Project description:Filamentous fungi are promising organisms for lignin degradation and mineralization. However, novel lignin-degrading fungal species are underexplored. Here, we isolated a fungal strain of Curvularia clavata that can utilize lignosulfonate as the carbon source and exhibited a relative high laccase activity during growth on lignosulfonate. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the WT strain grown on glucose and lignosulfonate indicates that lignosulfonate and/or its metabolites have a significant effect on the gene expression profiles of C. clavata J1. Three regulators of laccase activity were identified, including a methyltransferase CcLaeA and two transcription factors, Rpn-4 and Tah-1. When grown on lignosulfonate, the laccase activity of the CclaeA and rpn-4 disrupted mutants (ΔCclaeA and Δrpn-4) increased by 49.2% and 43.5%, respectively, compared to the wild-type (WT) strain, whereas the tah-1 disrupted mutant (Δtah-1) decreased by 59.2%.
Project description:Lignin, a recalcitrant aromatic biopolymer, represents a promising feedstock for sustainable biorefining. In this study, we characterized the transcriptional response of the fungus Curvularia clavata J1 to alkali lignin (AL) and developed a Cu2+-inducible MCM5–AID base editing system for genome-wide C-to-T and G-to-A mutagenesis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that AL exposure triggered upregulation of genes involved in electron transport, lipid catabolism, and iron homeostasis. Using droplet microfluidics, we conducted ultrahigh-throughput screening and identified a mutant strain, M6, exhibiting superior phenotypic traits. When cultivated in lignosulfonate medium, M6 showed a 33–36% increase in lipid production and a 75–87% enhancement in laccase activity. Transcriptional profiling further indicated reinforced metabolic pathways related to fatty acid, steroid, and glycerolipid biosynthesis, redirecting carbon flux toward the formation of oil-enriched single-cell protein. This study establishes an integrated platform for lignin valorization and underscores the synergy between synthetic biology and microfluidics for precision engineering of fungal hosts.
Project description:Primary objectives: The primary objective is to investigate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via deep sequencing for mutation detection and by whole genome sequencing for copy number analyses before start (baseline) with regorafenib and at defined time points during administration of regorafenib for treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer patients in terms of overall survival (OS).
Primary endpoints: circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via deep sequencing for mutation detection and by whole genome sequencing for copy number analyses before start (baseline) with regorafenib and at defined time points during administration of regorafenib for treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer patients in terms of overall survival (OS).