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El-Sapagh S, El-Shenody R, Pereira L, Elshobary M. Unveiling the Potential of Algal Extracts as Promising Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Agents against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: In Vitro and In Silico Studies including Molecular Docking. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3324. [PMID: 37765485 PMCID: PMC10537748 DOI: 10.3390/plants12183324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a global challenge due to its virulence and biofilm-forming ability, leading to persistent infections. This study had a dual focus: first, it aimed to investigate the biofilm activity and antibiotic resistance profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates obtained from a fish-rearing farm. Second, it explored the potential of algal extracts as effective antibacterial and antibiofilm agents. The study analyzed 23 isolates of P. aeruginosa from the farm, assessing antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of two algal extracts, Arthrospira platensis (cyanobacteria) acetone extract (AAE) and Polysiphonia scopulorum (Rhodophyta) methanol extract (PME), were tested individually and combined (COE). The effects on biofilm-related gene expression were examined. AAE, PME, and COE were evaluated for antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties. Biofilm-related gene expression was measured and the extracts were analyzed for physicochemical properties and toxicity. Most P. aeruginosa isolates (86.9%) were antibiotic-resistant and formed biofilms. AAE, PME, and COE displayed promising antibacterial and antibiofilm effects, with COE being particularly effective. COE reduced a key biofilm-related gene expression. The fatty acid content (56% in AAE and 34% in PME) correlated with the effects. Specific compounds, such as phytol, bromophenol, and dihydroxy benzaldehyde, contributed to the activities. The extracts showed favorable characteristics and interactions with FabZ protein amino acids. This study suggests the potential of algal extracts as antibacterial and antibiofilm agents against drug-resistant infections. Further exploration in clinical applications is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa El-Sapagh
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; (S.E.-S.); (R.E.-S.)
| | - Rania El-Shenody
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; (S.E.-S.); (R.E.-S.)
| | - Leonel Pereira
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Mostafa Elshobary
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; (S.E.-S.); (R.E.-S.)
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Paguirigan JAG, Kim JA, Hur JS, Kim W. Identification of a biosynthetic gene cluster for a red pigment cristazarin produced by a lichen-forming fungus Cladonia metacorallifera. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287559. [PMID: 37352186 PMCID: PMC10289310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lichens are known to produce many novel bioactive metabolites. To date, approximately 1,000 secondary metabolites have been discovered, which are predominantly produced by the lichen mycobionts. However, despite the extensive studies on production of lichen secondary metabolites, little is known about the responsible biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Here, we identified a putative BGC that is implicated in production of a red pigment, cristazarin (a naphthazarin derivative), in Cladonia metacorallifera. Previously, cristazarin was shown to be specifically induced in growth media containing fructose as a sole carbon source. Thus, we performed transcriptome analysis of C. metacorallifera growing on different carbon sources including fructose to identify the BGC for cristazarin. Among 39 polyketide synthase (PKS) genes found in the genome of C. metacorallifera, a non-reducing PKS (coined crz7) was highly expressed in growth media containing either fructose or glucose. The borders of a cristazarin gene cluster were delimited by co-expression patterns of neighboring genes of the crz7. BGCs highly conserved to the cristazarin BGC were also found in C. borealis and C. macilenta, indicating that these related species also have metabolic potentials to produce cristazarin. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Crz7 is sister to fungal PKSs that biosynthesize an acetylated tetrahydoxynaphthalene as a precursor of melanin pigment. Based on the phylogenetic placement of the Crz7 and putative functions of its neighboring genes, we proposed a plausible biosynthetic route for cristazarin. In this study, we identified a lichen-specific BGC that is likely involved in the biosynthesis of a naphthazarin derivative, cristazarin, and confirmed that transcriptome profiling under inducing and non-inducing conditions is an effective strategy for linking metabolites of interest to biosynthetic genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaycee Augusto Gumiran Paguirigan
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Jung A. Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Korea
| | - Jae-Seoun Hur
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Korea
| | - Wonyong Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Korea
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Xu M, Oppong-Danquah E, Wang X, Oddsson S, Abdelrahman A, Pedersen SV, Szomek M, Gylfason AE, Snorradottir BS, Christensen EA, Tasdemir D, Jameson CJ, Murad S, Andresson OS, Magnusson KP, de Boer HJ, Thorsteinsdottir M, Omarsdottir S, Heidmarsson S, Olafsdottir ES. Novel methods to characterise spatial distribution and enantiomeric composition of usnic acids in four Icelandic lichens. Phytochemistry 2022; 200:113210. [PMID: 35439526 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Usnic acid is an antibiotic metabolite produced by a wide variety of lichenized fungal lineages. The enantiomers of usnic acid have been shown to display contrasting bioactivities, and hence it is important to determine their spatial distribution, amounts and enantiomeric ratios in lichens to understand their roles in nature and grasp their pharmaceutical potential. The overall aim of the study was to characterise the spatial distribution of the predominant usnic acid enantiomer in lichens by combining spatial imaging and chiral chromatography. Specifically, separation and quantification of usnic acid enantiomers in four common lichens in Iceland was performed using a validated chiral chromatographic method. Molecular dynamics simulation was carried out to rationalize the chiral separation mechanism. Spatial distribution of usnic acid in the lichen thallus cross-sections were analysed using Desorption Electrospray Ionization-Imaging Mass Spectrometry (DESI-IMS) and fluorescence microscopy. DESI-IMS confirmed usnic acid as a cortical compound, and revealed that usnic acid can be more concentrated around the algal vicinity. Fluorescence microscopy complemented DESI-IMS by providing more detailed distribution information. By combining results from spatial imaging and chiral separation, we were able to visualize the distribution of the predominant usnic acid enantiomer in lichen cross-sections: (+)-usnic acid in Cladonia arbuscula and Ramalina siliquosa, and (-)-usnic acid in Alectoria ochroleuca and Flavocetraria nivalis. This study provides an analytical foundation for future environmental and functional studies of usnic acid enantiomers in lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maonian Xu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iceland, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Ernest Oppong-Danquah
- GEOMAR Centre for Marine Biotechnology, Research Unit Marine Natural Product Chemistry, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24106, Kiel, Germany
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Sebastian Oddsson
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iceland, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Asmaa Abdelrahman
- Department of Green Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Simon Vilms Pedersen
- Department of Green Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark; Department of Materials, Imperial College London, SW7 2BP, London, UK
| | - Maria Szomek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Aron Elvar Gylfason
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iceland, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Eva Arnspang Christensen
- Department of Green Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Deniz Tasdemir
- GEOMAR Centre for Marine Biotechnology, Research Unit Marine Natural Product Chemistry, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24106, Kiel, Germany; Kiel University, Christian-Albrechts-Platz 4, 24118, Kiel, Germany
| | - Cynthia J Jameson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, 60607, USA
| | - Sohail Murad
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA
| | | | - Kristinn Petur Magnusson
- Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Akureyri Division, 600, Akureyri, Iceland; Faculty of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, 600, Akureyri, Iceland
| | - Hugo J de Boer
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, 0562, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Sesselja Omarsdottir
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iceland, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Starri Heidmarsson
- Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Akureyri Division, 600, Akureyri, Iceland
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Prokopiev I, Chesnokov S, Serebryakov E, Konoreva L. Chemical variation in the Arctoparmelia separata (Parmeliaceae, Lichenized Ascomycota). BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2022.104418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Gerasimova JV, Beck A, Werth S, Resl P. High Diversity of Type I Polyketide Genes in Bacidia rubella as Revealed by the Comparative Analysis of 23 Lichen Genomes. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:449. [PMID: 35628705 PMCID: PMC9146135 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi involved in lichen symbioses produce a large array of secondary metabolites that are often diagnostic in the taxonomic delimitation of lichens. The most common lichen secondary metabolites—polyketides—are synthesized by polyketide synthases, particularly by Type I PKS (TI-PKS). Here, we present a comparative genomic analysis of the TI-PKS gene content of 23 lichen-forming fungal genomes from Ascomycota, including the de novo sequenced genome of Bacidia rubella. Firstly, we identify a putative atranorin cluster in B. rubella. Secondly, we provide an overview of TI-PKS gene diversity in lichen-forming fungi, and the most comprehensive Type I PKS phylogeny of lichen-forming fungi to date, including 624 sequences. We reveal a high number of biosynthetic gene clusters and examine their domain composition in the context of previously characterized genes, confirming that PKS genes outnumber known secondary substances. Moreover, two novel groups of reducing PKSs were identified. Although many PKSs remain without functional assignments, our findings highlight that genes from lichen-forming fungi represent an untapped source of novel polyketide compounds.
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Kim W, Liu R, Woo S, Kang KB, Park H, Yu YH, Ha HH, Oh SY, Yang JH, Kim H, Yun SH, Hur JS. Linking a Gene Cluster to Atranorin, a Major Cortical Substance of Lichens, through Genetic Dereplication and Heterologous Expression. mBio 2021; 12:e0111121. [PMID: 34154413 PMCID: PMC8262933 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01111-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The depside and depsidone series compounds of polyketide origin accumulate in the cortical or medullary layers of lichen thalli. Despite the taxonomic and ecological significance of lichen chemistry and its pharmaceutical potentials, there has been no single piece of genetic evidence linking biosynthetic genes to lichen substances. Thus, we systematically analyzed lichen polyketide synthases (PKSs) for categorization and identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) involved in depside/depsidone production. Our in-depth analysis of the interspecies PKS diversity in the genus Cladonia and a related Antarctic lichen, Stereocaulon alpinum, identified 45 BGC families, linking lichen PKSs to 15 previously characterized PKSs in nonlichenized fungi. Among these, we identified highly syntenic BGCs found exclusively in lichens producing atranorin (a depside). Heterologous expression of the putative atranorin PKS gene (coined atr1) yielded 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid, found in many lichens as a precursor compound, indicating an intermolecular cross-linking activity of Atr1 for depside formation. Subsequent introductions of tailoring enzymes into the heterologous host yielded atranorin, one of the most common cortical substances of macrolichens. Phylogenetic analysis of fungal PKS revealed that the Atr1 is in a novel PKS clade that included two conserved lichen-specific PKS families likely involved in biosynthesis of depsides and depsidones. Here, we provide a comprehensive catalog of PKS families of the genus Cladonia and functionally characterize a biosynthetic gene cluster from lichens, establishing a cornerstone for studying the genetics and chemical evolution of diverse lichen substances. IMPORTANCE Lichens play significant roles in ecosystem function and comprise about 20% of all known fungi. Polyketide-derived natural products accumulate in the cortical and medullary layers of lichen thalli, some of which play key roles in protection from biotic and abiotic stresses (e.g., herbivore attacks and UV irradiation). To date, however, no single lichen product has been linked to respective biosynthetic genes with genetic evidence. Here, we identified a gene cluster family responsible for biosynthesis of atranorin, a cortical substance found in diverse lichen species, by categorizing lichen polyketide synthase and reconstructing the atranorin biosynthetic pathway in a heterologous host. This study will help elucidate lichen secondary metabolism, harnessing the lichen's chemical diversity, hitherto obscured due to limited genetic information on lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonyong Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Rundong Liu
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Sunmin Woo
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyo Bin Kang
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun Park
- Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Hyun Yu
- College of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
- Research Institute of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Hyung-Ho Ha
- College of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
- Research Institute of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Seung-Yoon Oh
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon, South Korea
| | - Ji Ho Yang
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Hangun Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
- Research Institute of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Sung-Hwan Yun
- Department of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
| | - Jae-Seoun Hur
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
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Shishido TK, Wahlsten M, Laine P, Rikkinen J, Lundell T, Auvinen P. Microbial Communities of Cladonia Lichens and Their Biosynthetic Gene Clusters Potentially Encoding Natural Products. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1347. [PMID: 34206222 PMCID: PMC8304397 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Lichens have been widely used in traditional medicine, especially by indigenous communities worldwide. However, their slow growth and difficulties in the isolation of lichen symbionts and associated microbes have hindered the pharmaceutical utilisation of lichen-produced compounds. Advances in high-throughput sequencing techniques now permit detailed investigations of the complex microbial communities formed by fungi, green algae, cyanobacteria, and other bacteria within the lichen thalli. Here, we used amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, and in silico metabolomics together with compound extractions to study reindeer lichens collected from Southern Finland. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of Cladonia species as sources of novel natural products. We compared the predicted biosynthetic pathways of lichen compounds from isolated genome-sequenced lichen fungi and our environmental samples. Potential biosynthetic genes could then be further used to produce secondary metabolites in more tractable hosts. Furthermore, we detected multiple compounds by metabolite analyses, which revealed connections between the identified biosynthetic gene clusters and their products. Taken together, our results contribute to metagenomic data studies from complex lichen-symbiotic communities and provide valuable new information for use in further biochemical and pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tânia Keiko Shishido
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (P.L.); (P.A.)
| | - Matti Wahlsten
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.W.); (T.L.)
| | - Pia Laine
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (P.L.); (P.A.)
| | - Jouko Rikkinen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, Botany Unit, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 7, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Taina Lundell
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.W.); (T.L.)
| | - Petri Auvinen
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (P.L.); (P.A.)
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Kim W, Jeong MH, Yun SH, Hur JS. Transcriptome Analysis Identifies a Gene Cluster for the Biosynthesis of Biruloquinone, a Rare Phenanthraquinone, in a Lichen-Forming Fungus Cladonia macilenta. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:398. [PMID: 34065383 PMCID: PMC8161216 DOI: 10.3390/jof7050398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichens are prolific producers of natural products of polyketide origin. We previously described a culture of lichen-forming fungus (LFF) Cladonia macilenta that produces biruloquinone, a purple pigment that is a phenanthraquinone rarely found in nature. However, there was no genetic information on the biosynthesis of biruloquinone. To identify a biosynthetic gene cluster for biruloquinone, we mined polyketide synthase (PKS) genes from the genome sequence of a LFF isolated from thalli of C. macilenta. The 38 PKS in C. macilenta are highly diverse, many of which form phylogenetic clades with PKS previously characterized in non-lichenized fungi. We compared transcriptional profiles of the 38 PKS genes in two chemotypic variants, one producing biruloquinone and the other producing no appreciable metabolite in vitro. We identified a PKS gene (hereafter PKS21) that was highly upregulated in the LFF that produces biruloquinone. The boundaries of a putative biruloquinone gene cluster were demarcated by co-expression patterns of six clustered genes, including the PKS21. Biruloquinone gene clusters exhibited a high degree of synteny between related species. In this study we identified a novel PKS family responsible for the biosynthesis of biruloquinone through whole-transcriptome analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonyong Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea;
| | - Min-Hye Jeong
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea;
| | - Sung-Hwan Yun
- Department of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan 31538, Korea;
| | - Jae-Seoun Hur
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea;
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Zhang W, Du L, Qu Z, Zhang X, Li F, Li Z, Qi F, Wang X, Jiang Y, Men P, Sun J, Cao S, Geng C, Qi F, Wan X, Liu C, Li S. Compartmentalized biosynthesis of mycophenolic acid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13305-10. [PMID: 31209052 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1821932116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycophenolic acid (MPA) from filamentous fungi is the first natural product antibiotic to be isolated and crystallized, and a first-line immunosuppressive drug for organ transplantations and autoimmune diseases. However, some key biosynthetic mechanisms of such an old and important molecule have remained unclear. Here, we elucidate the MPA biosynthetic pathway that features both compartmentalized enzymatic steps and unique cooperation between biosynthetic and β-oxidation catabolism machineries based on targeted gene inactivation, feeding experiments in heterologous expression hosts, enzyme functional characterization and kinetic analysis, and microscopic observation of protein subcellular localization. Besides identification of the oxygenase MpaB' as the long-sought key enzyme responsible for the oxidative cleavage of the farnesyl side chain, we reveal the intriguing pattern of compartmentalization for the MPA biosynthetic enzymes, including the cytosolic polyketide synthase MpaC' and O-methyltransferase MpaG', the Golgi apparatus-associated prenyltransferase MpaA', the endoplasmic reticulum-bound oxygenase MpaB' and P450-hydrolase fusion enzyme MpaDE', and the peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) hydrolase MpaH'. The whole pathway is elegantly comediated by these compartmentalized enzymes, together with the peroxisomal β-oxidation machinery. Beyond characterizing the remaining outstanding steps of the MPA biosynthetic steps, our study highlights the importance of considering subcellular contexts and the broader cellular metabolism in natural product biosynthesis.
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