Di- and sesterterpene synthases produce C20 and C25 isoprenoid scaffolds from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) and geranylfarnesyl pyrophosphate (GFPP), respectively. By genome mining of the fungus Emericella variecolor, we identified a multitasking chimeric terpene synthase, EvVS, which has terpene cyclase (TC) and prenyltransferase (PT) domains. Heterologous gene expression in Aspergillus oryzae led to the isolation of variediene (1), a novel tricyclic diterpene hydrocarbon. Intriguingly, in vitro reaction with the enzyme afforded the new macrocyclic sesterterpene 2 as a minor product from dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). The TC domain thus produces the diterpene 1 and the sesterterpene 2 from GGPP and GFPP, respectively. Notably, a domain swap of the PT domain of EvVS with that of another chimeric sesterterpene synthase, EvSS, successfully resulted in the production of 2 in vivo as well. Cyclization mechanisms for the production of these two compounds are proposed.

Sesterterpenoids are a group of terpenoid natural products that are primarily biosynthesized via cyclization of the C25 linear substrate geranylfarnesyl pyrophosphate (GFPP). Although the long carbon chain of GFPP in theory allows for many different cyclization patterns, sesterterpenoids are relatively rare species among terpenoids, suggesting that many intriguing sesterterpenoid scaffolds have been overlooked. Meanwhile, the recent identification of the first sesterterpene synthase has allowed the discovery of new sesterterpenoids by the genome mining approach. In this study, we characterized the unusual fungal sesterterpene synthase EvQS and successfully obtained the sesterterpene quiannulatene (1) with a novel and unique highly congested carbon skeleton, which is further oxidized to quiannulatic acid (2) by the cytochrome P450 Qnn-P450. A mechanistic study of its cyclization from GFPP indicated that the biosynthesis employs an unprecedented cyclization mode, which involves three rounds of hydride shifts and two successive C-C bond migrations to construct the 5-6-5-5-5 fused ring system of 1.

The search for a new sesterterpene synthase in the genome of Emericella variecolor, which reportedly produces diverse sesterterpenoids, is described. One gene product (a chimeric protein with prenyltransferase and terpene cyclase domains) led to the synthesis of a novel tricyclic sesterterpene, stellata-2,6,19-triene (1), from DMAPP and IPP, and the hydrocarbon was further transformed into stellatic acid (2) by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase encoded by the gene adjacent to the sesterterpene synthase gene.

The biosynthetic gene cluster of the fungal meroterpenoid chrodrimanin B (4) was discovered in Penicillium verruculosum TPU1311, and the complete biosynthetic pathway of 4 has been elucidated by heterologous reconstitution of its biosynthesis in Aspergillus oryzae, as well as by in vitro characterizations of selected enzymes. The present study has identified the polyketide synthase that produces 6-hydroxymellein (3) and also provided a biosynthetic platform of chrodrimanins for further bioengineering.

The multiproduct chimeric sesterterpene synthase AcAS from Aspergillus calidoustus yielded spirocyclic calidoustene, which exhibits a novel skeleton, besides five known sesterterpenes. The complex cyclisation mechanism to all six compounds was investigated by isotopic labelling experiments in combination with DFT calculations. Chemically synthesised 8-hydroxyfarnesyl diphosphate was converted with isopentenyl diphosphate and AcAS into four oxygenated sesterterpenoids that structurally resemble cytochrome P450 oxidation products of the sesterterpene hydrocarbons. Protein engineering of AcAS broadened the substrate scope and gave significantly improved enzyme yields.