Chemistry & Biology 2011-11-23

A single cluster of coregulated genes encodes the biosynthesis of the mycotoxins roquefortine C and meleagrin in Penicillium chrysogenum.

Carlos García-Estrada, Ricardo V Ullán, Silvia M Albillos, María Ángeles Fernández-Bodega, Pawel Durek, Hans von Döhren, Juan F Martín, Carlos García-Estrada, Ricardo V. Ullán, Silvia M. Albillos, María Ángeles Fernández-Bodega, Pawel Durek, Hans von Döhren, Juan F. Martín

Index: Chem. Biol. 18(11) , 1499-512, (2011)

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Abstract

A single gene cluster of Penicillium chrysogenum contains genes involved in the biosynthesis and secretion of the mycotoxins roquefortine C and meleagrin. Five of these genes have been silenced by RNAi. Pc21g15480 (rds) encodes a nonribosomal cyclodipeptide synthetase for the biosynthesis of both roquefortine C and meleagrin. Pc21g15430 (rpt) encodes a prenyltransferase also required for the biosynthesis of both mycotoxins. Silencing of Pc21g15460 or Pc21g15470 led to a decrease in roquefortine C and meleagrin, whereas silencing of the methyltransferase gene (Pc21g15440; gmt) resulted in accumulation of glandicolin B, indicating that this enzyme catalyzes the conversion of glandicolin B to meleagrin. All these genes are transcriptionally coregulated. Our results prove that roquefortine C and meleagrin derive from a single pathway.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.