Analysis of genomic regions of Trichoderma harzianum IOC-3844 related to biomass degradation

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 2;10(4):e0122122. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122122. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Trichoderma harzianum IOC-3844 secretes high levels of cellulolytic-active enzymes and is therefore a promising strain for use in biotechnological applications in second-generation bioethanol production. However, the T. harzianum biomass degradation mechanism has not been well explored at the genetic level. The present work investigates six genomic regions (~150 kbp each) in this fungus that are enriched with genes related to biomass conversion. A BAC library consisting of 5,760 clones was constructed, with an average insert length of 90 kbp. The assembled BAC sequences revealed 232 predicted genes, 31.5% of which were related to catabolic pathways, including those involved in biomass degradation. An expression profile analysis based on RNA-Seq data demonstrated that putative regulatory elements, such as membrane transport proteins and transcription factors, are located in the same genomic regions as genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and exhibit similar expression profiles. Thus, we demonstrate a rapid and efficient tool that focuses on specific genomic regions by combining a BAC library with transcriptomic data. This is the first BAC-based structural genomic study of the cellulolytic fungus T. harzianum, and its findings provide new perspectives regarding the use of this species in biomass degradation processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Biofuels
  • Biomass
  • Biotechnology
  • Cellulase / genetics
  • Cellulase / metabolism
  • Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / genetics
  • Ethanol / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genome, Fungal
  • Hydrolysis
  • Trichoderma / genetics*
  • Trichoderma / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Ethanol
  • Cellulase

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Nível Superior (CAPES, Proj Bio-Computacional) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). AJCV, CAS, DAS, LB, MACH and MAST were recipients of PhD fellowships from FAPESP, and AC was a recipient of graduate fellowships from CNPQ (PhD degree) and FAPESP (MSc. Degree, proc. 2009/13185-3). APS and MV were recipients of research fellowships from CNPq.