Unveiling the lignocellulose-degrading potential of a novel Talaromyces endophyticus through enzymatic hydrolysis and transcriptomic analysis

Filamentous fungi are key producers of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes (CH enzymes), which play pivotal roles in lignocellulosic biomass conversion. Although several Talaromyces sp. have demonstrated the ability to produce CH enzymes, the enzymatic potential and regulatory mechanisms of Talaromyces endophyticus remain poorly understood. This study to systematically investigates the lignocellulose-degrading potential of T. endophyticus, providing new insights into its regulatory networks. The novel strain T. endophyticus NEAU-6 exhibited high CH enzymes activities when cultured on corn stover. Notably, enzymatic hydrolysis of alkali-pretreated corn stover using a crude CH enzyme loading of only 10 FPase/g of substrate resulted in a glucose yield of 70.2 %, highlighting its efficiency at a relatively low enzyme dosage. Structural and compositional characterization confirmed efficient degradation of the biomass. Full-length and comparative transcriptomic analyses uncovered 54 upregulated CH enzyme genes and a regulatory network involving 11 canonical transcription factors and developmental regulators, alongside 15 sugar transporters potentially mediating carbon sensing and uptake. These findings elucidate the regulatory network of lignocellulose degradation in T. endophyticus and highlight its potential as a candidate for further development in enzyme production and biomass conversion.