title: Spatial differentiation of gene expression in Aspergillus niger colony grown for sugar beet pulp utilization.
abstract: Degradation of plant biomass to fermentable sugars is of critical importance for the use of plant materials for biofuels. Filamentous fungi are ubiquitous organisms and major plant biomass degraders. Single colonies of some fungal species can colonize massive areas as large as five soccer stadia. During growth, the mycelium encounters heterogeneous carbon sources. Here we assessed whether substrate heterogeneity is a major determinant of spatial gene expression in colonies of Aspergillus niger. We analyzed whole-genome gene expression in five concentric zones of 5-day-old colonies utilizing sugar beet pulp as a complex carbon source. Growth, protein production and secretion occurred throughout the colony. Genes involved in carbon catabolism were expressed uniformly from the centre to the periphery whereas genes encoding plant biomass degrading enzymes and nitrate utilization were expressed differentially across the colony. A combined adaptive response of carbon-catabolism and enzyme production to locally available monosaccharides was observed. Finally, our results demonstrate that A. niger employs different enzymatic tools to adapt its metabolism as it colonizes complex environments.
authors: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Microbiology &Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentations, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Benoit
authors: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Miaomiao
authors: M
authors: Zhou
authors: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Microbiology &Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentations, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Vivas Duarte
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, 4024 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
authors: Damien J
authors: DJ
authors: Downes
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, 4024 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
authors: Richard B
authors: RB
authors: Todd
authors: Microbiology &Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentations, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Kloezen
authors: Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Harm
authors: H
authors: Post
authors: Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Albert J R
authors: AJ
authors: Heck
authors: Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: A F
authors: AF
authors: Maarten Altelaar
authors: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Ronald P
authors: RP
authors: de Vries
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D002244:Carbon; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D009584:Nitrogen