Characterization of the Aspergillus nidulans biotin biosynthetic gene cluster and use of the bioDA gene as a new transformation marker

Contributions of the Peroxisome and β-Oxidation Cycle to Biotin Synthesis in Fungi

“…Interestingly, the absence of a bioF gene in all Microsporidia (a phylum of unicellular parasites of animals) and virtually all Saccharomycotina and Taphrinomycotina coincided with the absence of a eukaryotic bifunctional bioDA gene in these fungi (10). This was also true for 10 of the Pezizomycotina lacking bioF (supplemental data).…”

“…Their work suggests that the biotin pathway from pimelate onwards was lost in the ancestor of S. cerevisiae and subsequently reacquired by a combination of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria and neofunctionalization of a duplicated gene. The distinct evolutionary history of the S. cerevisiae BIO genes is highlighted by the fact that, although the DAN and DTB synthases reside together on a single protein encoded by the bifunctional gene bioDA in most biotin-prototrophic Eukaryota (fungi, öomycetes, and plants), these two activities are encoded by distinct genes in bacteria and S. cerevisiae (10). Our present work strongly suggests that there are also differences between ascomycete yeasts and filamentous fungi concerning the synthesis of the key pimelic acid intermediate.…”

“…Growth of the ⌬aoxA and ⌬pexE mutants was strongly inhibited in the absence of biotin, as was growth of the ⌬bioF and biA1 mutants. The latter lacked the DAN synthase domain of the BioDA bifunctional protein (10). The ⌬aoxB mutant was biotin-prototrophic, and, like the reference strain, it grew on biotin-deficient medium.…”

“…We observed that the A. nidulans AON synthase, encoded by the bioF gene (10), harbors a C-terminal tripeptide (ARL), which fits the consensus sequence for a type 1 peroxisomal targeting sequence (PTS1). Here, we show that BioF is a peroxisomal protein and that its correct localization is essential for biotin synthesis.…”

Biochemical and Structural Characterization of the Arabidopsis Bifunctional Enzyme Dethiobiotin Synthetase–Diaminopelargonic Acid Aminotransferase: Evidence for Substrate Channeling in Biotin Synthesis

“…This bicistronic transcript is potentially capable of producing separate BIO3 and BIO1 proteins ( Figure 1B). Other plants and most fungi also present a chimeric BIO3-BIO1 homolog gene (Hall and Dietrich, 2007;Muralla et al, 2008;Magliano et al, 2011).…”