Regulation of tyrosinase during the vegetative and sexual life cycles of Neurospora crassa

Truffles contain endocannabinoid metabolic enzymes and anandamide

Truffles are the fruiting body of fungi, members of the Ascomycota phylum endowed with major gastronomic and commercial value. The development and maturation of their reproductive structure are dependent on melanin synthesis. Since anandamide, a prominent member of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), is responsible for melanin synthesis in normal human epidermal melanocytes, we thought that ECS might be present also in truffles. Here, we show the expression, at the transcriptional and translational levels, of most ECS components in the black truffle Tuber melanosporum Vittad. at maturation stage VI. Indeed, by means of molecular biology and immunochemical techniques, we found that truffles contain the major metabolic enzymes of the ECS, while they do not express the most relevant endocannabinoid-binding receptors. In addition, we measured anandamide content in truffles, at different maturation stages (from III to VI), through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis, whereas the other relevant endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol was below the detection limit. Overall, our unprecedented results suggest that anandamide and ECS metabolic enzymes have evolved earlier than endocannabinoid-binding receptors, and that anandamide might be an ancient attractant to truffle eaters, that are well-equipped with endocannabinoid-binding receptors.

Tyrosinase expression during black truffle development: from free living mycelium to ripe fruit body

The present work studies the expression of tyrosinase (monophenol:diphenol oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1) during the development of the black truffle Tuber melanosporum Vittad., an ectomycorrhizal fungus of great biological and economic interest. As widely reported in the literature, melanins and the enzymes that synthesize them, are of paramount importance in fungal development and sexual differentiation. Tyrosinase and laccase are the enzymes that produce melanins from monophenols and diphenols. We have detected tyrosinase expression from the stage of free living mycelium, through the mychorrizal stage and the six fruit body developmental stages by measuring the levels of tyrosinase mRNA by quantitative PCR (q-PCR), spectrophotometry, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and electrophoresis. Tyrosinase is always expressed, from the free living mycelium to the ripe fruit body developmental stages, when it is very low. The switching off of the tyrosinase gene during T. melanosporum development when the fruit body is ripe and no more cell walls are to be built is discussed in relation of thioflavour production. Specific primers, prepared from the cloned T. melanosporum tyrosinase cDNA were used for the q-PCR and the deduced aminoacid sequences of the CuA and CuB binding sites were compared to those of various ascomycetes and basidiomycetes.

Characterization of Ctr family genes and the elucidation of their role in the life cycle of Neurospora crassa

Transcriptional analysis using qRT-PCR of 62 metal ion transporters during conidial germination of Neurospora crassa showed a significant up regulation of a hypothetical copper transporter gene, tcu-1, that belongs to the Ctr family. Herein we characterised the Ctr family genes (tcu-1, tcu-2 and tcu-3) and deciphered their role in various developmental phases of the N. crassa life cycle. Cross complementation assays in copper uptake mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that tcu-1, tcu-2 and tcu-3 are functional homologs of S. cerevisiae copper transporters. Expression studies of Ctr family members in various developmental phases of N. crassa showed differential expression pattern for high-affinity copper transporter, TCU1. Functional analysis of their gene knockout mutants showed that tcu-1 is essential for saprophytic conidial germination, vegetative growth and perithecia development under copper limited conditions while conidiation remained unaffected.

Regulation of melanin biosynthesis via the dihydroxynaphthalene pathway is dependent on sexual development in the ascomyceteSordaria macrospora

The filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora accumulates melanin during sexual development. The four melanin biosynthesis genes pks, teh, sdh and tih were isolated and their homology to genes involved in 1,8 dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin biosynthesis was shown. The presence of DHN melanin in S. macrospora was further confirmed by disrupting the pks gene encoding a putative polyketide synthase and by RNA interference-mediated silencing of the sdh gene encoding a putative scytalone dehydratase. Because melanin occurs in fruiting bodies that develop through several intermediate stages within 7 days of growth, a Northern analysis of a developmental time-course was conducted. These data revealed a time-dependent regulation of teh and sdh transcript levels. Comparing the transcriptional expression by real-time PCR of melanin biosynthesis genes in the wild type under conditions allowing or repressing sexual development, a significant downregulation during vegetative growth was detected. Quantitative real-time PCR and Northern blot analysis of melanin biosynthesis gene expression in different developmental mutants confirmed that melanin biosynthesis is linked to fruiting body development and is under the control of specific regulatory genes that participate in sexual differentiation.

Truffle thio-flavours reversibly inhibit truffle tyrosinase

Tyrosinase is an enzyme having two copper atoms at the reactive site occurring in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In animals tyrosinase is responsible for pigmentation, in plants for protection of injured tissues or, as in fungi, to harden cell walls. Some of us have previously shown that tyrosinase is involved in truffle development and differentiation. Here we present the purification, the molecular properties and the reversible inhibition of Tuber melanosporum tyrosinase by dimethyl-sulfide and bis[methylthio]methane, the main flavour compounds of black and whitish truffles. The MW(r) is 39000. L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and L-tyrosine stain corresponding bands as expected for a true tyrosinase. Phenylthiourea, diethyldithiocarbamate and mimosine inhibit L-tyrosine and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine oxidation.

ATP-induced protyrosinase synthesis and carboxyl-terminal processing in Neurospora crassa

The effects of 3'-5' cyclic AMP and ATP upon tyrosinase induction in Neurospora crassa were examined. Northern analysis of total cellular RNA revealed rapid de novo synthesis of protyrosinase after addition of these substances to stationary-phase mycelia. The maturation of protyrosinase in crude extracts of mycelia was followed by Western analysis. Polyclonal rabbit antiserum directed against the denatured carboxyl-terminal extension of protyrosinase does recognize the proform and several intermediate forms of different molecular weight but not mature tyrosinase. Disruption of ATP-induced mycelia in sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) demonstrate processing at the carboxyl-terminal end of protyrosinase. The activity assays revealed that protyrosinase is an inactive precursor and that at least two active forms of slightly different molecular weight are present in crude extracts. Maturation of protyrosinase thus involves specific and sequential proteolytic cleavage at the carboxyl-terminus. These results suggest the presence of a tyrosinase activator in Neurospora crassa mycelia, which is kept apart from protyrosinase in the intact mycelium.