The interplay between transport and metabolism in fungal itaconic acid production.

Besides enzymatic conversions, many eukaryotic metabolic pathways also involve transport proteins that shuttle molecules between subcellular compartments, or into the extracellular space. Fungal itaconate production involves two such transport steps, involving an itaconate transport protein (Itp), and a mitochondrial tricarboxylate transporter (Mtt). The filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus terreus and the unicellular basidiomycete Ustilago maydis both produce itaconate, but do so via very different molecular pathways, and under very different cultivation conditions.

Evolutionary freedom in the regulation of the conserved itaconate cluster by Ria1 in related Ustilaginaceae.

Background: Itaconate is getting growing biotechnological significance, due to its use as a platform compound for the production of bio-based polymers, chemicals, and novel fuels. Currently, is used for its industrial production. The Ustilaginaceae family of smut fungi, especially , has gained biotechnological interest, due to its ability to naturally produce this dicarboxylic acid.

Promoters from the itaconate cluster of are induced by nitrogen depletion.

Background: is known for its natural potential to produce a broad range of valuable chemicals, such as itaconate, from both industrial carbon waste streams and renewable biomass. Production of itaconate, and many other secondary metabolites, is induced by nitrogen limitation in . The clustered genes responsible for itaconate production have recently been identified, enabling the development of new expression tools that are compatible with biotechnological processes.

Metabolic engineering of TZ1 for improved malic acid production.

RK089 has been found recently as a good natural malic acid producer from glycerol. This strain has previously undergone adaptive laboratory evolution for enhanced substrate uptake rate resulting in the strain TZ1. Medium optimization and investigation of process parameters enabled titers and rates that are able to compete with those of organisms overexpressing major parts of the underlying metabolic pathways.

Efficient itaconic acid production from glycerol with TZ1.

Background: The family of Ustilaginaceae is known for their capability to naturally produce industrially valuable chemicals from different carbon sources. Recently, several Ustilaginaceae were reported to produce organic acids from glycerol, which is the main side stream in biodiesel production.

Results: In this study, we present   as new production organism for itaconate synthesis from glycerol.

Integrated process development of a reactive extraction concept for itaconic acid and application to a real fermentation broth.

Itaconic acid (IA) has a high potential to be used as a bio-based platform chemical and its biocatalytic production via fermentation has significantly improved within the last decade. Additionally downstream processing using reactive extraction (RE) was described, potentially enabling a more efficient sustainable bioprocess producing IA. The bottleneck to overcome is the connection of up- and downstream processing, caused by lack of biocompatibility of the RE systems and direct application to fermentation broth.

Draft Genome Sequences of Itaconate-Producing Ustilaginaceae.

Some smut fungi of the family Ustilaginaceae produce itaconate from glucose. De novo genome sequencing of nine itaconate-producing Ustilaginaceae revealed genome sizes between 19 and 25 Mbp. Comparison to the itaconate cluster of U.

Genetic and biochemical insights into the itaconate pathway of Ustilago maydis enable enhanced production.

The Ustilaginaceae family of smut fungi, especially Ustilago maydis, gained biotechnological interest over the last years, amongst others due to its ability to naturally produce the versatile bio-based building block itaconate. Along with itaconate, U. maydis also produces 2-hydroxyparaconate.

Activating Intrinsic Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes of the Smut Fungus Ustilago maydis for the Degradation of Plant Cell Wall Components.

Unlabelled: The microbial conversion of plant biomass to valuable products in a consolidated bioprocess could greatly increase the ecologic and economic impact of a biorefinery. Current strategies for hydrolyzing plant material mostly rely on the external application of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). Alternatively, production organisms can be engineered to secrete CAZymes to reduce the reliance on externally added enzymes.

Ustilago maydis produces itaconic acid via the unusual intermediate trans-aconitate.

Itaconic acid is an important biomass-derived chemical building block but has also recently been identified as a metabolite produced in mammals, which has antimicrobial activity. The biosynthetic pathway of itaconic acid has been elucidated in the ascomycetous fungus Aspergillus terreus and in human macrophages. In both organisms itaconic acid is generated by decarboxylation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate cis-aconitate.

Prospecting the biodiversity of the fungal family Ustilaginaceae for the production of value-added chemicals.

Background: Ustilaginaceae (belonging to the smut fungi) are commonly known for their plant pathogenicity. Although these microbes lead to yield reduction of cereal production, they can also have an economically positive side. Ustilaginaceae naturally produce a versatile range of value-added chemicals with potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industry.

Identification of an endo-1,4-beta-xylanase of Ustilago maydis.

Background: The utilization of raw biomass components such as cellulose or hemicellulose for the production of valuable chemicals has attracted considerable research interest in recent years. One promising approach is the application of microorganisms that naturally convert biomass constituents into value added chemicals. One of these organisms--Ustilago maydis--can grow on xylan, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, while at the same time it produces chemicals of biotechnological interest.