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Schüller A, Studt-Reinhold L, Berger H, Silvestrini L, Labuda R, Güldener U, Gorfer M, Bacher M, Doppler M, Gasparotto E, Gattesco A, Sulyok M, Strauss J. Genome analysis of Cephalotrichum gorgonifer and identification of the biosynthetic pathway for rasfonin, an inhibitor of KRAS dependent cancer. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2023; 10:13. [PMID: 37355668 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-023-00158-x] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungi are important sources for bioactive compounds that find their applications in many important sectors like in the pharma-, food- or agricultural industries. In an environmental monitoring project for fungi involved in soil nitrogen cycling we also isolated Cephalotrichum gorgonifer (strain NG_p51). In the course of strain characterisation work we found that this strain is able to naturally produce high amounts of rasfonin, a polyketide inducing autophagy, apoptosis, necroptosis in human cell lines and showing anti-tumor activity in KRAS-dependent cancer cells. RESULTS In order to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway of rasfonin, the strain was genome sequenced, annotated, submitted to transcriptome analysis and genetic transformation was established. Biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) prediction revealed the existence of 22 BGCs of which the majority was not expressed under our experimental conditions. In silico prediction revealed two BGCs with a suite of enzymes possibly involved in rasfonin biosynthesis. Experimental verification by gene-knock out of the key enzyme genes showed that one of the predicted BGCs is indeed responsible for rasfonin biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS This study identified a biosynthetic gene cluster containing a key-gene responsible for rasfonin production. Additionally, molecular tools were established for the non-model fungus Cephalotrichum gorgonifer which allows strain engineering and heterologous expression of the BGC for high rasfonin producing strains and the biosynthesis of rasfonin derivates for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schüller
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lena Studt-Reinhold
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lucia Silvestrini
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- DGforLife, Operations - Research and Development, Via Albert Einstein, Marcallo c.C., 20010, Milan, Italy
| | - Roman Labuda
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, Unit of Food Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Güldener
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
- German Heart Center Munich, Technical University Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Gorfer
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources, 3430, Tulln, Austria
| | - Markus Bacher
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-LorenzStraße 24, 3430, Tulln, Austria
| | - Maria Doppler
- Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Core Facility Bioactive Molecules, Screening and Analysis, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Erika Gasparotto
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arianna Gattesco
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
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Wang W, Liang X, Li Y, Wang P, Keller NP. Genetic Regulation of Mycotoxin Biosynthesis. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 9:jof9010021. [PMID: 36675842 PMCID: PMC9861139 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycotoxin contamination in food poses health hazards to humans. Current methods of controlling mycotoxins still have limitations and more effective approaches are needed. During the past decades of years, variable environmental factors have been tested for their influence on mycotoxin production leading to elucidation of a complex regulatory network involved in mycotoxin biosynthesis. These regulators are putative targets for screening molecules that could inhibit mycotoxin synthesis. Here, we summarize the regulatory mechanisms of hierarchical regulators, including pathway-specific regulators, global regulators and epigenetic regulators, on the production of the most critical mycotoxins (aflatoxins, patulin, citrinin, trichothecenes and fumonisins). Future studies on regulation of mycotoxins will provide valuable knowledge for exploring novel methods to inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis in a more efficient way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Wang
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Institute of Food Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Correspondence: (W.W.); (N.P.K.)
| | - Xinle Liang
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Institute of Food Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yudong Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Institute of Food Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Pinmei Wang
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Correspondence: (W.W.); (N.P.K.)
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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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