Identification of a Polyketide Synthase Gene Responsible for Ascochitine Biosynthesis in Ascochyta fabae and Its Abrogation in Sister Taxa.

ABSTRACT: The polyketide-derived secondary metabolite ascochitine is produced by species in the Didymellaceae family, including but not restricted to Ascochyta species pathogens of cool-season food legumes. Ascochitine is structurally similar to the well-known mycotoxin citrinin and exhibits broad-spectrum phytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities. Here, we identified a polyketide synthase (PKS) gene (denoted pksAC) responsible for ascochitine production in the filamentous fungus Ascochyta fabae Deletion of the pksAC prevented production of ascochitine and its derivative ascochital in A. fabae The putative ascochitine biosynthesis gene cluster comprises 11 genes that have undergone rearrangement and gain-and-loss events relative to the citrinin biosynthesis gene c

SUBMITTER: Kim W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6763771 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature