Abstract
BackgroundThe ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei) is one of the most prolific producers of biomass-degrading enzymes and frequently termed an industrial workhorse. To compete for nutrients in its habitat despite its shortcoming in certain degradative enzymes, efficient perception and interpretation of environmental signals is indispensable. A better understanding of these signals as well as their transmission machinery can provide sources for improvement of biotechnological processes.ResultsThe genome of H. jecorina was analysed for the presence and composition of common signal transduction pathways including heterotrimeric G-protein cascades, cAMP signaling, mitogen activated protein kinases, two component phosphorelay systems, proteins involved in circadian rhythmicity and light response, calcium signaling and the superfamily of Ras small GTPases. The results of this survey are discussed in the context of current knowledge in order to assess putative functions as well as potential impact of alterations of the respective pathways.ConclusionImportant findings include an additional, bacterial type phospholipase C protein and an additional 6-4 photolyase. Moreover the presence of 4 RGS-(Regulator of G-protein Signaling) proteins and 3 GprK-type G-protein coupled receptors comprising an RGS-domain suggest a more complex posttranslational regulation of G-protein signaling than in other ascomycetes. Also the finding, that H. jecorina, unlike yeast possesses class I phosducins which are involved in phototransduction in mammals warrants further investigation. An alteration in the regulation of circadian rhythmicity may be deduced from the extension of both the class I and II of casein kinases, homologues of which are implicated in phosphorylation of FRQ in Neurospora crassa. On the other hand, a shortage in the number of the pathogenicity related PTH11-type G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) as well as a lack of microbial opsins was detected. Considering its efficient enzyme system for breakdown of cellulosic materials, it came as a surprise that H. jecorina does not possess a carbon sensing GPCR.
Highlights
IntroductionThe ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei) is one of the most prolific producers of biomass-degrading enzymes and frequently termed an industrial workhorse
The ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina is one of the most prolific producers of biomass-degrading enzymes and frequently termed an industrial workhorse
Heterotrimeric G-protein signaling Heterotrimeric G-proteins, comprising alpha, beta- and gamma-subunits, are essential components of the signal transduction machinery in eukaryotic cells [18,19]. They transduce signals received by the heptahelical G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) from outside the cell and impact numerous regulatory pathways via their respective effectors, which in turn effect activity of secondary messengers [20,21]
Summary
The ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei) is one of the most prolific producers of biomass-degrading enzymes and frequently termed an industrial workhorse. BMC Genomics 2008, 9:430 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/9/430 lose and hemicellulose, which requires development of an adequate signal transduction machinery to optimize energy consumption against energy (substrate-) availability. This speciation led to the highly efficient cellulase and hemicellulase production of this fungus, which is presently exploited by the biotechnological industry [24]. The number of enzymes comprising a carbonhydrate binding module in H. jecorina is the lowest among Sordariomycetes analysed so far. This limited enzyme set obviously does not cause an evolutionary disadvantage in competition with other cellulose and hemicellulose-degrading fungi. Since in some cases in H. jecorina glycoside hydrolase genes are clustered near genes encoding proteins involved in secondary metabolite production, it is tempting to speculate that the success of H. jecorina might be connected to efficient control of expression of genes belonging to these groups [7]
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