Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Fusarium

Abstract

Many fungi of the genus Fusarium stand out for the complexity of their secondary metabolism. Individual species may differ in their metabolic capacities, but they usually share the ability to synthesize carotenoids, a family of hydrophobic terpenoid pigments widely distributed in nature. Early studies on carotenoid biosynthesis in Fusarium aquaeductuum have been recently extended in Fusarium fujikuroi and Fusarium oxysporum, well-known biotechnological and phytopathogenic models, respectively. The major Fusarium carotenoid is neurosporaxanthin, a carboxylic xanthophyll synthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate through the activity of four enzymes, encoded by the genes carRA, carB, carT and carD. These fungi produce also minor amounts of β-carotene, which may be cleaved by the CarX oxygenase to produce retinal, the rhodopsin’s chromophore. The genes needed to produce retinal are organized in a gene cluster with a rhodopsin gene, while other carotenoid genes are not linked. In the investigated Fusarium species, the synthesis of carotenoids is induced by light through the transcriptional induction of the structural genes. In some species, deep-pigmented mutants with up-regulated expression of these genes are affected in the regulatory gene carS. The molecular mechanisms underlying the control by light and by the CarS protein are currently under investigation.

Comparative Analysis of β-Carotene Production by Mucor circinelloides Strains CBS 277.49 and WJ11 under Light and Dark Conditions

“…Upon exposure to blue light, the genes involved in carotene production were upregulated, leading to fast accumulation of orange-color carotene pigment [26] as compared to mycelia that were grown in the dark which had only trace of carotenes. Similarly, it has been demonstrated that carotene production was stimulated under continuous illumination in Fusarium oxysporum [27].…”

Fungal Pigments and Their Prospects in Different Industries

“…JN158 ( Figure 2) [68]. A study has shown that the synthesis of major Fusarium carotenoids (neurosporaxanthin and β-carotene) is induced by light via transcriptional induction of the structural genes carRA, carB, carT, and carD [43]. Similarly, other members of the fungal family Nectriaceae, such as Albonectria rigidiuscula and Fusicolla aquaeductuum (formerly known as Fusarium decemcellulare and Fusarium aquaeductuum respectively) were reported for their pigment production potential ( Figure 2) [43,64].…”

“…A study has shown that the synthesis of major Fusarium carotenoids (neurosporaxanthin and β-carotene) is induced by light via transcriptional induction of the structural genes carRA, carB, carT, and carD [43]. Similarly, other members of the fungal family Nectriaceae, such as Albonectria rigidiuscula and Fusicolla aquaeductuum (formerly known as Fusarium decemcellulare and Fusarium aquaeductuum respectively) were reported for their pigment production potential ( Figure 2) [43,64]. Recently, the biosynthetic pathway of chrysogine mediated by two-module non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene cluster was discovered in Fusarium graminearum in which enhanced chrysogine production was observed upon overexpression of NRPS14 [122].…”

Isolation of two novel purple naphthoquinone pigments concomitant with the bioactive red bikaverin and derivates thereof produced by Fusarium oxysporum

“…For instance, early reports mentioned the occurrence of orange carotenoids such as neurosporaxanthin with biological activities in Fusarium species. Following studies in Fusarium aquaeductuum , the fungal strain of Fusarium fujikuroi , and more recently Fusarium oxysporum , have become reference models in the research of fungal carotenogenesis . Fusarium species have also been recognized as promising sources of colored polyketidic secondary metabolites (PK‐SMs).…”

“…Following studies in Fusarium aquaeductuum, the fungal strain of Fusarium fujikuroi, and more recently Fusarium oxysporum, have become reference models in the research of fungal carotenogenesis. 13,14 Fusarium species have also been recognized as promising sources of colored polyketidic secondary metabolites (PK-SMs). Among them, red naphthoquinone pigments such as bikaverin, aurofusarin, fusarubin, bostrycoidin, javanicin, and novarubin [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] were described as the most abundant, followed by hydroxyanthraquinoic pigments (chrysophanol, catenarin, erythroglaucin, and tritisporin) (review in Caro et al 3,27 ).…”