Discovery of the antifungal compound ilicicolin K through genetic activation of the ilicicolin biosynthetic pathway in Trichoderma reesei.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Given the global rise in antimicrobial resistance, the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents and production processes thereof are of utmost importance. To this end we have activated the gene cluster encoding for the biosynthesis of the potent antifungal compound ilicicolin H in the fungus Trichoderma reesei. While the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) is silent under standard cultivation conditions, we achieved BGC activation by genetically overexpressing the transcription factor TriliR.

Results

Successful activation was confirmed by RT-qPCR, proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Metabolomic profiling upon BGC expression revealed high-yield production of ilicicolin H. To elucidate the enzymatically highly diverse functionality of this BGC, we employed a combination

SUBMITTER: Burger I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11895301 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature