Transcription factors for cellulosic enzyme production

US9441255B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Chaoguang Tian · Tianjin, CN
• Teresa Shock · San Francisco, US
• N. Louise Glass · Orinda, US
• Samuel Coradetti · Berkeley, US
• James P. CRAIG · Berkeley, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2012
• Grant date: Sep 13, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 23, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P19/02
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and compositions for increasing the production of one or more cellulases from a fungal host cell. The disclosure is based, on the surprising discovery that mis-expression of the transcriptional regulator clr-2 in a filamentous fungal cell was able to induce expression of cellulase genes under non-inducing or starvation conditions, resulting in increased secretion of cellulases from the cell. Advantageously, mis-expression of the transcription factor clr-2 in a filamentous fungal cell cultured in the absence of cellulose or cellobiose results in increased secretion of cellulases. The disclosure relates inter alia to a method of degrading cellulose-containing material, to a method of increasing the production of one or more cellulases from a fungal cell and to a method of reducing the viscosity of a pretreated biomass material, by contacting pretreated biomass material with a fungal host cell containing at least one recombinant nucleic acid encoding clr-2 or a related transcription factor.