A CRISPR /Cas9‐based multicopy integration system for protein production in Aspergillus niger
FEBS Journal, vol. 290, pp. 5127–5140
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is well known for its high protein secretion capacity and a preferred host for homologous and heterologous protein production. To improve the protein production capacity of A. niger even further, a set of dedicated protein production strains was made containing up to 10 glucoamylase landing sites (GLSs) at predetermined sites in the genome. These GLSs replace genes encoding enzymes abundantly present or encoding unwanted functions. Each GLS contains the promotor and terminator region of the glucoamylase gene ( glaA ), one of the highest expressed genes in A. niger . Integrating multiple gene copies, often realized by random integration, is known to boost protein production yields. In our approach the GLSs allow for rapid targeted gene replacement using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing. By introducing the same or different unique DNA sequences (dubbed KORE sequences) in each GLS and designing Cas9‐compatible single guide RNAs, one is able to select at which GLS integration of a target gene occurs. In this way a set of identical strains with different copy numbers of the gene of interest can be easily and rapidly made to compare protein production levels. As an illustration of its potential, we successfully used the expression platform to generate multicopy A. niger strains producing the Penicillium expansum PatE::6xHis protein catalysing the final step in patulin biosynthesis. The A. niger strain expressing 10 copies of the patE::6xHis expression cassette produced about 70 μg·mL −1 PatE protein in the culture medium with a purity just under 90%.
Authors 9
-
Mark Arentshorst Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
-
Prajeesh Kooloth-Valappil Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
-
László Mózsik Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute of Biology Leiden
Leiden University · DSM (Netherlands)
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
DSM Biotechnology Center, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX, Delft, The Netherlands
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands
-
Tonny J. G. Regensburg‐Tuïnk Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
-
Sjoerd J. Seekles Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
-
Affiliation as printed
Molecular Enzymology University of Groningen The Netherlands
Molecular Enzymology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
-
Affiliation as printed
Molecular Enzymology University of Groningen The Netherlands
Molecular Enzymology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
-
Jaap Visser Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
-
Arthur F. J. Ram corresponding Aachen Microbial Sciences Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands Institute Biology Leiden
Affiliation as printed
Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University The Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Fungal Genetics and Biotechnology, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
Cited by 29 stored of 29
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).