An efficient system for heterologous expression of secondary metabolite genes in Aspergillus nidulans.

ABSTRACT: Fungal secondary metabolites (SMs) are an important source of medically valuable compounds. Genome projects have revealed that fungi have many SM biosynthetic gene clusters that are not normally expressed. To access these potentially valuable, cryptic clusters, we have developed a heterologous expression system in Aspergillus nidulans . We have developed an efficient system for amplifying genes from a target fungus, placing them under control of a regulatable promoter, transferring them into A. nidulans , and expressing them. We have validated this system by expressing nonreducing polyketide synthases of Aspergillus terreus and additional genes required for compound production and release. We have obtained compound production and release from six of these nonreducing polyketide synthases a

SUBMITTER: Chiang YM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3697937 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature