Biosynthesis of -Terphenyls in Implies Enzymatic Reductive Dehydration and Spontaneous Dibenzofuran Formation.

-Terphenyls contain a central benzene ring substituted with two phenyl residues at its positions. Heterologous expression of a biosynthetic gene cluster from led to the formation of four new -terphenyl derivatives. Gene deletion experiments proved the formation and reductive dehydration of the terphenylquinone atromentin, followed by O-methylation and prenylation. Spontaneous dibenzofuran formation led to the final products. These results provide new insights into the biosynthesis of -terphenyls in fungi and dibenzofuran formation in the biosynthesis of numerous natural products.