课题组主要以丝状真菌为研究对象，利用合成生物学理念，结合功能基因组学，分子遗传学和代谢工程技术，围绕工业蛋白质和生物基化学品发酵生产的通用底盘细胞构建开展基础和应用研究。

主要研究方向有：

(1) 丝状真菌蛋白质表达系统和大宗工业酶菌种构建；

(2) 生物炼制机理和生物基大宗化学品细胞工厂构建。

代表论著：

1.   Li J, Lin L, Sun T, Xu J, Ji J, Liu Q, Tian C*. Direct production of commodity chemicals from lignocellulose using Myceliophthora thermophila. Metabolic Engineering, 2019, 10.1016/j.ymben.2019.05.007

2.   Liu Q, Li J, Gao R, Li J, Ma G, Tian C*. CLR-4, a novel conserved transcription factor for cellulase gene expression in ascomycete fungi. Mol Microbiol, 2019, 111: 2, 373-394

3.   Gu S, Li J, Chen B, Sun T, Liu Q, Xiao D, Tian C*. Metabolic engineering of the thermophilic lamentous fungus Myceliophthora thermophila to produce fumaric acid. Biotechnol Biofuels, 2018, 11: 323

4.   Lin L, Sun Z, Li J, Chen Y, Liu Q, Sun W, Tian C*. Disruption of gul-1 decreased the culture viscosity and improved protein secretion in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. Microb Cell Fact, 2018, 17 (1): 96

5.   Xu G, Li J, Liu Q, Sun W, Jiang M, Tian C*. Transcriptional analysis of Myceliophthora thermophila on soluble starch and role of regulator AmyR on polysaccharide degradation. Bioresour Technol, 2018, 265: 558-562

6.   Wang B, Li J, Gao J, Cai P, Han X, Tian C*. Identification and Characterization of the Glucose Dual-Affinity Transport System in Neurospora crassa: Pleiotropic Roles in Nutrient Transport, Signaling, and Carbon Catabolite Repression. Biotechnol Biofuels, 2017, 10: 17

7.   Liu Q, Gao R, Li J, Lin L, Zhao J, Sun W, Tian C*. Development of a genome-editing CRISPR/Cas9 system in thermophilic fungal Myceliophthora species and its application to hyper-cellulase production strain engineering. Biotechnol Biofuels, 2017, 10: 1

8.   Fan F, Ma G, Li J, Liu Q, Benz JP, Tian C*, Ma Y. Genome-wide analysis of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response during lignocellulase production in Neurospora crassa. Biotechnol Biofuels. 2015, 8: 66

9.   Li J, Xu J, Cai P, Wang B, Ma Y, Benz JP*, Tian C*. The functional analysis of two related L-arabinose transporters from filamentous fungi reveals promising characteristics for improved pentose utilization in yeast. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2015, 81 (12): 4062- 4070

10. Wang B, Cai P, Sun W, Li J, Tian C*, Ma Y. A transcriptomic analysis of Neurospora crassa using five major crop residues and the novel role of the sporulation regulator rca- 1 in lignocellulase production. Biotechnol Biofuels, 2015, 8: 21

11. 10. Xu J, Li J, Lin L, Liu Q, Sun W, Huang B, Tian C*. Development of genetic tools for Myceliophthora thermophila. BMC Biotechnol, 2015, 15: 35

12. Pei X, Fan F, Lin L, Chen Y, Sun W, Zhang S*, Tian C*. Involvement of the adaptor protein 3 complex in lignocellulase secretion in Neurospora crassa revealed by comparative genomic screening. Biotechnol Biofuels, 2015, 8: 124

13. Cai P, Wang B, Ji J, Jiang Y, Wan L, Tian C*, Ma Y. The Putative Cellodextrin Transporter-like Protein CLP1 Is Involved in Cellulase Induction in Neurospora crassa. J Biol Chem, 2015, 290: 788-796