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Nadig N, Park SC, Bok JW, Keller NP. Conserved copper regulation of the antimicrobial isocyanide brassicicolin A in Alternaria brassicicola. Fungal Genet Biol 2023; 169:103839. [PMID: 37709127 PMCID: PMC10841451 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103839] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Phytopathogenic Alternaria species are renown for production of toxins that contribute to virulence on host plants. Typically, these toxins belong to well-known secondary metabolite chemical classes including polyketides, non-ribosomal peptides and terpenes. However, the purported host toxin brassicicolin A produced by A. brassicicola is an isocyanide, a chemical class whose genetics and encoding gene structure is largely unknown. The chemical structure of brassicicolin A shows it to have similarity to the recently characterized fumicicolins derived from the Aspergillus fumigatus isocyanide synthase CrmA. Examination of the A. brassicicola genome identified AbcrmA, a putative homolog with 64% identity to A. fumigatus CrmA. Deletion of AbcrmA resulted in loss of production of brassicicolin A. Contrary to reports that brassicicolin A is a host-specific toxin, the ΔAbcrmA mutants were equally virulent as the wildtype on Brassica hosts. However, in line with results of A. fumigatus CrmA generated metabolites, we find that brassicicolin A increased 360-fold under copper limited conditions. Also, like A. fumigatus CrmA derived metabolites, we find brassicicolin A to be a broad-spectrum antimicrobial. We speculate that CrmA-like isocyanide synthase products provide the producing fungi a fitness advantage in copper depleted environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nischala Nadig
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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2
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Zhang W, Forester NT, Chettri P, Heilijgers M, Mace WJ, Maes E, Morozova Y, Applegate ER, Johnson RD, Johnson LJ. Characterization of the Biosynthetic Gene Cluster for the Ribosomally Synthesized Cyclic Peptide Epichloëcyclins in Epichloë festucae. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:13965-13978. [PMID: 37704203 PMCID: PMC10540207 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c03073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The various grass-induced epichloëcyclins of the Epichloë spp. are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), produced as small, secreted cyclopeptides from a single gene, gigA. Here, four clustered and coregulated genes (gigA, gigB, gigC, and kexB) with predicted roles in epichloëcyclin production in Epichloë festucae were evaluated through gene disruption. Subsequent chemical analysis indicates that GigB is a DUF3328 domain-containing protein associated with cyclization of epichloëcyclins; GigC is a methyltransferase enzyme responsible for N-methylation of desmethylepichloëcyclins; and KexB is a subtilisin-like enzyme, partly responsible for the propeptide cleavage of epichloëcyclin intermediates. Symbiotic effects on the host phenotype were not observed for gigA, gigC, or kexB mutants, although ΔgigB infection correlated with increased host tiller height and biomass, while only ΔkexB exhibited an effect on endophyte morphology. Disrupting epichloëcyclin biosynthesis showed negligible influence on the biosynthesis of E. festucae-associated alkaloids. Epichloëcyclins may perform other secondary metabolism functions in Epichloë and other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Natasha T. Forester
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Pranav Chettri
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Maurice Heilijgers
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Wade J. Mace
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Evelyne Maes
- Lincoln
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand
| | - Yulia Morozova
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Emma R. Applegate
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Richard D. Johnson
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Linda J. Johnson
- Grasslands
Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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3
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Belair M, Restrepo-Leal JD, Praz C, Fontaine F, Rémond C, Fernandez O, Besaury L. Botryosphaeriaceae gene machinery: Correlation between diversity and virulence. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1010-1031. [PMID: 37142361 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The Botryosphaeriaceae family comprises numerous fungal pathogens capable of causing economically meaningful diseases in a wide range of crops. Many of its members can live as endophytes and turn into aggressive pathogens following the onset of environmental stress events. Their ability to cause disease may rely on the production of a broad set of effectors, such as cell wall-degrading enzymes, secondary metabolites, and peptidases. Here, we conducted comparative analyses of 41 genomes representing six Botryosphaeriaceae genera to provide insights into the genetic features linked to pathogenicity and virulence. We show that these Botryosphaeriaceae genomes possess a large diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes; 128 families) and peptidases (45 families). Botryosphaeria, Neofusicoccum, and Lasiodiplodia presented the highest number of genes encoding CAZymes involved in the degradation of the plant cell wall components. The genus Botryosphaeria also exhibited the highest abundance of secreted CAZymes and peptidases. Generally, the secondary metabolites gene cluster profile was consistent in the Botryosphaeriaceae family, except for Diplodia and Neoscytalidium. At the strain level, Neofusicoccum parvum NpBt67 stood out among all the Botryosphaeriaceae genomes, presenting a higher number of secretome constituents. In contrast, the Diplodia strains showed the lowest richness of the pathogenicity- and virulence-related genes, which may correlate with their low virulence reported in previous studies. Overall, these results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying pathogenicity and virulence in remarkable Botryosphaeriaceae species. Our results also support that Botryosphaeriaceae species could be used as an interesting biotechnological tool for lignocellulose fractionation and bioeconomy.
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4
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Ozaki T, Minami A, Oikawa H. Recent advances in the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides of fungal origin. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2023; 76:3-13. [PMID: 36424516 DOI: 10.1038/s41429-022-00576-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are growing class of natural products with potent biological activities. Although the core scaffolds of RiPPs are composed of proteinogenic amino acids, remarkable structural diversity is generated through posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of precursor peptides. In addition, ribosomal origin of biosynthetic precursors enables supply of its analogs through genetic approach such as site-directed mutagenesis on corresponding genes. As PTM enzymes often exhibit substrate tolerance, RiPP biosynthetic machineries are considered as efficient tools for generation of unique peptide derivatives. RiPP pathways are distributed among all domains of life and those derived from bacteria and plants have been known for decades. In contrast, fungal RiPPs (F-RiPPs) have fewer examples. Amatoxins and omphalotins are F-RiPPs produced by Basidiomycota fungi. In the biosynthesis of these compounds, macrocyclization by prolyl oligopeptidase homologs and N-methylations of back bone amides have been characterized, respectively. Ustiloxins and related compounds are another group of F-RiPPs with characteristic macrocyclic ethers. UstYa family proteins, which are fungi-specific putative oxidases, have been identified as common proteins involved in PTMs of these compounds. Despite a limited number of characterized examples, recent progress in sequencing of fungal genomes indicated that a number of RiPP pathways are hidden in fungal resources, making F-RiPPs as attractive target for genome mining studies while more detailed understandings of key biosynthetic enzymes are still necessary. This review seeks to describe recent advances on the F-RiPP biosynthesis with slight emphasis on the function of UstYa family proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Ozaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Atsushi Minami
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Hideaki Oikawa
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan. .,Innovation Center of Marine Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, Guangdong, China.
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5
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Vogt E, Sonderegger L, Chen YY, Segessemann T, Künzler M. Structural and Functional Analysis of Peptides Derived from KEX2-Processed Repeat Proteins in Agaricomycetes Using Reverse Genetics and Peptidomics. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0202122. [PMID: 36314921 PMCID: PMC9769878 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02021-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioactivities of fungal peptides are of interest for basic research and therapeutic drug development. Some of these peptides are derived from "KEX2-processed repeat proteins" (KEPs), a recently defined class of precursor proteins that contain multiple peptide cores flanked by KEX2 protease cleavage sites. Genome mining has revealed that KEPs are widespread in the fungal kingdom. Their functions are largely unknown. Here, we present the first in-depth structural and functional analysis of KEPs in a basidiomycete. We bioinformatically identified KEP-encoding genes in the genome of the model agaricomycete Coprinopsis cinerea and established a detection protocol for the derived peptides by overexpressing the C. cinerea KEPs in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Using this protocol, which includes peptide extraction and mass spectrometry with data analysis using the search engine Mascot, we confirmed the presence of several KEP-derived peptides in C. cinerea, as well as in the edible mushrooms Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus eryngii. While CRISPR-mediated knockout of C. cinerea kep genes did not result in any detectable phenotype, knockout of kex genes caused defects in mycelial growth and fruiting body formation. These results suggest that KEP-derived peptides may play a role in the interaction of C. cinerea with the biotic environment and that the KEP-processing KEX proteases target a variety of substrates in agaricomycetes, including some important for mycelial growth and differentiation. IMPORTANCE Two recent bioinformatics studies have demonstrated that KEX2-processed repeat proteins are widespread in the fungal kingdom. However, despite the prevalence of KEPs in fungal genomes, only few KEP-derived peptides have been detected and studied so far. Here, we present a protocol for the extraction and structural characterization of KEP-derived peptides from fungal culture supernatants and tissues. The protocol was successfully used to detect several linear and minimally modified KEP-derived peptides in the agaricomycetes C. cinerea, L. edodes, P. ostreatus, and P. eryngii. Our study establishes a new protocol for the targeted search of KEP-derived peptides in fungi, which will hopefully lead to the discovery of more of these interesting fungal peptides and allow a further characterization of KEPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Vogt
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Sonderegger
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ying-Yu Chen
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Segessemann
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Künzler
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
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6
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Rocafort M, Bowen JK, Hassing B, Cox MP, McGreal B, de la Rosa S, Plummer KM, Bradshaw RE, Mesarich CH. The Venturia inaequalis effector repertoire is dominated by expanded families with predicted structural similarity, but unrelated sequence, to avirulence proteins from other plant-pathogenic fungi. BMC Biol 2022; 20:246. [PMID: 36329441 PMCID: PMC9632046 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01442-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scab, caused by the biotrophic fungus Venturia inaequalis, is the most economically important disease of apples worldwide. During infection, V. inaequalis occupies the subcuticular environment, where it secretes virulence factors, termed effectors, to promote host colonization. Consistent with other plant-pathogenic fungi, many of these effectors are expected to be non-enzymatic proteins, some of which can be recognized by corresponding host resistance proteins to activate plant defences, thus acting as avirulence determinants. To develop durable control strategies against scab, a better understanding of the roles that these effector proteins play in promoting subcuticular growth by V. inaequalis, as well as in activating, suppressing, or circumventing resistance protein-mediated defences in apple, is required. Results We generated the first comprehensive RNA-seq transcriptome of V. inaequalis during colonization of apple. Analysis of this transcriptome revealed five temporal waves of gene expression that peaked during early, mid, or mid-late infection. While the number of genes encoding secreted, non-enzymatic proteinaceous effector candidates (ECs) varied in each wave, most belonged to waves that peaked in expression during mid-late infection. Spectral clustering based on sequence similarity determined that the majority of ECs belonged to expanded protein families. To gain insights into function, the tertiary structures of ECs were predicted using AlphaFold2. Strikingly, despite an absence of sequence similarity, many ECs were predicted to have structural similarity to avirulence proteins from other plant-pathogenic fungi, including members of the MAX, LARS, ToxA and FOLD effector families. In addition, several other ECs, including an EC family with sequence similarity to the AvrLm6 avirulence effector from Leptosphaeria maculans, were predicted to adopt a KP6-like fold. Thus, proteins with a KP6-like fold represent another structural family of effectors shared among plant-pathogenic fungi. Conclusions Our study reveals the transcriptomic profile underpinning subcuticular growth by V. inaequalis and provides an enriched list of ECs that can be investigated for roles in virulence and avirulence. Furthermore, our study supports the idea that numerous sequence-unrelated effectors across plant-pathogenic fungi share common structural folds. In doing so, our study gives weight to the hypothesis that many fungal effectors evolved from ancestral genes through duplication, followed by sequence diversification, to produce sequence-unrelated but structurally similar proteins. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01442-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Rocafort
- Laboratory of Molecular Plant Pathology/Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Joanna K Bowen
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Mount Albert Research Centre, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
| | - Berit Hassing
- Laboratory of Molecular Plant Pathology/Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Murray P Cox
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Brogan McGreal
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Mount Albert Research Centre, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
| | - Silvia de la Rosa
- Laboratory of Molecular Plant Pathology/Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Kim M Plummer
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Rosie E Bradshaw
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Carl H Mesarich
- Laboratory of Molecular Plant Pathology/Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.
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7
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Glassey E, King AM, Anderson DA, Zhang Z, Voigt CA. Functional expression of diverse post-translational peptide-modifying enzymes in Escherichia coli under uniform expression and purification conditions. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266488. [PMID: 36121811 PMCID: PMC9484694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
RiPPs (ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides) are a class of pharmaceutically-relevant natural products expressed as precursor peptides before being enzymatically processed into their final functional forms. Bioinformatic methods have illuminated hundreds of thousands of RiPP enzymes in sequence databases and the number of characterized chemical modifications is growing rapidly; however, it remains difficult to functionally express them in a heterologous host. One challenge is peptide stability, which we addressed by designing a RiPP stabilization tag (RST) based on a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) domain that can be fused to the N- or C-terminus of the precursor peptide and proteolytically removed after modification. This is demonstrated to stabilize expression of eight RiPPs representative of diverse phyla. Further, using Escherichia coli for heterologous expression, we identify a common set of media and growth conditions where 24 modifying enzymes, representative of diverse chemistries, are functional. The high success rate and broad applicability of this system facilitates: (i) RiPP discovery through high-throughput “mining” and (ii) artificial combination of enzymes from different pathways to create a desired peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson Glassey
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Andrew M. King
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Daniel A. Anderson
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Zhengan Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Voigt
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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8
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Sukmarini L. Marine Bacterial Ribosomal Peptides: Recent Genomics- and Synthetic Biology-Based Discoveries and Biosynthetic Studies. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20090544. [PMID: 36135733 PMCID: PMC9505594 DOI: 10.3390/md20090544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine biodiversity is represented by an exceptional and ample array of intriguing natural product chemistries. Due to their extensive post-translational modifications, ribosomal peptides—also known as ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs)—exemplify a widely diverse class of natural products, endowing a broad range of pharmaceutically and biotechnologically relevant properties for therapeutic or industrial applications. Most RiPPs are of bacterial origin, yet their marine derivatives have been quite rarely investigated. Given the rapid advancement engaged in a more powerful genomics approach, more biosynthetic gene clusters and pathways for these ribosomal peptides continue to be increasingly characterized. Moreover, the genome-mining approach in integration with synthetic biology techniques has markedly led to a revolution of RiPP natural product discovery. Therefore, this present short review article focuses on the recent discovery of RiPPs from marine bacteria based on genome mining and synthetic biology approaches during the past decade. Their biosynthetic studies are discussed herein, particularly the organization of targeted biosynthetic gene clusters linked to the encoded RiPPs with potential bioactivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Sukmarini
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Bogor, Km. 46, Cibinong 16911, West Java, Indonesia
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9
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Ford RE, Foster GD, Bailey AM. Exploring fungal RiPPs from the perspective of chemical ecology. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2022; 9:12. [PMID: 35752794 PMCID: PMC9233826 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-022-00144-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the initial detection, in 2007, of fungal ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), this group of natural products has undergone rapid expansion, with four separate classes now recognised: amatoxins/phallotoxins, borosins, dikaritins, and epichloëcyclins. Largely due to their historically anthropocentric employment in medicine and agriculture, novel fungal proteins and peptides are seldom investigated in relation to the fungus itself. Therefore, although the benefits these compounds confer to humans are often realised, their evolutionary advantage to the fungus, the reason for their continued production, is often obscure or ignored. This review sets out to summarise current knowledge on how these small peptide-derived products influence their producing species and surrounding biotic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- R E Ford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 28 Tyndall Ave, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - G D Foster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 28 Tyndall Ave, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - A M Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 28 Tyndall Ave, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
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10
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Kessler SC, Chooi YH. Out for a RiPP: challenges and advances in genome mining of ribosomal peptides from fungi. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:222-230. [PMID: 34581394 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00048a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Covering up to June 2021Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) from fungi are an underexplored class of natural products, despite their propensity for diverse bioactivities and unique structural features. Surveys of fungal genomes for biosynthetic gene clusters encoding RiPPs have been limited in their scope due to our incomplete understanding of fungal RiPP biosynthesis. Through recent discoveries, along with earlier research, a clearer picture has been emerging of the biosynthetic principles that underpin fungal RiPP pathways. In this Highlight, we trace the approaches that have been used for discovering currently known fungal RiPPs and show that all of them can be assigned to one of three distinct families based on hallmarks of their biosynthesis, which are in turn imprinted on their corresponding gene clusters. We hope that our systematic exposition of fungal RiPP structural and gene cluster features will facilitate more comprehensive approaches to genome mining efforts in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon C Kessler
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Yit-Heng Chooi
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
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11
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Merényi Z, Virágh M, Gluck-Thaler E, Slot JC, Kiss B, Varga T, Geösel A, Hegedüs B, Bálint B, Nagy LG. Gene age shapes the transcriptional landscape of sexual morphogenesis in mushroom forming fungi (Agaricomycetes). eLife 2022; 11:71348. [PMID: 35156613 PMCID: PMC8893723 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity has been one of the most important innovations in the history of life. The role of gene regulatory changes in driving transitions to multicellularity is being increasingly recognized; however, factors influencing gene expression patterns are poorly known in many clades. Here, we compared the developmental transcriptomes of complex multicellular fruiting bodies of eight Agaricomycetes and Cryptococcus neoformans, a closely related human pathogen with a simple morphology. In-depth analysis in Pleurotus ostreatus revealed that allele-specific expression, natural antisense transcripts, and developmental gene expression, but not RNA editing or a ‘developmental hourglass,’ act in concert to shape its transcriptome during fruiting body development. We found that transcriptional patterns of genes strongly depend on their evolutionary ages. Young genes showed more developmental and allele-specific expression variation, possibly because of weaker evolutionary constraint, suggestive of nonadaptive expression variance in fruiting bodies. These results prompted us to define a set of conserved genes specifically regulated only during complex morphogenesis by excluding young genes and accounting for deeply conserved ones shared with species showing simple sexual development. Analysis of the resulting gene set revealed evolutionary and functional associations with complex multicellularity, which allowed us to speculate they are involved in complex multicellular morphogenesis of mushroom fruiting bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Máté Virágh
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Emile Gluck-Thaler
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Jason C Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Brigitta Kiss
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Torda Varga
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - András Geösel
- Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Botond Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László G Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
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12
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Medema MH, de Rond T, Moore BS. Mining genomes to illuminate the specialized chemistry of life. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:553-571. [PMID: 34083778 PMCID: PMC8364890 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00363-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
All organisms produce specialized organic molecules, ranging from small volatile chemicals to large gene-encoded peptides, that have evolved to provide them with diverse cellular and ecological functions. As natural products, they are broadly applied in medicine, agriculture and nutrition. The rapid accumulation of genomic information has revealed that the metabolic capacity of virtually all organisms is vastly underappreciated. Pioneered mainly in bacteria and fungi, genome mining technologies are accelerating metabolite discovery. Recent efforts are now being expanded to all life forms, including protists, plants and animals, and new integrative omics technologies are enabling the increasingly effective mining of this molecular diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marnix H Medema
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tristan de Rond
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bradley S Moore
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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13
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Fu Y, Jaarsma AH, Kuipers OP. Antiviral activities and applications of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:3921-3940. [PMID: 33532865 PMCID: PMC7853169 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03759-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The emergence and re-emergence of viral epidemics and the risks of antiviral drug resistance are a serious threat to global public health. New options to supplement or replace currently used drugs for antiviral therapy are urgently needed. The research in the field of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) has been booming in the last few decades, in particular in view of their strong antimicrobial activities and high stability. The RiPPs with antiviral activity, especially those against enveloped viruses, are now also gaining more interest. RiPPs have a number of advantages over small molecule drugs in terms of specificity and affinity for targets, and over protein-based drugs in terms of cellular penetrability, stability and size. Moreover, the great engineering potential of RiPPs provides an efficient way to optimize them as potent antiviral drugs candidates. These intrinsic advantages underscore the good therapeutic prospects of RiPPs in viral treatment. With the aim to highlight the underrated antiviral potential of RiPPs and explore their development as antiviral drugs, we review the current literature describing the antiviral activities and mechanisms of action of RiPPs, discussing the ongoing efforts to improve their antiviral potential and demonstrate their suitability as antiviral therapeutics. We propose that antiviral RiPPs may overcome the limits of peptide-based antiviral therapy, providing an innovative option for the treatment of viral disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Fu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ate H Jaarsma
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Oscar P Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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14
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Matabaro E, Kaspar H, Dahlin P, Bader DLV, Murar CE, Staubli F, Field CM, Bode JW, Künzler M. Identification, heterologous production and bioactivity of lentinulin A and dendrothelin A, two natural variants of backbone N-methylated peptide macrocycle omphalotin A. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3541. [PMID: 33574430 PMCID: PMC7878506 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83106-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Backbone N-methylation and macrocyclization improve the pharmacological properties of peptides by enhancing their proteolytic stability, membrane permeability and target selectivity. Borosins are backbone N-methylated peptide macrocycles derived from a precursor protein which contains a peptide α-N-methyltransferase domain autocatalytically modifying the core peptide located at its C-terminus. Founding members of borosins are the omphalotins from the mushroom Omphalotus olearius (omphalotins A-I) with nine out of 12 L-amino acids being backbone N-methylated. The omphalotin biosynthetic gene cluster codes for the precursor protein OphMA, the protease prolyloligopeptidase OphP and other proteins that are likely to be involved in other post-translational modifications of the peptide. Mining of available fungal genome sequences revealed the existence of highly homologous gene clusters in the basidiomycetes Lentinula edodes and Dendrothele bispora. The respective borosins, referred to as lentinulins and dendrothelins are naturally produced by L. edodes and D. bispora as shown by analysis of respective mycelial extracts. We produced all three homologous peptide natural products by coexpression of OphMA hybrid proteins and OphP in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The recombinant peptides differ in their nematotoxic activity against the plant pathogen Meloidogyne incognita. Our findings pave the way for the production of borosin peptide natural products and their potential application as novel biopharmaceuticals and biopesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Matabaro
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Room HCI F409, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hannelore Kaspar
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Room HCI F409, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Dahlin
- Agroscope, Phytopathology and Zoology in Fruit and Vegetable Production, Müller-Thurgau-Strasse 29, CH-8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Daniel L V Bader
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Laboratorium Für Organische Chemie, ETH-Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia E Murar
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Laboratorium Für Organische Chemie, ETH-Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Florian Staubli
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Room HCI F409, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher M Field
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Room HCI F409, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey W Bode
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Laboratorium Für Organische Chemie, ETH-Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland.,Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan
| | - Markus Künzler
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zürich, Room HCI F409, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland.
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15
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Bhattarai K, Bhattarai K, Kabir ME, Bastola R, Baral B. Fungal natural products galaxy: Biochemistry and molecular genetics toward blockbuster drugs discovery. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2021; 107:193-284. [PMID: 33641747 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Secondary metabolites synthesized by fungi have become a precious source of inspiration for the design of novel drugs. Indeed, fungi are prolific producers of fascinating, diverse, structurally complex, and low-molecular-mass natural products with high therapeutic leads, such as novel antimicrobial compounds, anticancer compounds, immunosuppressive agents, among others. Given that these microorganisms possess the extraordinary capacity to secrete diverse chemical scaffolds, they have been highly exploited by the giant pharma companies to generate small molecules. This has been made possible because the isolation of metabolites from fungal natural sources is feasible and surpasses the organic synthesis of compounds, which otherwise remains a significant bottleneck in the drug discovery process. Here in this comprehensive review, we have discussed recent studies on different fungi (pathogenic, non-pathogenic, commensal, and endophytic/symbiotic) from different habitats (terrestrial and marines), the specialized metabolites they biosynthesize, and the drugs derived from these specialized metabolites. Moreover, we have unveiled the logic behind the biosynthesis of vital chemical scaffolds, such as NRPS, PKS, PKS-NRPS hybrid, RiPPS, terpenoids, indole alkaloids, and their genetic mechanisms. Besides, we have provided a glimpse of the concept behind mycotoxins, virulence factor, and host immune response based on fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshab Bhattarai
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Keshab Bhattarai
- Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Md Ehsanul Kabir
- Animal Health Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rina Bastola
- Spinal Cord Injury Association-Nepal (SCIAN), Pokhara, Nepal
| | - Bikash Baral
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
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16
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Alberti F, Kaleem S, Weaver JA. Recent developments of tools for genome and metabolome studies in basidiomycete fungi and their application to natural product research. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio056010. [PMID: 33268478 PMCID: PMC7725599 DOI: 10.1242/bio.056010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Basidiomycota are a large and diverse phylum of fungi. They can make bioactive metabolites that are used or have inspired the synthesis of antibiotics and agrochemicals. Terpenoids are the most abundant class of natural products encountered in this taxon. Other natural product classes have been described, including polyketides, peptides, and indole alkaloids. The discovery and study of natural products made by basidiomycete fungi has so far been hampered by several factors, which include their slow growth and complex genome architecture. Recent developments of tools for genome and metabolome studies are allowing researchers to more easily tackle the secondary metabolome of basidiomycete fungi. Inexpensive long-read whole-genome sequencing enables the assembly of high-quality genomes, improving the scaffold upon which natural product gene clusters can be predicted. CRISPR/Cas9-based engineering of basidiomycete fungi has been described and will have an important role in linking natural products to their genetic determinants. Platforms for the heterologous expression of basidiomycete genes and gene clusters have been developed, enabling natural product biosynthesis studies. Molecular network analyses and publicly available natural product databases facilitate data dereplication and natural product characterisation. These technological advances combined are prompting a revived interest in natural product discovery from basidiomycete fungi.This article has an associated Future Leader to Watch interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Alberti
- School of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Saraa Kaleem
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Jack A Weaver
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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17
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Rubin GM, Ding Y. Recent advances in the biosynthesis of RiPPs from multicore-containing precursor peptides. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 47:659-674. [PMID: 32617877 PMCID: PMC7666021 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-020-02289-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) compose a large structurally and functionally diverse family of natural products. The biosynthesis system of RiPPs typically involves a precursor peptide comprising of a leader and core motif and nearby processing enzymes that recognize the leader and act on the core for producing modified peptides. Interest in RiPPs has increased substantially in recent years as improvements in genome mining techniques have dramatically improved access to these peptides and biochemical and engineering studies have supported their applications. A less understood, intriguing feature in the RiPPs biosynthesis is the precursor peptides of multiple RiPPs families produced by bacteria, fungi and plants carrying multiple core motifs, which we term "multicore". Herein, we present the prevalence of the multicore systems, their biosynthesis and engineering for applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garret M Rubin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and Center for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Yousong Ding
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and Center for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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18
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Victorin, the host-selective cyclic peptide toxin from the oat pathogen Cochliobolus victoriae, is ribosomally encoded. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:24243-24250. [PMID: 32929037 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010573117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The necrotrophic fungal pathogen Cochliobolus victoriae produces victorin, a host-selective toxin (HST) essential for pathogenicity to certain oat cultivars with resistance against crown rust. Victorin is a mixture of highly modified heterodetic cyclic hexapeptides, previously assumed to be synthesized by a nonribosomal peptide synthetase. Herein, we demonstrate that victorin is a member of the ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) family of natural products. Analysis of a newly generated long-read assembly of the C. victoriae genome revealed three copies of precursor peptide genes (vicA1-3) with variable numbers of "GLKLAF" core peptide repeats corresponding to the victorin peptide backbone. vicA1-3 are located in repeat-rich gene-sparse regions of the genome and are loosely clustered with putative victorin biosynthetic genes, which are supported by the discovery of compact gene clusters harboring corresponding homologs in two distantly related plant-associated Sordariomycete fungi. Deletion of at least one copy of vicA resulted in strongly diminished victorin production. Deletion of a gene encoding a DUF3328 protein (VicYb) abolished the production altogether, supporting its predicted role in oxidative cyclization of the core peptide. In addition, we uncovered a copper amine oxidase (CAO) encoded by vicK, in which its deletion led to the accumulation of new glycine-containing victorin derivatives. The role of VicK in oxidative deamination of the N-terminal glycyl moiety of the hexapeptides to the active glyoxylate forms was confirmed in vitro. This study finally unraveled the genetic and molecular bases for biosynthesis of one of the first discovered HSTs and expanded our understanding of underexplored fungal RiPPs.
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19
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Song H, Fahrig-Kamarauskaitè J, Matabaro E, Kaspar H, Shirran SL, Zach C, Pace A, Stefanov BA, Naismith JH, Künzler M. Substrate Plasticity of a Fungal Peptide α- N-Methyltransferase. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:1901-1912. [PMID: 32491837 PMCID: PMC7372559 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
![]()
The
methylation of amide nitrogen atoms can improve the stability,
oral availability, and cell permeability of peptide therapeutics.
Chemical N-methylation of peptides is challenging.
Omphalotin A is a ribosomally synthesized, macrocylic dodecapeptide
with nine backbone N-methylations. The fungal natural
product is derived from the precursor protein, OphMA, harboring both
the core peptide and a SAM-dependent peptide α-N-methyltransferase domain. OphMA forms a homodimer and its α-N-methyltransferase domain installs the methyl groups in trans on the hydrophobic core dodecapeptide and some
additional C-terminal residues of the protomers. These post-translational
backbone N-methylations occur in a processive manner
from the N- to the C-terminus of the peptide substrate. We demonstrate
that OphMA can methylate polar, aromatic, and charged residues when
these are introduced into the core peptide. Some of these amino acids
alter the efficiency and pattern of methylation. Proline, depending
on its sequence context, can act as a tunable stop signal. Crystal
structures of OphMA variants have allowed rationalization of these
observations. Our results hint at the potential to control this fungal α-N-methyltransferase for biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haigang Song
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre of Human Genomics, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Ju̅ratè Fahrig-Kamarauskaitè
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Matabaro
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hannelore Kaspar
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sally L. Shirran
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, North Haugh, University of St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Zach
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Amy Pace
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bozhidar-Adrian Stefanov
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - James H. Naismith
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre of Human Genomics, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
- Rosalind Franklin Institute, Rutherford Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Markus Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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20
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Umemura M. Peptides derived from Kex2-processed repeat proteins are widely distributed and highly diverse in the Fungi kingdom. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2020; 7:11. [PMID: 32626593 PMCID: PMC7329392 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-020-00100-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recently, a gene cluster responsible for biosynthesis of ustiloxin in Aspergillus flavus was identified as the first case of a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) synthetic pathway in Ascomycota. RiPPs are biosynthesized from precursor peptides, which are processed to produce the RiPP backbone (core peptides) for further modifications such as methylation and cyclization. Ustiloxin precursor peptide has two distinctive features: a signal peptide for translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum and highly repeated core sequences cleaved by Kex2 protease in the Golgi apparatus. On the basis of these characteristics, the ustiloxin-type RiPP precursor peptides or Kex2-processed repeat proteins (KEPs) in strains belonging to the Fungi kingdom were computationally surveyed, in order to investigate the distribution and putative functions of KEPs in fungal ecology. Results In total, 7878 KEPs were detected in 1345 of 1461 strains belonging to 8 phyla. The average number of KEPs per strain was 5.25 in Ascomycota and 5.30 in Basidiomycota, but only 1.35 in the class Saccharomycetes (Ascomycota) and 1.00 in the class Tremellomycetes (Basidiomycota). The KEPs were classified into 838 types and 2560 stand-alone ones, which had no homologs. Nearly 200 types were distributed in more than one genus, and 14 types in more than one phylum. These types included yeast α-mating factors and fungal pheromones. Genes for 22% KEPs were accompanied by genes for DUF3328-domain-containing proteins, which are indispensable for cyclization of the core peptides. DUF3328-domain-containing protein genes were located at an average distance of 3.09 genes from KEP genes. Genes for almost all (with three exceptions) KEPs annotated as yeast α-mating factors or fungal pheromones were not accompanied by DUF3328-domain-containing protein genes. Conclusion KEPs are widely distributed in the Fungi kingdom, but their repeated sequences are highly diverse. From these results and some examples, a hypothesis was raised that KEPs initially evolved as unmodified linear peptides (e.g., mating factors), and then those that adopted a modified cyclic form emerged (e.g., toxins) to utilize their strong bioactivity against predators and competitive microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko Umemura
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, 305-8566 Japan
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21
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Adpressa DA, Connolly LR, Konkel ZM, Neuhaus GF, Chang XL, Pierce BR, Smith KM, Freitag M, Loesgen S. A metabolomics-guided approach to discover Fusarium graminearum metabolites after removal of a repressive histone modification. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 132:103256. [PMID: 31344458 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many secondary metabolites are produced by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that are repressed during standard growth conditions, which complicates the discovery of novel bioactive compounds. In the genus Fusarium, many BGCs reside in chromatin enriched for trimethylated histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a modification correlated with transcriptional gene silencing. Here we report on our progress in assigning metabolites to genes by using a strain lacking the H3K27 methyltransferase, Kmt6. To guide isolation efforts, we coupled genetics to multivariate analysis of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) data from both wild type and kmt6, which allowed identification of compounds previously unknown from F. graminearum. We found low molecular weight, amino acid-derived metabolites (N-ethyl anthranilic acid, N-phenethylacetamide, N-acetyltryptamine). We identified one new compound, protofusarin, as derived from fusarin biosynthesis. Similarly, we isolated large amounts of fusaristatin A, gibepyrone A, and fusarpyrones A and B, simply by using the kmt6 mutant, instead of having to optimize growth media. To increase the abundance of metabolites underrepresented in wild type, we generated kmt6 fus1 double mutants and discovered tricinolone and tricinolonoic acid, two new sesquiterpenes belonging to the tricindiol class. Our approach allows rapid visualization and analyses of the genetically induced changes in metabolite production, and discovery of new molecules by a combination of chemical and genetic dereplication. Of 22 fungal metabolites identified here, 10 compounds had not been reported from F. graminearum before. We show that activating silent metabolic pathways by mutation of a repressive chromatin modification enzyme can result in the discovery of new chemistry even in a well-studied organism, and helps to connect new or known small molecules to the BGCs responsible for their production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lanelle R Connolly
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Zachary M Konkel
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - George F Neuhaus
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Xiao L Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Brett R Pierce
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Kristina M Smith
- Department of Biology, Oregon State University - Cascades, Bend, OR, USA
| | - Michael Freitag
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Sandra Loesgen
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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