Characterization of an autoinducer of penicillin biosynthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum.

ABSTRACT: Filamentous fungi produce an impressive variety of secondary metabolites; many of them have important biological activities. The biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites is frequently induced by plant-derived external elicitors and appears to also be regulated by internal inducers, which may work in a way similar to that of bacterial autoinducers. The biosynthesis of penicillin in Penicillium chrysogenum is an excellent model for studying the molecular mechanisms of control of gene expression due to a good knowledge of the biochemistry and molecular genetics of β-lactam antibiotics and to the availability of its genome sequence and proteome. In this work, we first developed a plate bioassay that allows direct testing of inducers of penicillin biosynthesis using single colonies of P. chr

SUBMITTER: Martin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3165265 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature