FlbA-Regulated Gene rpnR Is Involved in Stress Resistance and Impacts Protein Secretion when Aspergillus niger Is Grown on Xylose

Abstract

Aspergillus niger secretes a large amount and diversity of industrially relevant enzymes into the culture medium. This makes the fungus a widely used industrial cell factory. For instance, carbohydrate-active enzymes of A. niger are used in biofuel production from lignocellulosic feedstock. These enzymes represent a major cost factor in this process. Higher production yields could substantially reduce these costs and therefore contribute to a more sustainable economy and less dependence on fossil fuels. Enzyme secretion is inhibited in A. niger by asexual reproduction. The sporulation protein FlbA is involved in this process by impacting the expression of 36 predicted transcription factor genes. Here, we show that one of these predicted transcriptional regulators, RpnR, regulates protein secretion and proteotoxic stress resistance. The gene is thus an interesting target to improve enzyme production in A. niger .