Reconstitution of a fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis reveals the involvement of a novel family of terpene cyclases

Nat Chem. 2010 Oct;2(10):858-64. doi: 10.1038/nchem.764. Epub 2010 Aug 1.

Abstract

Meroterpenoids are hybrid natural products of both terpenoid and polyketide origin. We identified a biosynthetic gene cluster that is responsible for the production of the meroterpenoid pyripyropene in the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus through reconstituted biosynthesis of up to five steps in a heterologous fungal expression system. The cluster revealed a previously unknown terpene cyclase with an unusual sequence and protein primary structure. The wide occurrence of this sequence in other meroterpenoid and indole-diterpene biosynthetic gene clusters indicates the involvement of these enzymes in the biosynthesis of various terpenoid-bearing metabolites produced by fungi and bacteria. In addition, a novel polyketide synthase that incorporated nicotinyl-CoA as the starter unit and a prenyltransferase, similar to that in ubiquinone biosynthesis, was found to be involved in the pyripyropene biosynthesis. The successful production of a pyripyropene analogue illustrates the catalytic versatility of these enzymes for the production of novel analogues with useful biological activities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Fungi / enzymology
  • Fungi / metabolism*
  • Terpenes / metabolism*

Substances

  • Terpenes

Associated data

  • PubChem-Substance/96100029
  • PubChem-Substance/96100030
  • PubChem-Substance/96100031
  • PubChem-Substance/96100032
  • PubChem-Substance/96100033
  • PubChem-Substance/96100034
  • PubChem-Substance/96100035
  • PubChem-Substance/96100036
  • PubChem-Substance/96100037
  • PubChem-Substance/96100038
  • PubChem-Substance/96100039
  • PubChem-Substance/96100040