An Unconventional Melanin Biosynthesis Pathway in Ustilago maydis.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Esmeralda Z Reyes-FernándezMichael Bölker

Abstract

Ustilago maydis is a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for corn smut disease. Although it is a very well-established model organism for the study of plant-microbe interactions, its potential to produce specialized metabolites, which might contribute to this interaction, has not been studied in detail. By analyzing the U. maydis genome, we identified a biosynthetic gene cluster whose activation led to the production of a black melanin pigment. Single deletion mutants of the cluster genes revealed that five encoded enzymes are required for the accumulation of the black pigment, including three polyketide synthases (pks3, pks4, and pks5), a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (cyp4), and a protein with similarity to versicolorin B synthase (vbs1). Metabolic profiles of deletion mutants in this gene cluster suggested that Pks3 and Pks4 act in concert as heterodimers to generate orsellinic acid (OA), which is reduced to the corresponding aldehyde by Pks5. The OA-aldehyde can then react with triacetic acid lactone (TAL), also derived from Pks3/Pks4 heterodimers to form larger molecules, including novel coumarin derivatives. Our findings suggest that U. maydis synthesizes a novel type of melanin based on coumarin and pyran-2-one intermedia...Continue Reading

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