title: Improving cellulase production by Aspergillus niger using adaptive evolution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential of adaptive evolution as a tool in generating strains with an improved production of plant biomass degrading enzymes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An Aspergillus niger cellulase mutant was obtained by adaptive evolution. Physiological properties of this mutant revealed a five times higher cellulose production than the parental strain. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the expression of noxR, encoding the regulatory subunit of the NADPH oxidase complex, was reduced in the mutant compared to the parental strain. Subsequent analysis of a noxR knockout strain showed the same phenotypic effect as observed for the evolution mutant, confirming the role of NoxR in cellulose degradation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adaptive evolution is an efficient approach to modify a strain and activate genes involved in polysaccharide degradation.
authors.affiliation: Fungal Molecular Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aleksandrina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patyshakuliyeva
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arentshorst
authors.affiliation: Fungal Molecular Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Iris E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Allijn
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arthur F J
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Fungal Molecular Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Fungal Molecular Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. i.benoit@cbs.knaw.nl.
authors.forename: Isabelle Benoit
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Gelber
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D002480:Cellulase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods; D009154:Mutation; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase
keywords: Adaptive evolution; Aspergillus niger; Cellulose; NADPH oxidase; NoxR