Gene redundancy and metabolic flexibility in Aspergillus niger: Tools to enhance industrial biotechnology

Abstract

The study of primary carbon metabolism in filamentous fungi presents significant opportunities for the production of industrially valuable metabolites, leveraging their ability to convert biomass substrates into useful products. Carbon metabolism is also an essential process in fungal physiology, balancing energy availability, growth and survival through the assimilation and breakdown of organic carbon sources. Aspergillus niger, notable for its protein secretion capacities and metabolic diversity, stands at the forefront of this research area. Recent advancements in molecular technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, have substantially enhanced our understanding of filamentous fungal physiology and their metabolic pathways. Despite these advancements, there remains a critical need for deeper insights into the diversity and redundancy of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism. Such knowledge is essential to engineer more versatile and efficient industrial fungal cell factories.