Understanding detection and colonisation of lignocellulose by anaerobe fungi to improve agricultural waste valorisation

利用木质纤维素作为生产生物燃料和生物材料的可再生资源越来越重要，因此可持续加工技术至关重要。厌氧真菌在反刍动物消化过程中定植在木质纤维素上;游动孢子探测植物材料，附着、萌发和生长。不同物种对木质纤维素识别的反应不同，而碳水化合物的识别和摄取预计是至关重要的，例如在游动孢子趋化性中，大多数厌氧菌真菌如何启动木质纤维素定殖尚不清楚。该项目旨在了解碳水化合物的识别和吸收，从而驱动厌氧菌真菌对植物生物质的初始定殖。这些知识将被利用来创造真菌和木质纤维素的组合，在生物加工的选择性木质纤维素预处理中具有更大的潜力。主要目标是1）剖析碳水化合物识别和摄取如何通过一组真菌物种驱动植物生物质的初始定殖，并评估机制的变化。将评估游动孢子在定殖期间对放射性标记碳水化合物的摄取，并将其与诱导趋化性、萌发和维持生长的能力进行比较。2)探索诱导剂如何影响真菌在植物生物质降解过程中产生的酶活性的变化。选择具有不同碳水化合物识别谱的物种，通过蛋白质组学和转录组学以及酶活性测定来评估诱导剂对酶产生的影响。3)利用获得的知识优化可再生木质纤维素资源的快速和选择性预处理。将测试获得的见解可用于将真菌降解能力与生物加工要求相匹配的概念。生物材料应用试验的重点是从小麦衍生材料中产生富含木聚糖的部分，这些材料对英国来说是重要的可再生原料。总之，这提供了碳水化合物识别如何影响植物生物质的真菌定殖的见解，并提供了支持可再生能源技术中真菌预处理开发的数据。该项目建立在苏格兰农村学院（SRUC）的真菌生物学1，酶学和生物加工经验以及爱丁堡大学（UoE）的木质纤维素生物化学专业知识（包括碳水化合物放射性标记）的基础上。学生将在位于爱丁堡的SRUC的UOE注册，并与该校区的分子植物科学研究所密切合作。学生将有机会使用SRUC Barony校区的生物处理设施。监督团队致力于，并期望学生的积极贡献，包容性的工作环境和所有研究团队成员的专业发展。

The use of lignocellulose as renewable resource for production of biofuels and biomaterials is increasingly important and sustainable processing techniques are therefore essential. Anaerobe fungi colonise lignocellulose during ruminant digestion; motile zoospores detect plant material, attach, germinate and grow. Species differ in their responses to lignocellulose recognition and while carbohydrate recognition and uptake is expected to be critical, eg in zoospore chemotaxis, it is unknown how most anaerobe fungi initiate lignocellulose colonisation. This project aims to generate understanding of carbohydrate recognition and uptake that drive initial colonisation of plant biomass by anaerobe fungi. This knowledge will be exploited to create combinations of fungi and lignocellulose with increased potential in selective lignocellulose pre-treatments for bioprocessing. Key objectives are to 1) Dissect how carbohydrate recognition and uptake drive initial colonisation of plant biomass by a panel of fungal species, and assess variation in mechanisms. Uptake of radio-labelled carbohydrates by zoospores during colonisation will be assessed and compared to their ability to induce chemotaxis, germination, and sustain growth. 2) Explore variability in how inducers affect enzymatic activities generated by the fungi during degradation of plant biomass.Selecting species with distinct carbohydrate recognition profiles, effect of inducers on enzyme production is assessed via proteomics and transcriptomics and enzyme activity assays. 3) Exploit gained knowledge to optimise fast and selective pre-treatment of renewable lignocellulose resources.The concept will be tested that gained insights can be used to match fungal degradative capacity to bioprocessing requirements. Trials for biomaterials applications focus on generation of xylan-rich fractions from wheat-derived materials important as renewable feedstock to the UK. Together this delivers insight in how carbohydrate recognition affects fungal colonisation of plant biomass, and provides data underpinning development of fungal pre-treatments in renewables-based technology. This project builds on experience in fungal biology1, enzymology and bioprocessing at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), and expertise lignocellulose biochemistry, including carbohydrate-radiolabelling2, at University of Edinburgh (UoE). The student benefits from training across these disciplines.The student will be registered at UoE, based at SRUC in Edinburgh, and work closely with Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences at this campus. The student will have the opportunity to use bioprocess facilities at SRUC Barony Campus. The supervisory team is committed, and expects active contribution of the student, to an inclusive work environment and professional development of all research team members.