Comprehensive analysis of the volatilome of Scytinostroma portentosum

Identification of volatile producing enzymes in higher fungi: Combining analytical and bioinformatic methods

Filamentous fungi harbor the genetic potential for the biosynthesis of several secondary metabolites including various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Nonetheless, under standard laboratory conditions, many of these VOCs are not formed. Furthermore, little is known about enzymes involved in the production of fungal VOCs. To tap these interesting topics, we developed an approach to identify enzymes putatively involved in the fungal VOC biosynthesis. In this chapter, we highlight different fungal cultivation methods and techniques for the extraction of VOCs, including a method that allows the noninvasive analysis of VOCs. In addition using terpene synthases as an example, it is depicted how enzymes putatively involved in VOC synthesis can be identified by means of bioinformatic approaches. Transcriptomic data of chosen genes combined with volatilome data obtained during different developmental stages is demonstrated as a powerful tool to identify enzymes putatively involved in fungal VOC biosynthesis. Especially with regard to subsequent enzyme characterization, this procedure is a target-oriented way to save time and efforts by considering only the most important enzymes.

Mind the mushroom: natural product biosynthetic genes and enzymes of Basidiomycota

Covering: up to September 2020 Mushroom-forming fungi of the division Basidiomycota have traditionally been recognised as prolific producers of structurally diverse and often bioactive secondary metabolites, using the methods of chemistry for research. Over the past decade, -omics technologies were applied on these fungi, and sophisticated heterologous gene expression platforms emerged, which have boosted research into the genetic and biochemical basis of the biosyntheses. This review provides an overview on experimentally confirmed natural product biosyntheses of basidiomycete polyketides, amino acid-derived products, terpenoids, and volatiles. We also present challenges and solutions particular to natural product research with these fungi. 222 references are cited.