Expression of Ovalbumin in Edible Fusarium venenatum for Enhanced Nutritional and Functional Properties of
Wenwen Pei1,2, Peng Chen2,3, Yan Zeng2
1Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin300457, China.
Abstract:
Mycoprotein offers a sustainable approach to tackle global protein shortage, and Fusarium venenatum is an excellent chassis for mycoprotein production. However, low essential amino acid levels and poor functional properties limit its food application. In this study, we expressed chicken and duck ovalbumins in F. venenatum through multisite chromosomal integration. The engineered mycoprotein had 12.8% higher total protein and 39.5% more essential amino acids relative to the wild-type strain. Notably, the sulfur-containing amino acid (e.g., methionine and cysteine) content increased 3-fold. Its water/oil holding, emulsifying, and gelling abilities were enhanced, with hardness 3.7-5.1 times that of the wild type. The modified strain reached 62.6% digestibility in 240 min, and its initial gastric digestion rate doubled. These results indicate that heterologous ovalbumin expression is a reliable method to upgrade the nutrition and functionality of mycoprotein, which will greatly expand the application of F. venenatum in the future food industry.
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