Cloning, sequencing and enhanced expression of the Trichoderma reesei endoxylanase II (pI 9) gene xln2

The Trichoderma reesei xln2 gene coding for the pI 9.0 endoxylanase was isolated from the wild-type strain QM6a. The gene contains one intron of 108 nucleotides and codes for a protein of 223 amino acids in which two putative N-glycosylation target sites were found. Three different T. reesei strains were transformed by targeting a construct composed of the xln2 gene, including its promoter, to the endogenous cbh1 locus. Highest overall production levels of xylanase were obtained using T. reesei ALK02721, a genetically engineered strain, as a host. Integration into the cbh1 locus was not required for enhanced expression under control of the xln2 promoter.     

Enhanced Production of Trichoderma reesei Endoglucanases and Use of the New Cellulase Preparations in Producing the Stonewashed Effect on Denim Fabric

Trichoderma reesei strains were constructed for production of elevated amounts of endoglucanase II (EGII) with or without cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI). The endoglucanase activity produced by the EGII transformants correlated with the copy number of the egl2 expression cassette. One copy of the egl2 expression cassette in which the egl2 was under the cbh1 promoter increased production of endoglucanase activity 2.3-fold, and two copies increased production about 3-fold above that of the parent strain. When the enzyme with elevated EGII content was used, an improved stonewashing effect on denim fabric was achieved. A T. reesei strain producing high amounts of EGI and -II activities without CBHI and -II was constructed by replacing the cbh2 locus with the coding region of the egl2 gene in the EGI-overproducing CBHI-negative strain. Production of endoglucanase activity by the EG-transformant strain was increased fourfold above that of the host strain. The filter paper-degrading activity of the endoglucanase-overproducing strain was lowered to below detection, presumably because of the lack of cellobiohydrolases.     

High frequency one-step gene replacement in Trichoderma reesei. I. Endoglucanase I overproduction

The chromosomal cellobiohydrolase 1 locus (cbh1) of the biotechnologically important filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei was replaced in a single-step procedure by an expression cassette containing an endoglucanase I cDNA (egl1) under control of the cbh1 promoter. CBHI protein was missing from 37–63% of the transformants, showing that targeting of the linear expression cassette to the cbh1 locus was efficient. Studies of expression of the intact cbh1-egl1 cassette at the cbh1 locus revealed that egl1 cDNA is expressed from the cbh1 promoter as efficiently as cbh1 itself. Furthermore, a strain carrying two copies of the cbh1-egl1 expression cassette produced twice as much EG I as the amount of CBHI, the major cellulase protein, produced by the host strain. The level of egl1-specific mRNA in the single-copy transformant was about 10-fold higher than that found in the non transformed host strain, indicating that the cbh1 promoter is about 10 times stronger than the egl1 promoter. The 10-fold increase in the secreted EG I protein, measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), correlated well with the increase in egl1-specific mRNA.     

High frequency one-step gene replacement in Trichoderma reesei. I. Endoglucanase I overproduction

The chromosomal cellobiohydrolase 1 locus (cbh1) of the biotechnologically important filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei was replaced in a single-step procedure by an expression cassette containing an endoglucanase I cDNA (egl1) under control of the cbh1 promoter. CBHI protein was missing from 37–63% of the transformants, showing that targeting of the linear expression cassette to the cbh1 locus was efficient. Studies of expression of the intact cbh1-egl1 cassette at the cbh1 locus revealed that egl1 cDNA is expressed from the cbh1 promoter as efficiently as cbh1 itself. Furthermore, a strain carrying two copies of the cbh1-egl1 expression cassette produced twice as much EG I as the amount of CBHI, the major cellulase protein, produced by the host strain. The level of egl1-specific mRNA in the single-copy transformant was about 10-fold higher than that found in the non transformed host strain, indicating that the cbh1 promoter is about 10 times stronger than the egl1 promoter. The 10-fold increase in the secreted EG I protein, measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), correlated well with the increase in egl1-specific mRNA.     

Improvement of cellulase activity in Trichoderma reesei by heterologous expression of a beta-glucosidase gene from Penicillium decumbens

Trichoderma reesei is a well-known cellulase producer and widely applied in enzyme industry. To increase its ability to efficiently decompose cellulose, the beta-glucosidase activity of its enzyme cocktail needs to be enhanced. In this study, a beta-glucosidase I coding sequence from Penicillium decumbens was ligated with the cellobiohydrolase I (cbh1) promoter of T. reesei and introduced into the genome of T. reesei strain Rut-C30 by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In comparison to that from the parent strain, the beta-glucosidase activity of the enzyme complexes from two selected transformants increased 6- to 8-fold and their filter paper activity (FPAs) was enhanced by 30% on average. The transformant's saccharifying ability towards pretreated cornstalk was also significantly enhanced. To further confirm the effect of heterologous beta-glucosidase on the cellulase activity of T. reesei, the heterologously expressed pBGL1 was purified and added to the enzyme complex produced by T. reesei Rut-C30. Supplementation of the Rut-C30 enzyme complex with pBGL1 brought about 80% increase of glucose yield during the saccharification of pretreated cornstalk. Our results indicated that the heterologous expression of a beta-glucosidase gene in T. reesei might produce balanced cellulase preparation.     

Construction of two vectors for gene expression in Trichoderma reesei

We report the construction of two filamentous fungi Trichoderma reesei expression vectors, pWEF31 and pWEF32. Both vectors possess the hygromycin phosphotransferase B gene expression cassette and the strong promoter and terminator of the cellobiohydrolase 1 gene (cbh1) from T. reesei. The two newly constructed vectors can be efficiently transformed into T. reesei with Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The difference between pWEF31 and pWEF32 is that pWEF32 has two longer homologous arms. As a result, pWEF32 easily undergoes homologous recombination. On the other hand, pWEF31 undergoes random recombination. The applicability of both vectors was tested by first generating the expression vectors pWEF31-red and pWEF32-red and then detecting the expression of the DsRed2 gene in T. reesei Rut C30. Additionally, we measured the exo-1,4-β-glucanase activity of the recombinant cells. Our work provides an effective transformation system for homologous and heterologous gene expression and gene knockout in T. reesei. It also provides a method for recombination at a specific chromosomal location. Finally, both vectors will be useful for the large-scale gene expression industry.     

Enhanced production of cellobiohydrolases in Trichoderma reesei and evaluation of the new preparations in biofinishing of cotton

In the search for suitable cellulase combinations for industrial biofinishing of cotton, five different types of Trichoderma reesei strains were constructed for elevated cellobiohydrolase production: CBHI overproducers with and without endoglucanase I (EGI), CBHII overproducers with and without endoglucanase II (EGII) and strains overproducing both CBHI and CBHII without the major endoglucanases I and II. One additional copy of cbh1 gene increased production of CBHI protein 1.3-fold, and two copies 1.5-fold according to ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The level of total secreted proteins was increased in CBHI transformants as compared to the host strain. One copy of the cbh2 expression cassette in which the cbh2 was expressed from the cbh1 promoter increased production of CBHII protein three- to four-fold when compared to the host strain. T. reesei strains producing elevated amounts of both CBHI and CBHII without EGI and EGII were constructed by replacing the egl1 locus with the coding region of the cbh1 gene and the egl2 locus with the coding region of cbh2. The cbh1 was expressed from its own promoter and the cbh2 gene using either the cbh1 or cbh2 promoter. Production of CBHI by the CBH-transformants was increased up to 1.6-fold and production of CBHII up to 3.4-fold as compared with the host strain. Approximately similar amounts of CBHII protein were produced by using cbh1 or cbh2 promoters. When the enzyme preparation with elevated CBHII content was used in biofinishing of cotton, better depilling and visual appearance were achieved than with the wild type preparation; however, the improvement was not as pronounced as with preparations with elevated levels of endoglucanases (EG).     

The glucose repressor genecre1 ofTrichoderma: Isolation and expression of a full-length and a truncated mutant form

Thecre1 genes of the filamentous fungiTrichoderma reesei andT. harzianum were isolated and characterized. The deduced CREI proteins are 46% identical to the product of the glucose repressor genecreA ofAspergillus nidulans, encoding a DNA-binding protein with zinc fingers of the C₂H₂ type. Thecre1 promoters contain several sequence elements that are identical to the previously identified binding sites forA. nidulans CREA. Steady-state mRNA levels forcre1 of theT. reesei strain QM9414 varied depending on the carbon source, being low on glucose-containing media. These observations suggest thatcre1 expression may be autoregulated. TheT. reesei strain Rut-C30, a hyperproducer of cellulolytic enzymes, was found to express a truncated form of thecre1 gene (cre1-1) with an ORF corresponding to a protein of 95 amino acids with only one zinc finger. Unlike QM9414 the strain Rut-C30 produced cellulase mRNAs on glucose-containing medium and transformation of the full-lengthcre1 gene into this strain caused glucose repression ofcbh1 expression, demonstrating thatcre1 regulates cellulase expression.     

A high performance Trichoderma reesei strain that reveals the importance of xylanase III in cellulosic biomass conversion

The ability of the Trichoderma reesei X3AB1strain enzyme preparations to convert cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars is enhanced by the replacement of xyn3 by Aspergillus aculeatus β-glucosidase 1 gene (aabg1), as shown in our previous study.However, subsequent experiments using T. reesei extracts supplemented with the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 10 xylanase III (XYN III) and GH Family 11 XYN II showed increased conversion of alkaline treated cellulosic biomass, which is rich in xylan, underscoring the importance of XYN III.To attain optimal saccharifying potential in T. reesei, we constructed two new strains, C1AB1 and E1AB1, in which aabg1 was expressed heterologously by means of the cbh1 or egl1 promoters, respectively, so that the endogenous XYN III synthesis remained intact. Due to the presence of wild-type xyn3 in T. reesei E1AB1, enzymes prepared from this strain were 20–30% more effective in the saccharification of alkaline-pretreated rice straw than enzyme extracts from X3AB1, and also outperformed recent commercial cellulase preparations. Our results demonstrate the importance of XYN III in the conversion of alkaline-pretreated cellulosic biomass by T. reesei.     

High-Yield Production of a Bacterial Xylanase in the Filamentous Fungus Trichoderma reesei Requires a Carrier Polypeptide with an Intact Domain Structure

A bacterial xylanase gene, Nonomuraea flexuosa xyn11A, was expressed in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei from the strong cellobiohydrolase 1 promoter as fusions to a variety of carrier polypeptides. By using single-copy isogenic transformants, it was shown that production of this xylanase was clearly increased (up to 820 mg/liter) when it was produced as a fusion protein with a carrier polypeptide having an intact domain structure compared to the production (150 to 300 mg/liter) of fusions to the signal sequence alone or to carriers having incomplete domain structures. The carriers tested were the T. reesei mannanase I (Man5A, or MANI) core-hinge and a fragment thereof and the cellulose binding domain of T. reesei cellobiohydrolase II (Cel6A, or CBHII) with and without the hinge region(s) and a fragment thereof. The flexible hinge region was shown to have a positive effect on both the production of Xyn11A and the efficiency of cleavage of the fusion polypeptide. The recombinant Xyn11A produced had properties similar to those of the native xylanase. It constituted 6 to 10% of the total proteins secreted by the transformants. About three times more of the Man5A core-hinge carrier polypeptide than of the recombinant Xyn11A was observed. Even in the best Xyn11A producers, the levels of the fusion mRNAs were only ~10% of the level of cel7A (cbh1) mRNA in the untransformed host strain.     

High efficient expression of cellobiase gene from Aspergillus niger in the cells of Trichoderma reesei

The cellobiase gene from Aspergillus niger was cloned and connected with the strong promoter Pcbh1 from Trichoderma reesei to construct a recombinant plasmid pHB9 with the hygromycin B resistance marker. The plasmid was transformed into conidia of T. reesei using the modified PEG-CaCl₂ method. Main factors effecting the transformation were discussed and about 99-113 transformants/μg DNA could be obtained under optimal conditions. It was found that the molecular mass of the recombinant cellobiase was about 120 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis. The activity of cellobiase could reach 5.3 IU/ml after 48 h fermentation, which was as high as 106 times compared with that of the host strain. Meanwhile, the filter paper activity of recombinant T. reesei was 1.44-fold of the host strain. Saccharification of corncob residue with the crude enzyme showed that the hydrolysis yield (84.2%) of recombinant T. reesei was 21% higher than that (69.5%) of the host strain.     

ACEI of Trichoderma reesei Is a Repressor of Cellulase and Xylanase Expression

We characterized the effect of deletion of the Trichoderma reesei (Hypocrea jecorina) ace1 gene encoding the novel cellulase regulator ACEI that was isolated based on its ability to bind to and activate in vivo in Saccharomyces cerevisiae the promoter of the main cellulase gene, cbh1. Deletion of ace1 resulted in an increase in the expression of all the main cellulase genes and two xylanase genes in sophorose- and cellulose-induced cultures, indicating that ACEI acts as a repressor of cellulase and xylanase expression. Growth of the strain with a deletion of the ace1 gene on different carbon sources was analyzed. On cellulose-based medium, on which cellulases are needed for growth, the Δace1 strain grew better than the host strain due to the increased cellulase production. On culture media containing sorbitol as the sole carbon source, the growth of the strain with a deletion of the ace1 gene was severely impaired, suggesting that ACEI regulates expression of other genes in addition to cellulase and xylanase genes. A strain with a deletion of the ace1 gene and with a deletion of the ace2 gene coding for the cellulase and xylanase activator ACEII expressed cellulases and xylanases similar to the Δace1 strain, indicating that yet another activator regulating cellulase and xylanase promoters was present.     

High expression of a neutral endo-β-glucanase gene from Humicola insolens in Trichoderma reesei

The neutral endo-β-glucanase gene cel5A from Humicola insolens was cloned and connected with the cellobiohydrolase 1 promoter from Trichoderma reesei to construct a recombinant plasmid pCB-hEG with the hygromycin B resistance marker. The plasmid was introduced into conidia of T. reesei using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation method. Eight transformants were obtained on screening plates with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as the sole carbon source. Stable integration of the cel5A gene into the chromosomal DNA of T. reesei was confirmed by PCR. An obvious protein band (approximately 52 kDa) was detected by SDS-PAGE from fermentation broth, which showed that the cel5A gene in recombinant T. reesei successfully fulfilled efficient expression and extracellular secretion. After 96 h shaking-flask fermentation, the endo-β-glucanase activity at pH 6.5 from recombinant T. reesei reached 3,068 U/ml, which was 11 times higher than that of the host strain. In a 2 m³ fermenter, the endo-β-glucanase activity could be further increased to 8,012 U/ml after 96 h fermentation. The results showed a good prospect for application of neutral endo-β-glucanase in the textile industry.     

Increased Production of Xylanase by Expression of a Truncated Version of the xyn11A Gene from Nonomuraea flexuosa in Trichoderma reesei

We have previously shown that the Nonomuraea flexuosa Xyn11A polypeptides devoid of the carbohydrate binding module (CBM) have better thermostability than the full-length xylanase and are effective in bleaching of pulp. To produce an enzyme preparation useful for industrial applications requiring high temperature, the region encoding the CBM was deleted from the N. flexuosa xyn11A gene and the truncated gene was expressed in Trichoderma reesei. The xylanase sequence was fused to the T. reesei mannanase I (Man5A) signal sequence or 3′ to a T. reesei carrier polypeptide, either the Man5A core/hinge or the cellulose binding domain (CBD) of cellobiohydrolase II (Cel6A, CBHII). The gene and fusion genes were expressed using the cellobiohydrolase 1 (cel7A, cbh1) promoter. Single-copy isogenic transformants in which the expression cassette replaced the cel7A gene were cultivated and analyzed. The transformants expressing the truncated N. flexuosa xyn11A produced clearly increased amounts of both the xylanase/fusion mRNA and xylanase activity compared to the corresponding strains expressing the full-length N. flexuosa xyn11A. The transformant expressing the cel6A CBD-truncated N. flexuosa xyn11A produced about 1.9 g liter⁻¹ of the xylanase in laboratory-scale fermentations. The xylanase constituted about 25% of the secreted proteins. The production of the truncated xylanase did not induce the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. However, the UPR was induced when the full-length N. flexuosa xyn11A with an exact fusion to the cel7A terminator was expressed. We suggest that the T. reesei folding/secretion machinery is not able to cope properly with the bacterial CBM when the mRNA of the full-length N. flexuosa xyn11A is efficiently translated.