Influence of genetics on the secondary metabolism of fungi

Authors: COSTA BARRETO, DEBORA LUIZA - Federal University Of Minas Gerais; DE CARVALHO, CAMILA - Federal University Of Minas Gerais; DE ALMEIDA ALVES, TÂNIA MARIA - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou; ZANI, CARLOS LEOMAR - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou; Cantrell, Charles; DUKE, STEPHEN - University Of Mississippi; ROSA, LUIZ HENRIQUE - Federal University Of Minas Gerais

Submitted to: Natural Secondary Metabolites – from Nature, Through Science, to Industry
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2023
Publication Date: 2/22/2023
Citation: Costa Barreto, D., De Carvalho, C.R., De Almeida Alves, T., Zani, C., Cantrell, C.L., Duke, S.O., Rosa, L. 2023. Influence of genetics on the secondary metabolism of fungi. Natural Secondary Metabolites – from Nature, Through Science, to Industry. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_22.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18587-8_22

Interpretive Summary: Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, one of the most famous bioactive molecules that changed the world, studies pertaining to secondary metabolites produced by fungi increased to be explored as prototype drugs for use as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Although thousands of natural products are discovered every year, the recurrent discovery of known compounds represents a problem in the field. In laboratory, fungi are grown under axenic conditions, and many of their genes are not transcribed, remaining silenced. For this reason, researchers should seek strategies to activate these silent gene clusters in order to express their metabolic potential and then obtain structurally diverse biosynthesized natural products. Several effective approaches have been reported to expose the criptic natural biogenetic capacity of fungi and these techniques will be discussed in this chapter.

Technical Abstract: Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, one of the most famous bioactive molecules that changed the world, studies pertaining to secondary metabolites produced by fungi increased to be explored as prototype drugs for use as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Although thousands of natural products are discovered every year, the recurrent discovery of known compounds represents a problem in the field. In laboratory, fungi are grown under axenic conditions, and many of their genes are not transcribed, remaining silenced. For this reason, researchers should seek strategies to activate these silent gene clusters in order to express their metabolic potential and then obtain structurally diverse biosynthesized natural products. Several effective approaches have been reported to expose the criptic natural biogenetic capacity of fungi, such as the One Strain Many Compounds (OSMAC) approach, co-cultivation and epigenetic modification. These techniques will be discussed in this chapter.