Characterization of a novel 2,4,6-trichlorophenol-inducible gene encoding chlorophenol O-methyltransferase from Trichoderma longibrachiatum responsible for the formation of chloroanisoles and detoxification of chlorophenols.

De novo sequencing of eight internal peptides of purified chlorophenol O-methyltransferase, or CMT1 (before named as CPOMT), from Trichoderma longibrachiatum was performed by MALDI-TOF/TOF and ESI-IT. A novel gene (cmt1) encoding CMT1 was cloned by using a PCR approach based on the amino acid sequence of two internal peptides. The gene (1637 bp) encoded a protein of 468 amino acids with a deduced molecular mass of 52.

Modified oxidosqualene cyclases in the formation of bioactive secondary metabolites: biosynthesis of the antitumor clavaric acid.

Hypholoma sublateritium is a basidiomycete that produces the antitumor compound clavaric acid. We cloned a gene encoding an oxidosqualene cyclase (occ) that is involved in the conversion of oxidosqualene to clavaric acid. Mutants disrupted in occ by gene replacement were unable to synthesize clavaric acid, but did not require sterols for growth.

The NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase gene from the astaxanthin producer Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous: use of Its promoter for controlled gene expression.

The gdhA gene encoding the NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity from Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous has been cloned and characterized, and its promoter used for controlled gene expression in this red-pigmented heterobasidiomycetous yeast. We determined the nucleotide sequence of a 4701 bp DNA genomic fragment, showing an open reading frame of 1871 bp interrupted by five introns with fungal consensus splice-site junctions. The predicted protein (455 amino acids; 49 kDa) revealed high identity to GDHs, especially to those from the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans (70%), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (66%), and several species of Aspergillus (66-67%).

The global regulator LaeA controls penicillin biosynthesis, pigmentation and sporulation, but not roquefortine C synthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum.

The biosynthesis of the beta-lactam antibiotic penicillin is an excellent model for the study of secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi due to the good background knowledge on the biochemistry and molecular genetics of the beta-lactam producing microorganisms. The three genes (pcbAB, pcbC, penDE) encoding enzymes of the penicillin pathway in Penicillium chrysogenum are clustered, but no penicillin pathway-specific regulators have been found in the genome region that contains the penicillin gene cluster. The biosynthesis of this beta-lactam is controlled by global regulators of secondary metabolism rather than by a pathway-specific regulator.

RNA-silencing in Penicillium chrysogenum and Acremonium chrysogenum: validation studies using beta-lactam genes expression.

In this work we report the development and validation of a new RNA interference vector (pJL43-RNAi) containing a double-stranded RNA expression cassette for gene silencing in the filamentous fungi Penicillium chrysogenum and Acremonium chrysogenum. Classical targeted gene disruption in these fungi is very laborious and inefficient due to the low frequency of homologous recombination. The RNAi vector has been validated by testing the attenuation of two different genes of the beta-lactam pathway; pcbC in P.

Post-translational enzyme modification by the phosphopantetheinyl transferase is required for lysine and penicillin biosynthesis but not for roquefortine or fatty acid formation in Penicillium chrysogenum.

NRPSs (non-ribosomal peptide synthetases) and PKSs (polyketide synthases) require post-translational phosphopantetheinylation to become active. This reaction is catalysed by a PPTase (4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase). The ppt gene of Penicillium chrysogenum, encoding a protein that shares 50% similarity with the stand-alone large PPTases, has been cloned.

A squalene epoxidase is involved in biosynthesis of both the antitumor compound clavaric acid and sterols in the basidiomycete H. sublateritium.

The basidiomycete Hypholoma sublateritium produces the triterpenoid antitumor clavaric acid, an inhibitor of the human Ras-farnesyl transferase. The H. sublateritium squalene epoxidase gene (erg1) has been cloned and shown to encode a flavoprotein monooxygenase that requires FAD, NADPH, and P450 cofactors.

The crtS gene of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous encodes a novel cytochrome-P450 hydroxylase involved in the conversion of beta-carotene into astaxanthin and other xanthophylls.

The conversion of beta-carotene into xanthophylls is a subject of great scientific and industrial interest. We cloned the crtS gene involved in astaxanthin biosynthesis from two astaxanthin producing strains of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous: VKPM Y2410, an astaxanthin overproducing strain, and the wild type ATCC 24203. In both cases, the ORF has a length of 3166 bp, including 17 introns, and codes for a protein of 62.