A Novel CreA-Mediated Regulation Mechanism of Cellulase Expression in the Thermophilic Fungus <i>Humicola insolens</i>

• Main Authors: Xinxin Xu, Chao Fan, Liya Song, Jinyang Li, Yuan Chen, Yuhong Zhang, Bo Liu, Wei Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: cellulase; <i>creA</i>; <i>Humicola insolens</i>; thermophilic fungi
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/15/3693

The thermophilic fungus <i>Humicola insolens</i> produces cellulolytic enzymes that are of great scientific and commercial interest; however, few reports have focused on its cellulase expression regulation mechanism. In this study, we constructed a <i>creA</i> gene (carbon catabolite repressor gene) disruption mutant strain of <i>H. insolens</i> that exhibited a reduced radial growth rate and stouter hyphae compared to the wild-type (WT) strain. The <i>creA</i> disruption mutant also expressed elevated pNPCase (cellobiohydrolase activities), pNPGase (&#946;-glucosidase activities), and xylanase levels in non-inducing fermentation with glucose. Unlike other fungi, the <i>H. insolens</i> <i>creA</i> disruption mutant displayed lower FPase (filter paper activity), CMCase (carboxymethyl cellulose activity), pNPCase, and pNPGase activity than observed in the WT strain when fermentation was induced using Avicel, whereas its xylanase activity was higher than that of the parental strain. These results indicate that CreA acts as a crucial regulator of hyphal growth and is part of a unique cellulase expression regulation mechanism in <i>H. insolens</i>. These findings provide a new perspective to improve the understanding of carbon catabolite repression regulation mechanisms in cellulase expression, and enrich the knowledge of metabolism diversity and molecular regulation of carbon metabolism in thermophilic fungi.