In depth characterization of the Trichoderma reesei Azf1 transcription factor binding site by surface plasmon resonance analysis

• Grant number: 16/15605-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: October 27, 2016
• End date: July 26, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Roberto do Nascimento Silva
• Grantee: Amanda Cristina Campos Antoniêto
• Supervisor: Peter Hortschansky
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/09493-2 - Identification and characterization of novel transcription factors involved in the regulation of lignocellulosic biomass degradation in Trichoderma reesei (Hypocrea jecorina), BP.DR

Abstract

The filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei is known for its efficiency in producing and secreting holocellulases, enzymes used in the biofuel industry, such as bioethanol. A recent study in our laboratory identified a putative transcription factor (Tr_103275), homologous to the protein Azf1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is potentially involved in the regulation of plant biomass degradation. We have shown that azf1 deletion affects the growth, sporulation and expression of the major cellulolytic enzymes. The proposed project aims to understand how occurs the binding of the transcription factor Azf1 to the genome wide promoters in T. reesei. For this, we are going to perform bioinformatics analysis to identify the putative Azf1 binding site and then express and purify the Azf1 zinc finger protein for further analysis of the DNA binding site, which will be done by the surface plasmon resonance technology. With the results obtained we aim to contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of holocellulases production by the fungus T. reesei. (AU)