Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are soilborne, green-spored ascomycetes that can be found all over the world. They have been studied with respect to various characteristics and applications and are known as successful colonizers of their habitats, efficiently fighting their competitors. Once established, they launch their potent degradative machinery for decomposition of the often heterogeneous substrate at hand. Therefore, distribution and phylogeny, defense mechanisms, beneficial as well as deleterious interaction with hosts, enzyme production and secretion, sexual development, and response to environmental conditions such as nutrients and light have been studied in great detail with many species of this genus, thus rendering Trichoderma one of the best studied fungi with the genome of three species currently available. Efficient biocontrol strains of the genus are being developed as promising biological fungicides, and their weaponry for this function also includes secondary metabolites with potential applications as novel antibiotics. The cellulases produced by Trichoderma reesei, the biotechnological workhorse of the genus, are important industrial products, especially with respect to production of second generation biofuels from cellulosic waste. Genetic engineering not only led to significant improvements in industrial processes but also to intriguing insights into the biology of these fungi and is now complemented by the availability of a sexual cycle in T. reesei/Hypocrea jecorina, which significantly facilitates both industrial and basic research. This review aims to give a broad overview on the qualities and versatility of the best studied Trichoderma species and to highlight intriguing findings as well as promising applications.

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Biology and biotechnology of Trichoderma

Structural and functional genomics investigations are making an important impact on the current understanding and application of microbial agents used for plant disease control. Here, we review the case of Trichoderma spp., the most widely applied biocontrol fungi, which have been extensively studied using a variety of research approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc. Known for almost a century for their beneficial effects on plants and the soil, these fungi are the subject of investigations that represent a successful case of translational research, in which 'omics-generated novel understanding is directly translated in to new or improved crop treatments and management methods. We present an overview of the latest discoveries on the Trichoderma expressome and metabolome, of the complex and diverse biotic interactions established in nature by these microbes, and of their proven or potential importance to agriculture and industry.

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Translational Research on Trichoderma: From 'Omics to the Field

Plant pathogenic fungi cause important yield losses in crops. In order to develop efficient and environmental friendly crop protection strategies, molecular studies of the fungal biological cycle, virulence factors, and interaction with its host are necessary. For that reason, several approaches have been performed using both classical genetic, cell biology, and biochemistry and the modern, holistic, and high-throughput, omic techniques. This work briefly overviews the tools available for studying Plant Pathogenic Fungi and is amply focused on MS-based Proteomics analysis, based on original papers published up to December 2009. At a methodological level, different steps in a proteomic workflow experiment are discussed. Separate sections are devoted to fungal descriptive (intracellular, subcellular, extracellular) and differential expression proteomics and interactomics. From the work published we can conclude that Proteomics, in combination with other techniques, constitutes a powerful tool for providing important information about pathogenicity and virulence factors, thus opening up new possibilities for crop disease diagnosis and crop protection.

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Proteomics of Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Endophytic Trichoderma gamsii YIM PH30019: a promising biocontrol agent with hyperosmolar, mycoparasitism, and antagonistic activities of induced volatile organic compounds on root-rot pathogenic fungi of Panax notoginseng

Cloning, characterization, expression and antifungal activity of an alkaline serine protease of Aureobasidium pullulans PL5 involved in the biological control of postharvest pathogens.

To elucidate the entire range of proteins that are secreted by Trichoderma harzianum ETS 323 in its antagonism with Rhizoctonia solani, an in vivo interaction between them was mimicked and not only the secreted cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) but also all of the proteome were investigated. Seven CWDEs, chitinase, cellulase, xylanase, � -1,3-glucanase, � -1,6-glucanase, mannanase, and protease,were revealed by activity assay, in-gel activity stain, 2-DE, and LC-MS/MS analysis. Extracellular protein extracts from media that contained R. solani exhibited much higher CWDE activities than media that did not contain R. solani. Cellulase and mannanase activity, however, were insignificant. Activity stain also revealed that � -1,3-glucanase, � -1,6-glucanase, and xylanase activity occurred exclusively in media that contained R. solani. Furthermore, 35 of the 43 excised spots on the 2-DE gel were successfully analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and eight proteins were identified. They were two glycoside hydrolases, two proteases, two � -glucosidases, one endochitinase and, interestingly, one amino acid oxidase. Additionally, a possible mechanism was proposed to elucidate how the cell walls of R. solani are systematically enveloped and disintegrated.

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Proteomic study of biocontrol mechanisms of Trichoderma harzianum ETS 323 in response to Rhizoctonia solani.

The present invention discloses an anti-human alpha-enolase (ENO1) antibody, which can bind the peptides, comprising amino-acid sequence 296FD Q D D W G A W Q K F TA309 (SEQ ID: #9) and/or 326K R I A K A V N EK S336 (SEQ ID: #10) of human ENO1 protein (GenBank: AAH50642.1), has a favorable binding activity (the binding affinity is around 2.19×10-10 mol/L) and a remarkable capability to inhibit the cell invasion and tumor metastasis of a varied of tumors. The recognized peptides and antibody of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancers that have been reported to express cell-surface ENO1 such as including lung, breast, pancreas, liver, colorectal, prostate cancers and solid tumors.

Alpha-enolase specific antibodies and methods of uses in cancer therapy

A method for treating an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder includes administering to a subject in need of such treatment an antagonist against ENO1. The antagonist binds ENO1 and inhibits ENO1 plasminogen receptor activity. The antagonist may be an anti-human ENO1 antibody, or an scFv, Fab, or F(ab)2 fragment thereof, that specifically binds to human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH50642.1) for the treatment of an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder, which may be multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, systemic Lupus erythematosus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, allergy, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, artherosclerosis or osteoporosis.

Alpha-enolase specific antibodies and method of use in immune diseases

A humanized antibody, or a binding fragment thereof, wherein the humanized antibody binds human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH50642.1), wherein the antibody comprises a light chain variable region (VL) domain comprising a CDR1 having the amino acid sequence LCDR1 (RASENIYSYLT; SEQ ID NO: 6) and a CDR2 having the amino acid sequence LCDR2 (NAKTLPE; SEQ ID NO: 7) and a CDR3 having the amino acid sequence LCDR3 (QHHYGTPYT; SEQ ID NO: 8) and an antibody heavy chain variable region (VH) domain comprising a CDR1 having the amino acid sequence HCDR1 (GYTFTSCVMN; SEQ ID NO: 3), a CDR2 having the amino acid sequence HCDR2 (YINPYNDGTKYNEKFKG; SEQ ID NO: 4) and a CDR3 having the amino acid sequence HCDR3 (EGFYYGNFDN; SEQ ID NO: 5), wherein framework regions in the light chain variable region (VL) domain and the heavy chain variable region (VH) domain comprise amino acid sequences from a human immunoglobulin.

Humanized alpha-enolase specific antibodies and methods of uses in cancer therapy

An antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment there, binding human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH506421.1) is provided. Methods for treating an ENO1 protein-related disease or disorder, inhibiting cancer invasion and diagnosis of cancer are also provided.

Shih-Chi Tseng

Papers

Proteomic study of biocontrol mechanisms of Trichoderma harzianum ETS 323 in response to Rhizoctonia solani.

Alpha-enolase specific antibodies and methods of uses in cancer therapy

Alpha-enolase specific antibodies and method of use in immune diseases

Humanized alpha-enolase specific antibodies and methods of uses in cancer therapy

Antibodies specific to alpha-enolase and uses thereof