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Uncovering the transcriptional landscape of Fomes fomentarius during fungal-based material production through gene co-expression network analysis

Summary

Scientists studied how the mushroom Fomes fomentarius decomposes plant materials and grows as a biomaterial for making sustainable products. Using advanced gene analysis, they discovered which genes control the fungus’s ability to break down wood and form composites, and identified key genetic switches that could be used to improve material production. This research provides a blueprint for engineering better fungal-based alternatives to conventional construction and packaging materials.

Background

Fungal-based biomaterials are emerging as renewable, sustainable alternatives to conventional materials for construction, packaging, and textiles. Fomes fomentarius, a basidiomycete polypore, has been identified as a promising candidate for biomaterial production due to its mechanical strength and hydrophobic properties. However, the molecular basis of substrate decomposition and fungal growth during composite formation remains unknown.

Objective

To generate comprehensive gene expression datasets and co-expression network resources for F. fomentarius to understand the genetic basis of biomaterial formation, identify genes controlling lignocellulose degradation and nutrient uptake, and predict transcription factors regulating these processes.

Results

The study identified 69.3% of predicted F. fomentarius genes as transcribed, discovered a fungal-specific transcription factor CacA strongly associated with cell wall biosynthesis genes, identified two transcription factors (CalA and CalB) regulating lignin-modifying enzymes, and revealed 246 contiguous co-expressed gene clusters encoding CAZymes, hydrophobins, kinases, and other functional proteins with substrate-specific activation patterns.

Conclusion

The systems biology data and co-expression network resources enable unprecedented understanding of F. fomentarius biomaterial formation. The identified transcription factors and gene clusters provide high-priority targets for genetic engineering to optimize biomaterial production, and the generated scripts and datasets are available for community use.
  • Published in:Fungal Biology and Biotechnology,
  • Study Type:Systems biology/Genomics study,
  • Source: PMID: 39948638, DOI: 10.1186/s40694-024-00192-3
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