Recent advances in reconstructing microbial secondary metabolites biosynthesis in Aspergillus spp

Yi He; Bin Wang; Wanping Chen; Russell J Cox; Jingren He; Fusheng Chen

doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.02.001

Recent advances in reconstructing microbial secondary metabolites biosynthesis in Aspergillus spp

Biotechnol Adv. 2018 May-Jun;36(3):739-783. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.02.001. Epub 2018 Feb 5.

Authors

Yi He¹, Bin Wang², Wanping Chen³, Russell J Cox⁴, Jingren He⁵, Fusheng Chen⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China; Key Laboratory for Deep Processing of Major Grain and Oil, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Transformation of Agricultural Products (Wuhan Polytechnic University), Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China. Electronic address: yi.he@whpu.edu.cn.
² Food College, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, Uygur Autonomous Region 832000, PR China.
³ Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430070, PR China.
⁴ Institut für Organische Chemie, BMWZ, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Schneiderberg 1B, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
⁵ College of Food Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China; Key Laboratory for Deep Processing of Major Grain and Oil, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Transformation of Agricultural Products (Wuhan Polytechnic University), Wuhan, Hubei Province 430023, PR China. Electronic address: jingren.he@whpu.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430070, PR China. Electronic address: chenfs@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

PMID: 29421302
DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.02.001

Abstract

High throughput genome sequencing has revealed a multitude of potential secondary metabolites biosynthetic pathways that remain cryptic. Pathway reconstruction coupled with genetic engineering via heterologous expression enables discovery of novel compounds, elucidation of biosynthetic pathways, and optimization of product yields. Apart from Escherichia coli and yeast, fungi, especially Aspergillus spp., are well known and efficient heterologous hosts. This review summarizes recent advances in heterologous expression of microbial secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Aspergillus spp. We also discuss the technological challenges and successes in regard to heterologous host selection and DNA assembly behind the reconstruction of microbial secondary metabolite biosynthesis.

Keywords: Aspergillus spp.; Combinatorial biosynthesis; DNA assembly; Heterologous expression; Microbial secondary metabolites; Pathway engineering.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Aspergillus / genetics*
Aspergillus / metabolism*
Biosynthetic Pathways / genetics
Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
Cloning, Molecular / methods
Computational Biology / methods
Genetic Engineering / methods*
Lovastatin / genetics
Lovastatin / metabolism
Microorganisms, Genetically-Modified
Multigene Family
Polyketides / metabolism
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Recombination, Genetic
Secondary Metabolism / genetics*
Tricarboxylic Acids

Substances

Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
Polyketides
Tricarboxylic Acids
squalestatin 1
Lovastatin