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Light in Fungi: Photoreception, Metabolism Regulation and Current Biotechnological Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2025 | Viewed by 960

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
Interests: laccase; wood degradation; microbiology; genomics; phylogenetics; fungal enzymes; light; enzymes in biotechnology; bioremediation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sunlight is a very important environmental signal for every living organism, and it can be considered crucial for effective competition and survival in nature. In fungi, which are able to detect light stimuli via various protein receptors, light controls several processes, e.g., metabolic processes, developmental decisions, physiological adaptations, morphogenesis, the circadian clock and cellular stress response. Therefore, the reaction of fungi to a light signal is multidirectional and varies across fungal species. In recent years, it has been repeatedly proven that in response to light, fungi can change their global gene expression profile and, consequently, influence metabolism and numerous signal transduction pathways. Changes in response to light have been observed in the metabolism of many important metabolites and macromolecules. The research conducted so far in the field of fungal photobiology focuses on the physiological importance of light for fungi, as well as on the regulation of metabolism and enzyme activity by light and the possibility of using this property to improve biotechnological processes.

The proposed Special Issue will cover all aspects of the influence of light on fungi, with importance in the fields of biochemistry, genetics and biotechnology, and will highlight possible areas for development. At the same time, research or review papers contributing significantly to a better understanding of fungal photobiology and light-based regulation of metabolism, especially using “-omics” techniques and molecular methods, are highly welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to give greater value to the present project.

Dr. Anna Pawlik
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • photoreceptor
  • opsin
  • white collar
  • phytochrome
  • cryptochrome
  • fungal photobiology
  • light regulation
  • metabolism
  • biotechnological processes
  • light signalling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 5061 KiB  
Article
Expanded Gene Regulatory Network Reveals Potential Light-Responsive Transcription Factors and Target Genes in Cordyceps militaris
by Paradee Buradam, Roypim Thananusak, Mattheos Koffas, Pramote Chumnanpuen and Wanwipa Vongsangnak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10516; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910516 - 29 Sep 2024
Viewed by 719
Abstract
Cordyceps militaris, a fungus widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology, is recognized for its abundant bioactive compounds, including cordycepin and carotenoids. The growth, development, and metabolite production in various fungi are influenced by the complex interactions between regulatory cascades and [...] Read more.
Cordyceps militaris, a fungus widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology, is recognized for its abundant bioactive compounds, including cordycepin and carotenoids. The growth, development, and metabolite production in various fungi are influenced by the complex interactions between regulatory cascades and light-signaling pathways. However, the mechanisms of gene regulation in response to light exposure in C. militaris remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to identify light-responsive genes and potential transcription factors (TFs) in C. militaris through an integrative transcriptome analysis. To achieve this, we reconstructed an expanded gene regulatory network (eGRN) comprising 507 TFs and 8662 regulated genes using both interolog-based and homolog-based methods to build the protein–protein interaction network. Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa were chosen as templates due to their relevance as fungal models and the extensive study of their light-responsive mechanisms. By utilizing the eGRN as a framework for comparing transcriptomic responses between light-exposure and dark conditions, we identified five key TFs—homeobox TF (CCM_07504), FlbC (CCM_04849), FlbB (CCM_01128), C6 zinc finger TF (CCM_05172), and mcrA (CCM_06477)—along with ten regulated genes within the light-responsive subnetwork. These TFs and regulated genes are likely crucial for the growth, development, and secondary metabolite production in C. militaris. Moreover, molecular docking analysis revealed that two novel TFs, CCM_05727 and CCM_06992, exhibit strong binding affinities and favorable docking scores with the primary light-responsive protein CmWC-1, suggesting their potential roles in light signaling pathways. This information provides an important functional interactive network for future studies on global transcriptional regulation in C. militaris and related fungi. Full article
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