Fungal Isocyanide Synthases and Xanthocillin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus.

ABSTRACT: Microbial secondary metabolites, including isocyanide moieties, have been extensively mined for their repertoire of bioactive properties. Although the first naturally occurring isocyanide (xanthocillin) was isolated from the fungus Penicillium notatum over half a century ago, the biosynthetic origins of fungal isocyanides remain unknown. Here we report the identification of a family of isocyanide synthases (ICSs) from the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus Comparative metabolomics of overexpression or knockout mutants of ICS candidate genes led to the discovery of a fungal biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) that produces xanthocillin (xan). Detailed analysis of xanthocillin biosynthesis in A. fumigatus revealed several previously undescribed compoun

SUBMITTER: Lim FY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5974471 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature