Functional characterization of Clonostachys rosea LPMOs

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are a class of oxidative enzymes that play an important role in biomass degradation by cleaving glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides. This oxidative mechanism significantly enhances the activity of classical hydrolytic enzymes and relies on electron donors such as GMC oxidoreductases (AA3; e.g., cellobiose dehydrogenase, CDH), small-molecule reductants, or photosynthetic pigments. Clonostachys rosea, a filamentous fungus with a broad ecological repertoireincluding saprotrophy and mycoparasitismexhibits a distinctive genomic expansion of oxidative enzyme families. The ecological and functional relevance of these expanded gene families remains poorly understood, particularly as C. rosea is neither a prominent lignocellulose degrader nor a plant pathogen. This project seeks to investigate the structural, functional, and ecological significance of the AA9 family of LPMOs in C. rosea. We will examine the environmental conditions that trigger their expression and secretion, conduct biochemical characterization of selected LPMOs, and explore their synergistic interactions with the CDHs. This work represents a comprehensive and innovative approach to elucidating the regulatory and functional complexity of an unusually large AA9 gene family. Our findings will advance understanding of how non-ligninolytic fungi utilize oxidative enzymes and will shed light on the coordinated expression and ecological integration of AA9 and AA3 enzyme systems.

No additional funding sources recorded.