Exploring the complexity of xylitol production in the fungal cell factory Aspergillus niger

Abstract

Production of xylitol from agricultural by-products offers a promising approach for the circular bioeconomy. This study investigates the roles of transcription factors XlnR and CreA in xylitol production from wheat bran in Aspergillus niger by generating strains with a constitutively active XlnR (XlnR_c, V756F mutation) and/or deletion of creA, in a previously generated xylitol-producing strain. The XlnR_c mutation increased the initial rate of xylitol production but lowered the overall accumulation. Deletion of creA in this strain significantly improved both the onset and rate of xylitol production, indicating an inhibitory role of CreA in the PCP. These results demonstrate the complexity of metabolic engineering to generate fungal cell factories for valuable biochemicals, such as xylitol, as not only metabolic but also multiple gene regulation aspects need to be considered.

Keywords: Aspergillus niger; Circular economy; Fungal cell factory; Metabolic engineering; Pentose catabolic pathway; Xylitol.