title: RNAseq reveals hydrophobins that are involved in the adaptation of Aspergillus nidulans to lignocellulose.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sugarcane is one of the world's most profitable crops. Waste steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse (SEB) is a cheap, abundant, and renewable lignocellulosic feedstock for the next-generation biofuels. In nature, fungi seldom exist as planktonic cells, similar to those found in the nutrient-rich environment created within an industrial fermenter. Instead, fungi predominantly form biofilms that allow them to thrive in hostile environments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In turn, we adopted an RNA-sequencing approach to interrogate how the model fungus, Aspergillus nidulans, adapts to SEB, revealing the induction of carbon starvation responses and the lignocellulolytic machinery, in addition to morphological adaptations. Genetic analyses showed the importance of hydrophobins for growth on SEB. The major hydrophobin, RodA, was retained within the fungal biofilm on SEB fibres. The StuA transcription factor that regulates fungal morphology was up-regulated during growth on SEB and controlled hydrophobin gene induction. The absence of the RodA or DewC hydrophobins reduced biofilm formation. The loss of a RodA or a functional StuA reduced the retention of the hydrolytic enzymes within the vicinity of the fungus. Hence, hydrophobins promote biofilm formation on SEB, and may enhance lignocellulose utilisation via promoting a compact substrate-enzyme-fungus structure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel study highlights the importance of hydrophobins to the formation of biofilms and the efficient deconstruction of lignocellulose.
authors.affiliation: Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire UK.
authors.forename: Neil Andrew
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laure N A
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaila F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Infection and Immunity Research Group, Glasgow Dental School, School of Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Ranjith
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajendran
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Caixa Postal 6192, Campinas, SP CEP 13083-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato Augusto
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Corrêa Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Infection and Immunity Research Group, Glasgow Dental School, School of Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramage
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Caixa Postal 6192, Campinas, SP CEP 13083-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego Mauricio
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Riaño-Pachón
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Goldman
keywords: Biofilm; Fungi; Hydrolytic enzymes; Hydrophobin; Sugarcane bagasse