Orthogonal metabolism of cellodextrin and xylodextrin is the keystone of synchronous utilization of cellulose and hemicellulose in Myceliophthora thermophila

ABSTRACT: Plant biomass holds tremendous potential as a renewable feedstock in the production of biofuels and biochemicals. The effective co-utilization of the main components cellulose and hemicellulose in plant lignocellulose is critical to the economic viability of lignocellulosic biorefineries. Here, we found that the thermophilic cellulolytic fungi Myceliophthora thermophila can utilize cellulose and hemicellulose synchronously. To investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms, we firstly checked the soluble carbohydrate of the culture using plant biomass (corncob) as sole carbon source and revealed the presence of various oligosaccharides including cellodextrin and xylodextrin, both intracellularly and extracellularly in the cultures, in addition to glucose or xylose. Based on these, intracellular oligosaccharide metabolism was proposed and confirmed by identification of cellodextrin and xylodextrin metabolism pathway. Furthermore, sugar consumption assay showed that contrasting with synchronous utilization of mixed cello-/xylo-dextrin, the inhibition effect of glucose for the metabolism of xylose and cello-/xylo-dextrin exists in this fungus, suggesting Carbon Catabolite Repression (CCR) is largely avoided at the form of oligosaccharides. Transporter MtCDT-2 showing preference to xylobiose and the tolerance of cellobiose inhibition also helps to bypass metabolic inhibition. Finally, the expression of cellulase and hemicellulase genes, were found orthogonal induction by cellobiose/Avicel and xylobiose/xylan, which conferred the ability of the strain to synchronously utilize cellulose and hemicellulose. Taken together, the orthogonal oligosaccharide catabolic pathway in this fungus establishes the molecular basis for the synchronous utilization of cellulose and hemicellulose, which sheds new light on understanding the plant biomass degradation by fungi and provides alternative paradigm for development of lignocellulose biorefinery such as consolidated bioprocessing in the future.

ORGANISM(S): Thermothelomyces thermophilus

PROVIDER: GSE222371 | GEO | 2024/02/28

REPOSITORIES: GEO