Eplt4 proteinaceous elicitor produced in Pichia pastoris has a protective effect against Cercosporidium sofinum infections of soybean leaves.

A complementary DNA library was constructed from the mycelium of Trichoderma asperellum T4, and a highly expressed gene fragment named EplT4 was found. In order to find a more efficient and cost-effective way of obtaining EplT4, this study attempted to produce EplT4 using a Pichia pastoris expression system. The gene encoding EplT4, with an additional 6-His tag at the C-terminus, was cloned into the yeast vector pPIC9K and expressed in the P. pastoris strain GS115 to obtaining more protein for the further research. Transformants of P. pastoris were selected by PCR analysis, and the ability to secrete high levels of the EplT4 protein was determined. The optimal conditions for induction were assayed using the shake flask method and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The yield of purified EplT4 was approximately 20 mg/L by nickel affinity chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography. Western blot and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer analysis revealed that the recombinant EplT4 was expressed in both its monomers and dimers. Soybean leaves treated with the EplT4 monomer demonstrated the induction of glucanase, chitinase III-A, cysteine proteinase inhibitor, and peroxidase genes. Early cellular events in plant defense response were also observed after incubation with EplT4. Soybean leaves protected by EplT4 against the pathogen Cercosporidium sofinum (Hara) indicated that EplT4 produced in P. pastoris was biologically active and would be potentially useful for improving food security.

Heterologous expression of transaldolase gene Tal from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Fusarium oxysporum for enhanced bioethanol production.

The filamentous fungus Fusarium oxysporum is known for its ability to ferment xylose-producing ethanol. However, efficiency of xylose utilization and ethanol yield was low. In this study, the transaldolase gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been successfully expressed in F. oxysporum by an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. The enzymatic activity of the recombinant fungus (cs28pCAM-Sctal4) was 0.195 times higher than that of the wild-type strain (cs28). The recombinant strain also exhibited a 28.83% increase in ethanol yield on xylose media compared to the parental strain. Enhanced ethanol production and a reduction in the biomass were observed during xylose fermentation. Ethanol yield from rice straw by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation with cs28pCAM-Sctal4 was 0.25 g g⁻¹ of rice straw. The transgenic strain of F. oxysporum cs28pCAM-Sctal4 might therefore have potential applications in industrial bioenergy production.