Modification of an Industrial Fungus to Disable a Gene Encoding an Enzyme for the Biosynthesis of the Amino Acid Tryptophan

This research project utilizes current gene editing (CRISPR) techniques to perform a “knockout” on a gene encoding an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of tryptophan. The organism we are focusing on for these edits is a filamentous fungus currently used by Ecovative Design LLC in the creation of biomaterials. The goal of the research is to demonstrate proof of principle of the CRISPR gene editing approach for the study organism and establish the use of this procedure for future editing of genes of interest. This will enable future work aimed at genetically enhancing the fungus to broaden its applications as a biomaterial. Results of the experiments will be discussed.