes, confirming previous proteomics studies. The results not only provide an in depth view on the transcriptomic adaptation of P. anserina to substrate composition, but also point out strategies to improve saccharification of plant biomass at the industrial level. Podospora anserina appeared to have evolved an enzymatic machinery to degrade the more recalcitrant fraction of plant biomass, resulting in a great potential for biotechnology applications. Growth on two industrial feedstocks, soybean hulls (SBH) and corn stover (CS) is investigated through a time‐course transcriptomic analysis. This study results in a deep view of the transcriptomic adaptation of P. anserina to substrate composition and a larger diversity of express CAZyme genes in SBH, but also highlight strategies to improve saccharification of plant biomass at the industrial level.