Post-genomic approach based discovery of alkylresorcinols from a cricket-associated fungus, Penicillium soppi

Abstract

Polyketide synthase (PKS) gene-guided genome mining in a cricket-associated fungus, Penicillium soppi, revealed a cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster that contained a highly reducing PKS (HR-PKS), a type III PKS, and a P450 gene. Heterologous expression of the cluster in Aspergillus oryzae led to the isolation of novel alkylresorcinols with a unique Z,E,Z-triene motif. This study displays an unusual biosynthetic mechanism of an HR-PKS and a new releasing mechanism via a type III PKS in fungi.