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

使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，因此可持续的加工技术是必不可少的。反刍动物消化过程中厌氧真菌定殖木质纤维素；游动孢子探测植物材料，附着，发芽和生长。不同物种对木质纤维素识别的反应不同，而碳水化合物识别和吸收预计是至关重要的，例如在虫孢子趋化性中，目前尚不清楚大多数厌氧菌是如何启动木质纤维素定植的。该项目旨在了解碳水化合物的识别和吸收，从而驱动厌氧真菌对植物生物量的初始定植。这些知识将被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吸收如何驱动真菌物种对植物生物量的初始定殖，并评估机制的变化。在定植过程中，游动孢子对放射性标记碳水化合物的吸收将被评估，并与它们诱导趋化、发芽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量降解过程中产生的酶活性的变异性。选择具有不同碳水化合物识别谱的物种，通过蛋白质组学、转录组学和酶活性分析来评估诱导剂对酶生产的影响。3)利用所学知识优化可再生木质纤维素资源的快速选择性预处理。这个概念将被测试，获得的见解可以用来匹配真菌降解能力的生物处理要求。生物材料应用的试验侧重于从小麦衍生材料中产生富含木聚糖的馏分，这对英国来说是重要的可再生原料。总之，这提供了对碳水化合物识别如何影响植物生物量真菌定植的见解，并为可再生能源技术中真菌预处理的发展提供了数据基础。该项目以苏格兰农村学院（SRUC）在真菌生物学、酶学和生物加工方面的经验，以及爱丁堡大学（UoE）在木质纤维素生物化学（包括碳水化合物放射性标记）方面的专业知识为基础。学生从这些学科的培训中受益。该学生将在UoE注册，总部设在爱丁堡的SRUC，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。管理团队承诺，并期望学生积极贡献，以一个包容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.