Genome Engineering of Fungi

Fungi are a highly diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that play an irreplaceable and vital role in various fields such as biotechnology, industrial production, pharmaceutical research and development, and basic biological research. Common model fungi and industrial fungi mainly include Pichia pastoris, Yarrowia lipolytica, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, as well as various filamentous fungi (such as Trichoderma reesei, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium rubens, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillusterreus, etc.).

Fungi possess unique physiological and metabolic characteristics as well as exclusive application scenarios, demonstrating remarkable application advantages in different fields: As atypical methylotrophic yeast, *Pichia pastoris* is a widely used eukaryotic expression host at present. Relying on its high-efficiency protein expression capacity, it occupies a core position in the large-scale production ofrecombinant proteins, metabolic engineering modification, and basic and applied research of synthetic biology. Yarrowia lipolytica is a non-convention aloleaginous yeast characterized by a broad substrate spectrum and flexible metabolic regulation. It can not only be used for the biosynthesis of various high value-added compounds, but also has important application potential in the bioremediation of waste oil-contaminated environments, food fermentation, andthe production of pharmaceutical intermediates. As a classic model eukaryotic microorganism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays an indispensable role in the synthesis of biofuels (such as ethanol), food and brewing industry, biosynthesis of fine chemicals, and research on the physiological and metabolic mechanisms of eukaryotes due to its clear genetic background and simple culture conditions. Candida albicans is a common opportunistic fungal pathogen inclinical practice, and it is also an important model organism for analyzing the cytobiological characteristics, pathogenic mechanisms of fungi, and host-pathogen interactions, providing a key research model for the research and development of antifungal drugs. Filamentous fungi present diversified application values in medicine, industry, agriculture, and basic biological research. For example, they can be used for the large-scale production of antibiotics and industrial enzymes (cellulase, amylase, etc.), and also have important application prospects in the biological control of crops and the degradation of environmental pollutants.

Service Advantages

(1) High efficiency and precision: The CRISPR/Cas9 system features high editing efficiency (the single-gene editing efficiency of most fungi exceeds 70%, and some approach 100%), with precise targeting through sgRNA to reduce off-target effects.

(2) Flexibility and diversity: Supports various editing methods including knockout, knock-in, and replacement. Customizable sgRNA, promoters, and delivery methods (such as plasmids, RNP complexes) are available to adapt to the characteristics of different fungi.

(3) Wide applicability: Covers both yeast-like fungi and filamentous fungi, suitable for laboratory standard strains and industrial wild strains, and supports marker-free editing and marker-free screening.

(4) Controllable cycle: The project cyclefor standard strains is usually 2-6 months (2-4 months for yeast-like fungi, 3-6 months for filamentous fungi), and standardized processes ensure reliable results.