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The Function of the XlnR Transcription Factor in the Filamentous Fungus Penicillium verruculosum

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Abstract

The Penicillium verruculosum filamentous fungus is a highly active producer of cellulolytic complex enzymes, cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases and β-glucosidases. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system, previously adapted to P. verruculosum, a strain with a knockout of the xlnR gene encoding XlnR, one of the main transcription factors of filamentous fungi, has been obtained. The transcription level of cellulolytic genes was determined by quantitative PCR for the P. verruculosum B1-221-151 strain and the new P. verruculosum ΔxlnR strain. The XlnR protein was shown to activate transcription of the cbh1, egl2, and bgl1 genes encoding cellobiohydrolase 1, endoglucanase 2, and β-glucosidase, respectively, in the presence of xylose and xylooligosaccharides in the growth medium. It was found that other factors are also involved in the activation of transcription of these genes by cellobiose, cellotriose, sophorose, and gentiobiose, which has a complex effect on the biosynthesis of the cellulolytic complex of enzymes produced by the P. verruculosum fungus.

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Funding

The study was financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 22-24-00997).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundamentals of Biotechnology Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    V. Yu. Kislitsin, A. M. Chulkin, I. N. Zorov, I. G. Sinelnikov, A. P. Sinitsyn & A. M. Rozhkova

  2. Faculty of Chemistry, Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    I. N. Zorov & A. P. Sinitsyn

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  1. V. Yu. Kislitsin
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  2. A. M. Chulkin
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  3. I. N. Zorov
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  4. I. G. Sinelnikov
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  6. A. M. Rozhkova
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Correspondence to A. M. Rozhkova.

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Translated by I. Gordon

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Abbreviations: BG, β-glucosidase; СBH, cellobiohydrolase; COS, cello-oligosaccharide; EG, endoglucanase; MCC, microcrystalline cellulose; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; qPCR, quantitative (real-time) PCR; WI, without inducer; XOS, xylo-oligosaccharide.

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Kislitsin, V.Y., Chulkin, A.M., Zorov, I.N. et al. The Function of the XlnR Transcription Factor in the Filamentous Fungus Penicillium verruculosum. Appl Biochem Microbiol 59, 1140–1149 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0003683823090053

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