The improvement of the saccharification of rice straw is one of the strategies to reduce the sophisticated pretreatment that results in high cost and is unfriendly to the environment. We explored the cell wall features in tetraploid rice and highlighted the enhanced saccharification of tetraploid with large biomass. Results showed that lignin content and S/G ratio reduced to 17.09% and 0.37, respectively, in tetraploid straw by the determination of the pyGC-MS method. After the pretreatment, the cellulose crystallinity index decreased from 63.22% to 57.65% in tetraploid straw, which is lower than that of pretreated diploid straw. Surface topological analysis of SEM images indicated that tetraploid straw was more susceptible to the pretreatment. Tetraploid straw showed a strong advantage in the process of enzymatic hydrolysis. The enzyme efficiency reached the highest value of 77.60%, and the rate of enzyme reaction was improved to make the reaction saturated earlier than conventional rice. We concluded that the high saccharification has resulted from the alteration of lignin and cellulose in tetraploid rice. Our research provides an improved green feedstock for bioenergy, and the tetraploid rice straw shows the potential utilization value in bioethanol production.

Aluminum is the most abundant metal of the Earth’s crust accounting for 7% of its mass, and release of toxic Al³⁺ in acid soils restricts plant growth. Neolamarckia cadamba, a fast-growing tree, only grows in tropical regions with acidic soils. In this study, N. cadamba was treated with high concentrations of aluminum under acidic condition (pH 4.5) to study its physiological, biochemical, and molecular response mechanisms against high aluminum stress. High aluminum concentration resulted in significant inhibition of root growth with time in N. cadamba. The concentration of Al³⁺ ions in the root tip increased significantly and the distribution of absorbed Al³⁺ was observed in the root tip after Al stress. Meanwhile, the concentration of Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe was significantly decreased, but P concentration increased. Aluminum stress increased activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase from micrococcus lysodeiktic (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) in the root tip, while the content of MDA was decreased. Transcriptome analysis showed 37,478 differential expression genes (DEGs) and 4096 GOs terms significantly associated with treatments. The expression of genes regulating aluminum transport and abscisic acid synthesis was significantly upregulated; however, the genes involved in auxin synthesis were downregulated. Of note, the transcripts of several key enzymes affecting lignin monomer synthesis in phenylalanine pathway were upregulated. Our results shed light on the physiological and molecular mechanisms of aluminum stress tolerance in N. cadamba.

Trichoderma is one of the fungi commonly used in fermentation engineering. The hydrolytic enzymes secreted by Trichoderma have great economic value. Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 is a branch of Trichoderma harzianum, which also has application potential. Lactose can induce fungi to secrete cellulase. Unfortunately, neither the lactose-inducing effect nor the mechanism of lactose metabolism in the study of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742 is clear. Our study showed that carbon sources such as glucose, galactose, and sucrose could not induce cellulase secretion from Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU4742. Lactose induced the filter paper activity of the cellulase secreted by Trichoderma to reach 4.13 ± 0.11 U·mL⁻¹. The ratio of 0.4% lactose–0.6% straw is the best way to induce cellulase and is better than adding only straw or lactose. TgRas family genes respond differently to different carbon sources at the gene level, and these proteins may be involved in different carbon source metabolisms. The results of transcriptional responses under different growth conditions showed that TgRas1 occupies a dominant position among TgRas family genes. The growth of the ΔTgRas1 mutant on the plate was inhibited, and the hyphae were dense, thick, and swollen. Under the condition of lactose, the biomass of ΔTgRas1 was severely inhibited in liquid fermentation, and its biomass decreased by 91.43% compared with WT. The liquid fermentation of ΔTgRas1 under other carbon source conditions was not affected.

Expansins and lectins facilitate microbial colonization, but their collaborative mechanisms across different colonization stages remain unclear, and fungal root attachment via these proteins requires further exploration. This study proposes a fungal early colonization hypothesis: Trichoderma harzianum uses the Th SWO- Th FFSL complex to promote hyphal attachment to rice roots. The results show that Th SWO loosens rice cell wall cellulose and forms biomolecular condensates via its intrinsically disordered region (IDR) and extensive O-glycosylation. These condensates specifically recruit the fungal fucose-binding lectin Th FFSL through fucose residues, and both colocalize in root surface cell wall crevices. After localization, Th FFSL guides hyphal growth and enhances adhesion, promoting fungal attachment within the crevices. Postattachment, T. harzianum secretes an O-glycosidase to deglycosylate Th SWO, dissociating the complex and mitigating root cell wall damage. Colonization assays confirm that Th SWO- Th FFSL synergy is crucial for efficient colonization. This study reveals an early attachment phase in fungal colonization driven by protein condensates and glycosylation modifications.