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Park SC, Steffan BN, Yun Lim F, Gupta R, Ayaloglu Butun F, Chen H, Ye R, Decker T, Wu CC, Kelleher NL, Woo Bok J, Keller NP. Terpenoid balance in Aspergillus nidulans unveiled by heterologous squalene synthase expression. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk7416. [PMID: 38381828 PMCID: PMC10881027 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk7416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi produce numerous uncharacterized natural products (NPs) that are often challenging to characterize because of cryptic expression in laboratory conditions. Previously, we have successfully isolated novel NPs by expressing fungal artificial chromosomes (FACs) from a variety of fungal species into Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we demonstrate a twist to FAC utility wherein heterologous expression of a Pseudogymnoascus destructans FAC in A. nidulans altered endogenous terpene biosynthetic pathways. In contrast to wild type, the FAC transformant produced increased levels of squalene and aspernidine type compounds, including three new nidulenes (1- 2, and 5), and lost nearly all ability to synthesize the major A. nidulans characteristic terpene, austinol. Deletion of a squalene synthase gene in the FAC restored wild-type chemical profiles. The altered squalene to farnesyl pyrophosphate ratio leading to synthesis of nidulenes and aspernidines at the expense of farnesyl pyrophosphate-derived austinols provides unexpected insight into routes of terpene synthesis in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Breanne N. Steffan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Fang Yun Lim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raveena Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Rosa Ye
- Intact Genomics Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Neil L. Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Park SC, Steffan BN, Lim FY, Gupta R, Butun FA, Chen H, Ye R, Decker T, Wu CC, Kelleher NL, Bok JW, Keller NP. Terpenoid balance in Aspergillus nidulans unveiled by heterologous squalene synthase expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563295. [PMID: 37905136 PMCID: PMC10614972 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi produce numerous uncharacterized natural products (NPs) that are often challenging to characterize due to cryptic expression in laboratory conditions. Previously, we have successfully isolated novel NPs by expressing fungal artificial chromosomes (FACs) from a variety of fungal species into Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we demonstrate a new twist to FAC utility wherein heterologous expression of a Pseudogymnoascus destructans FAC in A. nidulans altered endogenous terpene biosynthetic pathways. In contrast to wildtype, the FAC transformant produced increased levels of squalene and aspernidine type compounds, including three new nidulenes (1-2, 5), and lost nearly all ability to synthesize the major A. nidulans characteristic terpene, austinol. Deletion of a squalene synthase gene in the FAC restored wildtype chemical profiles. The altered squalene to farnesyl pyrophosphate ratio leading to synthesis of nidulenes and aspernidines at the expense of farnesyl pyrophosphate derived austinols provides unexpected insight into routes of terpene synthesis in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Breanne N. Steffan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Fang Yun Lim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle WA
| | - Raveena Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, IL
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
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Wang S, Chen R, Yuan L, Zhang C, Liang D, Qiao J. Molecular and Functional Analyses of Characterized Sesquiterpene Synthases in Mushroom-Forming Fungi. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1017. [PMID: 37888273 PMCID: PMC10608071 DOI: 10.3390/jof9101017] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sesquiterpenes are a type of abundant natural product with widespread applications in several industries. They are biosynthesized by sesquiterpene synthases (STSs). As valuable and abundant biological resources, mushroom-forming fungi are rich in new sesquiterpenes and STSs, which remain largely unexploited. In the present study, we collected information on 172 STSs from mushroom-forming fungi with experimentally characterized products from the literature and sorted them to develop a dataset. Furthermore, we analyzed and discussed the phylogenetic tree, catalytic products, and conserved motifs of STSs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the STSs were clustered into four clades. Furthermore, their cyclization reaction mechanism was divided into four corresponding categories. This database was used to predict 12 putative STS genes from the edible fungi Flammulina velutipes. Finally, three FvSTSs were selected to experimentally characterize their functions. FvSTS03 predominantly produced Δ-cadinol and FvSTS08 synthesized β-barbatene as the main product; these findings were consistent with those of the functional prediction analysis. A product titer of 78.8 mg/L β-barbatene was achieved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via metabolic engineering. Our study findings will help screen or design STSs from fungi with specific product profiles as functional elements for applications in synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengli Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (S.W.); (R.C.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China;
| | - Ruiqi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (S.W.); (R.C.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China;
| | - Lin Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (S.W.); (R.C.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China;
| | - Chenyang Zhang
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China;
| | - Dongmei Liang
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China;
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (S.W.); (R.C.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University (Shaoxing), Shaoxing 312300, China;
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Wu J, Yang X, Duan Y, Wang P, Qi J, Gao JM, Liu C. Biosynthesis of Sesquiterpenes in Basidiomycetes: A Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8090913. [PMID: 36135638 PMCID: PMC9501842 DOI: 10.3390/jof8090913] [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: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sesquiterpenes are common small-molecule natural products with a wide range of promising applications and are biosynthesized by sesquiterpene synthase (STS). Basidiomycetes are valuable and important biological resources. To date, hundreds of related sesquiterpenoids have been discovered in basidiomycetes, and the biosynthetic pathways of some of these compounds have been elucidated. This review summarizes 122 STSs and 2 fusion enzymes STSs identified from 26 species of basidiomycetes over the past 20 years. The biological functions of enzymes and compound structures are described, and related research is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xiaoran Yang
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yingce Duan
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Pengchao Wang
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jianzhao Qi
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jin-Ming Gao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chengwei Liu
- Key Laboratory for Enzyme and Enzyme-like Material Engineering of Heilongjiang, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Correspondence:
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