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Collemare J, Seidl MF. Chromatin-dependent regulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in fungi: is the picture complete? FEMS Microbiol Rev 2019; 43:591-607. [PMID: 31301226 PMCID: PMC8038932 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuz018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal secondary metabolites are small molecules that exhibit diverse biological activities exploited in medicine, industry and agriculture. Their biosynthesis is governed by co-expressed genes that often co-localize in gene clusters. Most of these secondary metabolite gene clusters are inactive under laboratory conditions, which is due to a tight transcriptional regulation. Modifications of chromatin, the complex of DNA and histone proteins influencing DNA accessibility, play an important role in this regulation. However, tinkering with well-characterised chemical and genetic modifications that affect chromatin alters the expression of only few biosynthetic gene clusters, and thus the regulation of the vast majority of biosynthetic pathways remains enigmatic. In the past, attempts to activate silent gene clusters in fungi mainly focused on histone acetylation and methylation, while in other eukaryotes many other post-translational modifications are involved in transcription regulation. Thus, how chromatin regulates the expression of gene clusters remains a largely unexplored research field. In this review, we argue that focusing on only few well-characterised chromatin modifications is significantly hampering our understanding of the chromatin-based regulation of biosynthetic gene clusters. Research on underexplored chromatin modifications and on the interplay between different modifications is timely to fully explore the largely untapped reservoir of fungal secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael F Seidl
- Corresponding author: Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands. E-mail: ; Present address: Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Morishita Y, Zhang H, Taniguchi T, Mori K, Asai T. The Discovery of Fungal Polyene Macrolides via a Postgenomic Approach Reveals a Polyketide Macrocyclization by trans-Acting Thioesterase in Fungi. Org Lett 2019; 21:4788-4792. [PMID: 31180682 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Heterologous expression of a unique biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) comprising a highly reducing polyketide synthase and stand-alone thioesterase genes in Aspergillus oryzae enabled us to isolate a novel 34-membered polyene macrolide, phaeospelide A (1). This is the first isolation of a fungal polyene macrolide and the first demonstration of fungal aliphatic macrolide biosynthetic machinery. In addition, sequence similarity network analysis demonstrated the existence of a large number of BGCs for novel fungal macrolides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Morishita
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , The University of Tokyo , 3-8-1 Komaba , Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 , Japan
| | - Huiping Zhang
- NMR Science and Development Division , RIKEN Spring-8 Center , 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho , Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama , Kanagawa 230-0045 , Japan
| | - Tohru Taniguchi
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Frontier Research Center for Post-Genome Science and Technology , Hokkaido University , Kita 21 Nishi 11 , Sapporo 001-0021 , Japan
| | - Keiji Mori
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering , Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , 2-24-16 Nakacho , Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 , Japan
| | - Teigo Asai
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , The University of Tokyo , 3-8-1 Komaba , Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 , Japan
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Knowles SL, Raja HA, Wright AJ, Lee AML, Caesar LK, Cech NB, Mead ME, Steenwyk JL, Ries LNA, Goldman GH, Rokas A, Oberlies NH. Mapping the Fungal Battlefield: Using in situ Chemistry and Deletion Mutants to Monitor Interspecific Chemical Interactions Between Fungi. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:285. [PMID: 30837981 PMCID: PMC6389630 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi grow in competitive environments, and to cope, they have evolved strategies, such as the ability to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites. This begs two related questions. First, how do secondary metabolites influence fungal ecology and interspecific interactions? Second, can these interspecific interactions provide a way to “see” how fungi respond, chemically, within a competitive environment? To evaluate these, and to gain insight into the secondary metabolic arsenal fungi possess, we co-cultured Aspergillus fischeri, a genetically tractable fungus that produces a suite of mycotoxins, with Xylaria cubensis, a fungus that produces the fungistatic compound and FDA-approved drug, griseofulvin. To monitor and characterize fungal chemistry in situ, we used the droplet-liquid microjunction-surface sampling probe (droplet probe). The droplet probe makes a microextraction at defined locations on the surface of the co-culture, followed by analysis of the secondary metabolite profile via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using this, we mapped and compared the spatial profiles of secondary metabolites from both fungi in monoculture versus co-culture. X. cubensis predominantly biosynthesized griseofulvin and dechlorogriseofulvin in monoculture. In contrast, under co-culture conditions a deadlock was formed between the two fungi, and X. cubensis biosynthesized the same two secondary metabolites, along with dechloro-5′-hydroxygriseofulvin and 5′-hydroxygriseofulvin, all of which have fungistatic properties, as well as mycotoxins like cytochalasin D and cytochalasin C. In contrast, in co-culture, A. fischeri increased the production of the mycotoxins fumitremorgin B and verruculogen, but otherwise remained unchanged relative to its monoculture. To evaluate that secondary metabolites play an important role in defense and territory establishment, we co-cultured A. fischeri lacking the master regulator of secondary metabolism laeA with X. cubensis. We found that the reduced secondary metabolite biosynthesis of the ΔlaeA strain of A. fischeri eliminated the organism’s ability to compete in co-culture and led to its displacement by X. cubensis. These results demonstrate the potential of in situ chemical analysis and deletion mutant approaches for shedding light on the ecological roles of secondary metabolites and how they influence fungal ecological strategies; co-culturing may also stimulate the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites that are not produced in monoculture in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja L Knowles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Huzefa A Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Allison J Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Ann Marie L Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Lindsay K Caesar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Nadja B Cech
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Matthew E Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Laure N A Ries
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Nicholas H Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
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Qiao YM, Yu RL, Zhu P. Advances in targeting and heterologous expression of genes involved in the synthesis of fungal secondary metabolites. RSC Adv 2019; 9:35124-35134. [PMID: 35530690 PMCID: PMC9074735 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra06908a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene targeting involves integration of foreign DNA into the fungal genome by several strategies including Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ming Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs
- Institute of Materia Medica
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
| | - Rui-Lin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs
- Institute of Materia Medica
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
| | - Ping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biosynthesis of Natural Products
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Biocatalysis of Natural Drugs
- Institute of Materia Medica
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
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