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Zhao P, Cao S, Wang J, Lin J, Zhang Y, Liu C, Liu H, Zhang Q, Wang M, Meng Y, Yin X, Qi J, Zhang L, Xia X. Activation of secondary metabolite gene clusters in Chaetomium olivaceum via the deletion of a histone deacetylase. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:332. [PMID: 38734756 PMCID: PMC11088548 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13173-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Histone acetylation modifications in filamentous fungi play a crucial role in epigenetic gene regulation and are closely linked to the transcription of secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a pivotal role in determining the extent of histone acetylation modifications and act as triggers for the expression activity of target BGCs. The genus Chaetomium is widely recognized as a rich source of novel and bioactive SMs. Deletion of a class I HDAC gene of Chaetomium olivaceum SD-80A, g7489, induces a substantial pleiotropic effect on the expression of SM BGCs. The C. olivaceum SD-80A ∆g7489 strain exhibited significant changes in morphology, sporulation ability, and secondary metabolic profile, resulting in the emergence of new compound peaks. Notably, three polyketides (A1-A3) and one asterriquinone (A4) were isolated from this mutant strain. Furthermore, our study explored the BGCs of A1-A4, confirming the function of two polyketide synthases (PKSs). Collectively, our findings highlight the promising potential of molecular epigenetic approaches for the elucidation of novel active compounds and their biosynthetic elements in Chaetomium species. This finding holds great significance for the exploration and utilization of Chaetomium resources. KEY POINTS: • Deletion of a class I histone deacetylase activated secondary metabolite gene clusters. • Three polyketides and one asterriquinone were isolated from HDAC deleted strain. • Two different PKSs were reported in C. olivaceum SD-80A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Zhao
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Shengling Cao
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Jiaying Lin
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Yunzeng Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, 250013, Shandong, China
| | - Chengwei Liu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-Like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hairong Liu
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Qingqing Zhang
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Yiwei Meng
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Xin Yin
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Jun Qi
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xuekui Xia
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250103, Shandong, China.
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Barreiro C, Albillos SM, García-Estrada C. Penicillium chrysogenum: Beyond the penicillin. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2024; 127:143-221. [PMID: 38763527 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Almost one century after the Sir Alexander Fleming's fortuitous discovery of penicillin and the identification of the fungal producer as Penicillium notatum, later Penicillium chrysogenum (currently reidentified as Penicillium rubens), the molecular mechanisms behind the massive production of penicillin titers by industrial strains could be considered almost fully characterized. However, this filamentous fungus is not only circumscribed to penicillin, and instead, it seems to be full of surprises, thereby producing important metabolites and providing expanded biotechnological applications. This review, in addition to summarizing the classical role of P. chrysogenum as penicillin producer, highlights its ability to generate an array of additional bioactive secondary metabolites and enzymes, together with the use of this microorganism in relevant biotechnological processes, such as bioremediation, biocontrol, production of bioactive nanoparticles and compounds with pharmaceutical interest, revalorization of agricultural and food-derived wastes or the enhancement of food industrial processes and the agricultural production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Barreiro
- Área de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain; Instituto de Biología Molecular, Genómica y Proteómica (INBIOMIC), Universidad de León, León, Spain.
| | - Silvia M Albillos
- Área de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Departamento de Biotecnología y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, León, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, León, Spain
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Dos Reis JBA, Lorenzi AS, Pinho DB, Cortelo PC, do Vale HMM. The hidden treasures in endophytic fungi: a comprehensive review on the diversity of fungal bioactive metabolites, usual analytical methodologies, and applications. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:185. [PMID: 38506928 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03911-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
This review provides a comprehensive overview of the key aspects of the natural metabolite production by endophytic fungi, which has attracted significant attention due to its diverse biological activities and wide range of applications. Synthesized by various fungal species, these metabolites encompass compounds with therapeutic, agricultural, and commercial significance. We delved into strategies and advancements aimed at optimizing fungal metabolite production. Fungal cultivation, especially by Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, plays a pivotal role in metabolite biosynthesis, and researchers have explored both submerged and solid-state cultivation processes to harness the full potential of fungal species. Nutrient optimization, pH, and temperature control are critical factors in ensuring high yields of the targeted bioactive metabolites especially for scaling up processes. Analytical methods that includes High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Mass Spectrometry (MS), are indispensable for the identification and quantification of the compounds. Moreover, genetic engineering and metabolic pathway manipulation have emerged as powerful tools to enhance metabolite production and develop novel fungal strains with increased yields. Regulation and control mechanisms at the genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic levels are explored to fine-tune the biosynthesis of fungal metabolites. Ongoing research aims to overcome the complexity of the steps involved to ensure the efficient production and utilization of fungal metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriana Sturion Lorenzi
- Department of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Danilo Batista Pinho
- Department of Phytopathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Helson Mario Martins do Vale
- Department of Phytopathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Speckbacher V, Flatschacher D, Martini-Lösch N, Ulbrich L, Baldin C, Bauer I, Ruzsanyi V, Zeilinger S. The histone deacetylase Hda1 affects oxidative and osmotic stress response as well as mycoparasitic activity and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Trichoderma atroviride. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0309723. [PMID: 38334386 PMCID: PMC10913545 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03097-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma atroviride is applied in agriculture as a biostimulant and biologic control agent against fungal pathogens that infest crop plants. Secondary metabolites are among the main agents determining the strength and progress of the mycoparasitic attack. However, expression of most secondary metabolism-associated genes requires specific cues, as they are silent under routine laboratory conditions due to their maintenance in an inactive heterochromatin state. Therefore, histone modifications are crucial for the regulation of secondary metabolism. Here, we functionally investigated the role of the class II histone deacetylase encoding gene hda1 of T. atroviride by targeted gene deletion, phenotypic characterization, and multi-omics approaches. Deletion of hda1 did not result in obvious phenotypic alterations but led to an enhanced inhibitory activity of secreted metabolites and reduced mycoparasitic abilities of T. atroviride against the plant-pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia solani. The ∆hda1 mutants emitted altered amounts of four volatile organic compounds along their development, produced different metabolite profiles upon growth in liquid culture, and showed a higher susceptibility to oxidative and osmotic stress. Moreover, hda1 deletion affected the expression of several notable gene categories such as polyketide synthases, transcription factors, and genes involved in the HOG MAPK pathway.IMPORTANCEHistone deacetylases play crucial roles in regulating chromatin structure and gene transcription. To date, classical-Zn2+ dependent-fungal histone deacetylases are divided into two classes, of which each comprises orthologues of the two sub-groups Rpd3 and Hos2 and Hda1 and Hos3 of yeast, respectively. However, the role of these chromatin remodelers in mycoparasitic fungi is poorly understood. In this study, we provide evidence that Hda1, the class II histone deacetylases of the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma atroviride, regulates its mycoparasitic activity, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and osmotic and oxidative stress tolerance. The function of Hda1 in regulating bioactive metabolite production and mycoparasitism reveals the importance of chromatin-dependent regulation in the ability of T. atroviride to successfully control fungal plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Laura Ulbrich
- Umweltmonitoring und Forensische Chemie, Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt, Hamm, Germany
| | - Clara Baldin
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ingo Bauer
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Susanne Zeilinger
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Studt-Reinhold L, Atanasoff-Kardjalieff AK, Berger H, Petersen C, Bachleitner S, Sulyok M, Fischle A, Humpf HU, Kalinina S, Søndergaard TE. H3K27me3 is vital for fungal development and secondary metabolite gene silencing, and substitutes for the loss of H3K9me3 in the plant pathogen Fusarium proliferatum. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011075. [PMID: 38166117 PMCID: PMC10786395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Facultative heterochromatin marked by histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) is an important regulatory layer involved in secondary metabolite (SM) gene silencing and crucial for fungal development in the genus Fusarium. While this histone mark is essential in some (e.g., the rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi), it appears dispensable in other fusaria. Here, we show that deletion of FpKMT6 is detrimental but not lethal in the plant pathogen Fusarium proliferatum, a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC). Loss of FpKmt6 results in aberrant growth, and expression of a large set of previously H3K27me3-silenced genes is accompanied by increased H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) and an altered H3K36me3 pattern. Next, H3K9me3 patterns are affected in Δfpkmt6, indicating crosstalk between both heterochromatic marks that became even more obvious in a strain deleted for FpKMT1 encoding the H3K9-specific histone methyltransferase. In Δfpkmt1, all H3K9me3 marks present in the wild-type strain are replaced by H3K27me3, a finding that may explain the subtle phenotype of the Δfpkmt1 strain which stands in marked contrast to other filamentous fungi. A large proportion of SM-encoding genes is allocated with H3K27me3 in the wild-type strain and loss of H3K27me3 results in elevated expression of 49% of them. Interestingly, genes involved in the biosynthesis of the phytohormones gibberellins (GA) are among the most upregulated genes in Δfpkmt6. Although several FFSC members harbor GA biosynthetic genes, its production is largely restricted to F. fujikuroi, possibly outlining the distinct lifestyles of these notorious plant pathogens. We show that H3K27me3 is involved in GA gene silencing in F. proliferatum and at least one additional FFSC member, and thus, may serve as a regulatory layer for gene silencing under non-favoring conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Studt-Reinhold
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Anna K. Atanasoff-Kardjalieff
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Celine Petersen
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Simone Bachleitner
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Alica Fischle
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Humpf
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
| | - Svetlana Kalinina
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
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Zhang X, Hou X, Xu D, Xue M, Zhang J, Wang J, Yang Y, Lai D, Zhou L. Effects of Carbon, Nitrogen, Ambient pH and Light on Mycelial Growth, Sporulation, Sorbicillinoid Biosynthesis and Related Gene Expression in Ustilaginoidea virens. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9040390. [PMID: 37108845 PMCID: PMC10142091 DOI: 10.3390/jof9040390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorbicillinoids are a class of hexaketide metabolites produced by Ustilaginoidea virens (teleomorph: Villosiclava virens), an important fungal pathogen that causes a devastating rice disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of environmental factors, including carbon and nitrogen sources, ambient pH and light exposure, on mycelial growth, sporulation, as well as the accumulation of sorbicillinoids, and the expression of related genes involved in sorbicillinoid biosynthesis. It was found that the environmental factors had great influences on mycelial growth and sporulation of U. virens. Fructose and glucose, complex nitrogen sources, acidic conditions and light exposure were favorable for sorbicillinoid production. The relative transcript levels of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis genes were up-regulated when U. virens was separately treated with those environmental factors that favored sorbicillinoid production, indicating that sorbicillinoid biosynthesis was mainly regulated at the transcriptional level by different environmental factors. Two pathway-specific transcription factor genes, UvSorR1 and UvSorR2, were found to participate in the regulation of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis. These results will provide useful information to better understand the regulation mechanisms of sorbicillinoid biosynthesis, and be conducive to develop effective means for controlling sorbicillinoid production in U. virens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuping Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xuwen Hou
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dan Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mengyao Xue
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yonglin Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Daowan Lai
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ligang Zhou
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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7
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Shi X, Sun Y, Liu J, Liu W, Xing Y, Xiu Z, Dong Y. Metabolomic Strategy to Characterize the Profile of Secondary Metabolites in Aspergillus aculeatus DL1011 Regulated by Chemical Epigenetic Agents. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 28:molecules28010218. [PMID: 36615412 PMCID: PMC9821969 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Chemical epigenetic regulation (CER) is an effective method to activate the silent pathway of fungal secondary metabolite synthesis. However, conventional methods for CER study are laborious and time-consuming. In the meantime, the overall profile of the secondary metabolites in the fungi treated by the CER reagent is not well characterized. In this study, suberohydroxamic acid (SBHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, was added to a culture of Aspergillus aculeatus DL1011 and a new strategy based on LC-MS/MS analysis integrated with various metabolomic tools (MetaboAnalyst, MS-DIAL, SIRIUS and GNPS) was developed to characterize the profile of induced metabolites. As a result, 13.6%, 29.5% and 27.2% of metabolites were identified as newly biosynthesized, increasing and decreasing in abundance by CER, respectively. The structures of the 18 newly induced secondary metabolites were further identified by the new strategy to demonstrate that 72.2% of them (1 novel compound and 12 known compounds) were first discovered in A. aculeatus upon SBHA treatment. The accuracy of the new approach was confirmed by purification and NMR data analysis of major newly biosynthesized secondary metabolites. The bioassay showed that the newly biosynthesized compounds, roseopurpurin analogues, showed selective activities against DPPH scavenging, cytotoxicity and SHP1 inhibition. Our research demonstrated that CER was beneficial for changing the secondary metabolic profile of fungi and was an effective means of increasing the diversity of active metabolites. Our work also supplied a metabolomic strategy to characterize the profile changes and determine the newly induced compounds in the secondary metabolites of fungi treated with the chemical epigenetic regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Shi
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yu Sun
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Junhui Liu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wencai Liu
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Protein Pharmaceutical, Shandong New Time Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Linyi 273400, China
| | - Yan Xing
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Zhilong Xiu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yuesheng Dong
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
- Correspondence:
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8
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Schüller A, Studt-Reinhold L, Strauss J. How to Completely Squeeze a Fungus-Advanced Genome Mining Tools for Novel Bioactive Substances. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:1837. [PMID: 36145585 PMCID: PMC9505985 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal species have the capability of producing an overwhelming diversity of bioactive substances that can have beneficial but also detrimental effects on human health. These so-called secondary metabolites naturally serve as antimicrobial "weapon systems", signaling molecules or developmental effectors for fungi and hence are produced only under very specific environmental conditions or stages in their life cycle. However, as these complex conditions are difficult or even impossible to mimic in laboratory settings, only a small fraction of the true chemical diversity of fungi is known so far. This also implies that a large space for potentially new pharmaceuticals remains unexplored. We here present an overview on current developments in advanced methods that can be used to explore this chemical space. We focus on genetic and genomic methods, how to detect genes that harbor the blueprints for the production of these compounds (i.e., biosynthetic gene clusters, BGCs), and ways to activate these silent chromosomal regions. We provide an in-depth view of the chromatin-level regulation of BGCs and of the potential to use the CRISPR/Cas technology as an activation tool.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joseph Strauss
- Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, A-3430 Tulln/Donau, Austria
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9
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Mózsik L, Iacovelli R, Bovenberg RAL, Driessen AJM. Transcriptional Activation of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Filamentous Fungi. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:901037. [PMID: 35910033 PMCID: PMC9335490 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.901037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are highly productive cell factories, many of which are industrial producers of enzymes, organic acids, and secondary metabolites. The increasing number of sequenced fungal genomes revealed a vast and unexplored biosynthetic potential in the form of transcriptionally silent secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Various strategies have been carried out to explore and mine this untapped source of bioactive molecules, and with the advent of synthetic biology, novel applications, and tools have been developed for filamentous fungi. Here we summarize approaches aiming for the expression of endogenous or exogenous natural product BGCs, including synthetic transcription factors, assembly of artificial transcription units, gene cluster refactoring, fungal shuttle vectors, and platform strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Mózsik
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Iacovelli
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Roel A. L. Bovenberg
- DSM Biotechnology Center, Delft, Netherlands
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Arnold J. M. Driessen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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10
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Development of the CRISPR-Cas9 System for the Marine-Derived Fungi Spiromastix sp. SCSIO F190 and Aspergillus sp. SCSIO SX7S7. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8070715. [PMID: 35887470 PMCID: PMC9322911 DOI: 10.3390/jof8070715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine-derived fungi are emerging as attractive producers of structurally novel secondary metabolites with diverse bioactivities. However, the lack of efficient genetic tools limits the discovery of novel compounds and the elucidation of biosynthesis mechanisms. Here, we firstly established an effective PEG-mediated chemical transformation system for protoplasts in two marine-derived fungi, Spiromastix sp. SCSIO F190 and Aspergillus sp. SCSIO SX7S7. Next, we developed a simple and versatile CRISPR-Cas9-based gene disruption strategy by transforming a target fungus with a single plasmid. We found that the transformation with a circular plasmid encoding cas9, a single-guide RNA (sgRNA), and a selectable marker resulted in a high frequency of targeted and insertional gene mutations in both marine-derived fungal strains. In addition, the histone deacetylase gene rpd3 was mutated using the established CRISPR-Cas9 system, thereby activating novel secondary metabolites that were not produced in the wild-type strain. Taken together, a versatile CRISPR-Cas9-based gene disruption method was established, which will promote the discovery of novel natural products and further biological studies.
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11
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Akiyama DY, Rocha MC, Costa JH, Teles CB, da Silva Zuccoli G, Malavazi I, Fill TP. The Penicillium brasilianum Histone Deacetylase Clr3 Regulates Secondary Metabolite Production and Tolerance to Oxidative Stress. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8050514. [PMID: 35628769 PMCID: PMC9146837 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Most of the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) found in microbes are silent under standard laboratory cultivation conditions due to the lack of expression triggering stimuli, representing a considerable drawback in drug discovery. To access the full biosynthetic potential, studies towards the activation of cryptic BGCs are essential. Histone acetylation status is an important regulator of chromatin structure, which impacts cell physiology and the expression of BGCs. In this study, clr3, a gene encoding a histone deacetylase in Penicillium brasilianum LaBioMMi 136, is deleted and associated phenotypic and metabolic changes are evaluated. The results indicate reduced growth under oxidative stress conditions in the ∆clr3 strain, higher intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and a different transcriptional profile of 13 ROS-related genes of both strains under basal and ROS-induced conditions. Moreover, the production of 14 secondary metabolites, including austin-related meroterpenoids, brasiliamides, verruculogen, penicillic acid, and cyclodepsipeptides was evaluated in the ∆clr3 strain, most of them being reduced. Accordingly, the addition of epigenetic modulators responsible for HDAC inhibition into P. brasilianum’s growth media also culminated in the reduction in secondary metabolite production. The results suggest that Clr3 plays an essential role in secondary metabolite biosynthesis in P. brasilianum, thus offering new strategies for the regulation of natural product synthesis by assessing chromatin modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Yuri Akiyama
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (D.Y.A.); (J.H.C.)
| | - Marina Campos Rocha
- Department of Genetic and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil;
| | - Jonas Henrique Costa
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (D.Y.A.); (J.H.C.)
| | - Caroline Brandão Teles
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (C.B.T.); (G.d.S.Z.)
| | - Giuliana da Silva Zuccoli
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (C.B.T.); (G.d.S.Z.)
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Department of Genetic and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil;
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (T.P.F.)
| | - Taicia Pacheco Fill
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (D.Y.A.); (J.H.C.)
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (T.P.F.)
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12
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Combination Strategy of Genetic Dereplication and Manipulation of Epigenetic Regulators Reveals a Novel Compound from Plant Endophytic Fungus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073686. [PMID: 35409046 PMCID: PMC8998291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The strategies of genetic dereplication and manipulation of epigenetic regulators to activate the cryptic gene clusters are effective to discover natural products with novel structure in filamentous fungi. In this study, a combination of genetic dereplication (deletion of pesthetic acid biosynthetic gene, PfptaA) and manipulation of epigenetic regulators (deletion of histone methyltransferase gene PfcclA and histone deacetylase gene PfhdaA) was developed in plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici. The deletion of PfptaA with PfcclA and/or PfhdaA led to isolation of 1 novel compound, pestaloficiol X (1), as well as another 11 known compounds with obvious yield changes. The proposed biosynthesis pathway of pestaloficiol X was speculated using comparative analysis of homologous biosynthetic gene clusters. Moreover, phenotypic effects on the conidial development and response to oxidative stressors in the mutants were explored. Our results revealed that the new strain with deletion of PfcclA or PfhdaA in ΔPfptaA background host can neutralise the hyperformation of conidia in the PfptaA mutant, and that the ΔPfptaA ΔPfhdaA mutant was generally not sensitive to oxidative stressors as much as the ΔPfptaA ΔcclA mutant in comparison with the single mutant ΔPfptaA or the parental strains. This combinatorial approach can be applied to discover new natural products in filamentous fungi.
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13
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Fierro F, Vaca I, Castillo NI, García-Rico RO, Chávez R. Penicillium chrysogenum, a Vintage Model with a Cutting-Edge Profile in Biotechnology. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030573. [PMID: 35336148 PMCID: PMC8954384 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of penicillin entailed a decisive breakthrough in medicine. No other medical advance has ever had the same impact in the clinical practise. The fungus Penicillium chrysogenum (reclassified as P. rubens) has been used for industrial production of penicillin ever since the forties of the past century; industrial biotechnology developed hand in hand with it, and currently P. chrysogenum is a thoroughly studied model for secondary metabolite production and regulation. In addition to its role as penicillin producer, recent synthetic biology advances have put P. chrysogenum on the path to become a cell factory for the production of metabolites with biotechnological interest. In this review, we tell the history of P. chrysogenum, from the discovery of penicillin and the first isolation of strains with high production capacity to the most recent research advances with the fungus. We will describe how classical strain improvement programs achieved the goal of increasing production and how the development of different molecular tools allowed further improvements. The discovery of the penicillin gene cluster, the origin of the penicillin genes, the regulation of penicillin production, and a compilation of other P. chrysogenum secondary metabolites will also be covered and updated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Fierro
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México 09340, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Inmaculada Vaca
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Nancy I. Castillo
- Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas y Químicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá 110231, Colombia;
| | - Ramón Ovidio García-Rico
- Grupo de Investigación GIMBIO, Departamento De Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona 543050, Colombia;
| | - Renato Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago 9170020, Chile;
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14
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Li X, Huang L, Pan L, Wang B, Pan L. CRISPR/dCas9-mediated epigenetic modification reveals differential regulation of histone acetylation on Aspergillus niger secondary metabolite. Microbiol Res 2021; 245:126694. [PMID: 33482403 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic studies on secondary metabolites (SMs) mainly relied so far on non-selective epigenetic factors deletion or feeding epigenetic inhibitors in Aspergillus niger. Although technologies developed for epigenome editing at specific loci now enable the direct study of the functional relevance of precise gene regulation and epigenetic modification, relevant assays are limited in filamentous fungi. Herein, we show that CRISPR/dCas9-mediated histone epigenetic modification systems efficiently reprogramed the expression of target genes in A. niger. First, we constructed a p300-dCas9 system and demonstrated the activation of a EGFP fluorescent reporter. Second, by precisely locating histone acetylase p300 on ATG adjacent region of secondary metabolic gene breF, the transcription of breF was activated. Third, p300-dCas9 was guided to the native polyketide synthase (PKS) gene fuml, which increased production of the compound fumonisin B2 detected by HPLC and LC-MS. Then, endogenous histone acetylase GcnE-dCas9 and histone deacetylases HosA-dCas9 and RpdA-dCas9 repressed the transcription of breF. Finally, by targeting HosA-dCa9 fusion to pigment gene fwnA, we confirmed that histone deacetylase HosA activated the expression of fwnA, accelerated the synthesis of melanin. Targeted epigenome editing is a promising technology and this study is the first time to apply the epigenetic CRISPR/dCas9 system on regulating the expression of the secondary metabolic genes in A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, No. 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lianggang Huang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, No. 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lijie Pan
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, No. 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, No. 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Li Pan
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, No. 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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15
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El Hajj Assaf C, Zetina-Serrano C, Tahtah N, Khoury AE, Atoui A, Oswald IP, Puel O, Lorber S. Regulation of Secondary Metabolism in the Penicillium Genus. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9462. [PMID: 33322713 PMCID: PMC7763326 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Penicillium, one of the most common fungi occurring in a diverse range of habitats, has a worldwide distribution and a large economic impact on human health. Hundreds of the species belonging to this genus cause disastrous decay in food crops and are able to produce a varied range of secondary metabolites, from which we can distinguish harmful mycotoxins. Some Penicillium species are considered to be important producers of patulin and ochratoxin A, two well-known mycotoxins. The production of these mycotoxins and other secondary metabolites is controlled and regulated by different mechanisms. The aim of this review is to highlight the different levels of regulation of secondary metabolites in the Penicillium genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle El Hajj Assaf
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), member of Food2Know, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium
| | - Chrystian Zetina-Serrano
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
| | - Nadia Tahtah
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
- Centre D’analyse et de Recherche, Unité de Recherche Technologies et Valorisations Agro-Alimentaires, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph, P.O. Box 17-5208, Mar Mikhael, Beirut 1104, Lebanon;
| | - André El Khoury
- Centre D’analyse et de Recherche, Unité de Recherche Technologies et Valorisations Agro-Alimentaires, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph, P.O. Box 17-5208, Mar Mikhael, Beirut 1104, Lebanon;
| | - Ali Atoui
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath Campus, P.O. Box 5, Beirut 1104, Lebanon;
| | - Isabelle P. Oswald
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
| | - Olivier Puel
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
| | - Sophie Lorber
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31027 Toulouse, France; (C.E.H.A.); (C.Z.-S.); (N.T.); (I.P.O.); (S.L.)
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16
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Ding Z, Zhou H, Wang X, Huang H, Wang H, Zhang R, Wang Z, Han J. Deletion of the Histone Deacetylase HdaA in Endophytic Fungus Penicillium chrysogenum Fes1701 Induces the Complex Response of Multiple Bioactive Secondary Metabolite Production and Relevant Gene Cluster Expression. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25163657. [PMID: 32796640 PMCID: PMC7464707 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation plays a critical role in controlling fungal secondary metabolism. Here, we report the pleiotropic effects of the epigenetic regulator HdaA (histone deacetylase) on secondary metabolite production and the associated biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) expression in the plant endophytic fungus Penicillium chrysogenum Fes1701. Deletion of the hdaA gene in strain Fes1701 induced a significant change of the secondary metabolite profile with the emergence of the bioactive indole alkaloid meleagrin. Simultaneously, more meleagrin/roquefortine-related compounds and less chrysogine were synthesized in the ΔhdaA strain. Transcriptional analysis of relevant gene clusters in ΔhdaA and wild strains indicated that disruption of hdaA had different effects on the expression levels of two BGCs: the meleagrin/roquefortine BGC was upregulated, while the chrysogine BGC was downregulated. Interestingly, transcriptional analysis demonstrated that different functional genes in the same BGC had different responses to the disruption of hdaA. Thereinto, the roqO gene, which encodes a key catalyzing enzyme in meleagrin biosynthesis, showed the highest upregulation in the ΔhdaA strain (84.8-fold). To our knowledge, this is the first report of the upregulation of HdaA inactivation on meleagrin/roquefortine alkaloid production in the endophytic fungus P. chrysogenum. Our results suggest that genetic manipulation based on the epigenetic regulator HdaA is an important strategy for regulating the productions of secondary metabolites and expanding bioactive natural product resources in endophytic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Ding
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (X.W.); (R.Z.); (Z.W.); (J.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-635-8239136
| | - Haibo Zhou
- Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China;
| | - Xiao Wang
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (X.W.); (R.Z.); (Z.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Huiming Huang
- School of Life Science, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China;
| | - Haotian Wang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China;
| | - Ruiyan Zhang
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (X.W.); (R.Z.); (Z.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Zhengping Wang
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (X.W.); (R.Z.); (Z.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Jun Han
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (X.W.); (R.Z.); (Z.W.); (J.H.)
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17
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A Penicillium rubens platform strain for secondary metabolite production. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7630. [PMID: 32376967 PMCID: PMC7203126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64893-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a Penicillium rubens strain with an industrial background in which the four highly expressed biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC) required to produce penicillin, roquefortine, chrysogine and fungisporin were removed. This resulted in a minimal secondary metabolite background. Amino acid pools under steady-state growth conditions showed reduced levels of methionine and increased intracellular aromatic amino acids. Expression profiling of remaining BGC core genes and untargeted mass spectrometry did not identify products from uncharacterized BGCs. This platform strain was repurposed for expression of the recently identified polyketide calbistrin gene cluster and achieved high yields of decumbenone A, B and C. The penicillin BGC could be restored through in vivo assembly with eight DNA segments with short overlaps. Our study paves the way for fast combinatorial assembly and expression of biosynthetic pathways in a fungal strain with low endogenous secondary metabolite burden.
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18
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A newly constructed Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system revealed the influence of nitrogen sources on the function of the LaeA regulator in Penicillium chrysogenum. Fungal Biol 2019; 123:830-842. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2019.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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19
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Kindinger F, Nies J, Becker A, Zhu T, Li SM. Genomic Locus of a Penicillium crustosum Pigment as an Integration Site for Secondary Metabolite Gene Expression. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:1227-1234. [PMID: 31141338 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Heterologous expression of secondary metabolite genes and gene clusters has been proven to be a successful strategy for identification of new natural products of cryptic or silent genes hidden in the genome sequences. It is also a useful tool to produce designed compounds by synthetic biology approaches. In this study, we demonstrate the potential usage of the gene locus pcr4401 in the fast-growing filamentous fungus Penicillium crustosum as an integration site for heterologous gene expression. The deduced polyketide synthase (PKS) Pcr4401 is involved in the dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin pigment formation, and its deletion in P. crustosum PRB-2 led to an albino phenotype. Heterologous expression of pcr4401 in Aspergillus nidulans proved its function as the melanin precursor YWA1 synthase. To ensure gene expression after genomic integration and to easily identify the potential transformants by visualization, the gene locus of pcr4401 was chosen as an integration site. For heterologous expression in P. crustosum, the expression constructs were created by ligation-independent homologous recombination in Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A pyrG deficient strain was also created, so that both the pyrG and hph resistance gene can be used as selection markers. Successful expression in P. crustosum was demonstrated by using one uncharacterized PKS gene from Aspergillus and two from Penicillium strains. All three genes were successfully introduced, heterologously expressed, and their biosynthetic products elucidated. The results presented in this study demonstrated that P. crustosum can be used as a suitable host for heterologous expression of secondary metabolite genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Kindinger
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Biotechnologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 4, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Nies
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Biotechnologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 4, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Anke Becker
- LOEWE Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tianjiao Zhu
- Ocean University of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, Yushan Road 5, 266003 Qingdao, China
| | - Shu-Ming Li
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Biotechnologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 4, 35037 Marburg, Germany
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20
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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: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [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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21
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Pfannenstiel BT, Keller NP. On top of biosynthetic gene clusters: How epigenetic machinery influences secondary metabolism in fungi. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107345. [PMID: 30738111 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungi produce an abundance of bioactive secondary metabolites which can be utilized as antibiotics and pharmaceutical drugs. The genes encoding secondary metabolites are contiguously arranged in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), which supports co-regulation of all genes required for any one metabolite. However, an ongoing challenge to harvest this fungal wealth is the finding that many of the BGCs are 'silent' in laboratory settings and lie in heterochromatic regions of the genome. Successful approaches allowing access to these regions - in essence converting the heterochromatin covering BGCs to euchromatin - include use of epigenetic stimulants and genetic manipulation of histone modifying proteins. This review provides a comprehensive look at the chromatin remodeling proteins which have been shown to regulate secondary metabolism, the use of chemical inhibitors used to induce BGCs, and provides future perspectives on expansion of epigenetic tools and concepts to mine the fungal metabolome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon T Pfannenstiel
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States; Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
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22
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Guzmán-Chávez F, Zwahlen RD, Bovenberg RAL, Driessen AJM. Engineering of the Filamentous Fungus Penicillium chrysogenum as Cell Factory for Natural Products. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2768. [PMID: 30524395 PMCID: PMC6262359 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Penicillium chrysogenum (renamed P. rubens) is the most studied member of a family of more than 350 Penicillium species that constitute the genus. Since the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, this filamentous fungus is used as a commercial β-lactam antibiotic producer. For several decades, P. chrysogenum was subjected to a classical strain improvement (CSI) program to increase penicillin titers. This resulted in a massive increase in the penicillin production capacity, paralleled by the silencing of several other biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), causing a reduction in the production of a broad range of BGC encoded natural products (NPs). Several approaches have been used to restore the ability of the penicillin production strains to synthetize the NPs lost during the CSI. Here, we summarize various re-activation mechanisms of BGCs, and how interference with regulation can be used as a strategy to activate or silence BGCs in filamentous fungi. To further emphasize the versatility of P. chrysogenum as a fungal production platform for NPs with potential commercial value, protein engineering of biosynthetic enzymes is discussed as a tool to develop de novo BGC pathways for new NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Guzmán-Chávez
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Reto D Zwahlen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Roel A L Bovenberg
- Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,DSM Biotechnology Centre, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Arnold J M Driessen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,Synthetic Biology and Cell Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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23
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Guzman‐Chavez F, Salo O, Samol M, Ries M, Kuipers J, Bovenberg RAL, Vreeken RJ, Driessen AJM. Deregulation of secondary metabolism in a histone deacetylase mutant of Penicillium chrysogenum. Microbiologyopen 2018; 7:e00598. [PMID: 29575742 PMCID: PMC6182556 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The Pc21 g14570 gene of Penicillium chrysogenum encodes an ortholog of a class 2 histone deacetylase termed HdaA which may play a role in epigenetic regulation of secondary metabolism. Deletion of the hdaA gene induces a significant pleiotropic effect on the expression of a set of polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-encoding genes. The deletion mutant exhibits a decreased conidial pigmentation that is related to a reduced expression of the PKS gene Pc21 g16000 (pks17) responsible for the production of the pigment precursor naphtha-γ-pyrone. Moreover, the hdaA deletion caused decreased levels of the yellow pigment chrysogine that is associated with the downregulation of the NRPS-encoding gene Pc21 g12630 and associated biosynthetic gene cluster. In contrast, transcriptional activation of the sorbicillinoids biosynthetic gene cluster occurred concomitantly with the overproduction of associated compounds . A new compound was detected in the deletion strain that was observed only under conditions of sorbicillinoids production, suggesting crosstalk between biosynthetic gene clusters. Our present results show that an epigenomic approach can be successfully applied for the activation of secondary metabolism in industrial strains of P. chrysogenum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Guzman‐Chavez
- Molecular MicrobiologyGroningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial FermentationsDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Oleksandr Salo
- Molecular MicrobiologyGroningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial FermentationsDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Marta Samol
- Molecular MicrobiologyGroningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial FermentationsDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Marco Ries
- Division of Analytical BiosciencesLeiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug ResearchLeidenThe Netherlands
- Netherlands Metabolomics CentreLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Kuipers
- Department of Cell biologyUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Roel A. L. Bovenberg
- Synthetic Biology and Cell EngineeringGroningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- DSM Biotechnology CenterDelftThe Netherlands
| | - Rob J. Vreeken
- Division of Analytical BiosciencesLeiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug ResearchLeidenThe Netherlands
- Netherlands Metabolomics CentreLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Rob J. Vreeken, Discovery SciencesJanssen R &DBeerseBelgium
| | - Arnold J. M. Driessen
- Molecular MicrobiologyGroningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology InstituteUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial FermentationsDelftThe Netherlands
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