Zhang Lab at a glance
Zhang's lab focuses on discovering and developing the untapped biodegradation mechanisms in lignocellulolytic fungal species. Fungi, which dominate terrestrial carbon recycling, have developed talent strategies to degrade the recalcitrant lignocellulosic structures of plant biomass, converting the embedded carbons to cellular energies, structures, and metabolites. Their processes, which represent the outcome of millions of years of evolution, reserve the “toolkits” pursued by human society to utilize the plant-based substance for biomanufacturing sustainable fuels, chemicals, materials, foods, and others. Not only is it valuable to biomanufacturing, but their biodegradation processes hold the KEYS to guide us in developing alternative environmental technologies for tackling anthropogenic pollutant issues.
To untap fungal biodegradation capacities, we combine genomic, systems biology, and biochem approaches, as well as CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing for "phenotyping" research in wood decay fungi. We hope to unlock the distinctive genetic mechanisms used by these fungi for decomposing woody biomass and for responding to partner organisms (e.g., counterpart wood decay fungi and bacteria) and biotic environments (e.g., minerals, and xenobiotics such as fluorinated carbon chemicals). With the fundamental scientific question of "What genes have made fungal species uniquely wood decomposers?" in mind, our research aims to discover the genetic codes of fungal degradation of woody lignocellulose substances. Aided by the genome-editing tools we created for manipulating the non-model wood decomposer fungi, we will pursue "programmable bioengineering" of resource fungal species for manufacturing bio-based materials and for developing alternative environmental remediation techniques. Currently, the lab focuses on three main research areas: i) Fungal genetic mechanisms of wood degradation; ii) Whole-biomass functional mycelial composite materials; iii) Fungal-amended environmental engineering for pollutant remediation.
