Neurospora crassa Genetic: Deciphering redox regulation of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes secretion in Neurospora crassa with genetics.

Date: 2026
Duration: 3 months
Home laboratory: Biodiversity and Fungal Biotechnology (BBF) - UMR1163 - INRAE/Aix-Marseille University, France
Host laboratory: Prof. André Fleissner laboratory – Institute of Genetics – Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany

Saprotrophic fungi degrade plant biomass via Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes). At Biodiversité et Biotechnologie Fongiques (BBF, INRAE/Aix-Marseille University), we use Neurospora crassa to understand the regulation of CAZyme production. We found two key regulators, the transcription factor CLR-1 and the kinase STK-12, as targets of thioredoxins (TRX). TRX reduce disulfide bonds, suggesting that CLR-1 and STK-12 are controlled by Cys oxidation. We will test this with genetics during a mobility in Prof. André Fleissner’s lab (Braunschweig, Germany). We aim to identify redox Cys in CLR-1 and STK-12 and analyze their redox state in vivo using Cys mutants and study their colocalization with TRX using fluorescent protein fusions. This will provide key insights into CAZyme production regulation supporting sustainable biomass valorization and foster international collaboration.