This fungus switches on dozens of genes to dissolve plant walls
Hu L, Yang Y, Akresi JE, Zhang Y, Liang T
Crop Improvement
The rotting fruit or fallen leaves breaking down in your compost pile owe that decay to fungal enzymes just like the ones this study decoded, and understanding them better could speed up composting and turn crop waste into fuel.
Researchers studied a fungus found on tobacco leaves that's remarkably good at dissolving pectin, the substance that glues plant cells together and gives fruit its firmness. By watching which genes the fungus switched on when exposed to pectin, they found it activates dozens of genes for enzymes that chew through the plant material and then digest the resulting sugars for energy. They even built one of these enzymes in the lab to confirm it works, opening the door to using this fungal toolkit for things like biofuel production or breaking down agricultural waste.
Key Findings
1,435 genes changed activity when the fungus was exposed to pectin, with 757 turned up and 678 turned down
47 genes for pectin-digesting enzymes were identified, including 18 upregulated genes with signal peptides suggesting they're secreted outside the cell
A lab-made version of one enzyme (endo-polygalacturonase) confirmed it can break down pectin, and researchers found a shared genetic 'switch' sequence controlling many of these genes
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists mapped which genes a plant-decaying fungus turns on when breaking down pectin, the glue-like substance in plant cell walls, revealing a toolkit of enzymes that could be harnessed for biofuel production and agricultural waste processing.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Transcriptome study of Talaromyces verruculosus TS63-9 for pectin-degrading CAZymes.
Pectins are a primary structural component of plant cell walls. In a previous study, we isolated a fungal strain, Talaromyces verruculosus TS63-9, which exhibited a high pectinase activity (142.43 ...
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