A Fasciclin Protein Is Essential for Laccase-Mediated Selective Phenol Coupling in Sporandol Biosynthesis

ACS Chem Biol. 2020 Apr 17;15(4):844-848. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00025. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Abstract

The biaryl scaffold, often showing axial chirality, is a common feature of various fungal natural products. Their biosynthesis requires an oxidative phenol-coupling reaction usually catalyzed by laccases, cytochrome P450 enzymes, or peroxidases. The combination of a laccase and a fasciclin domain-containing (fas) protein is encoded in many biosynthetic gene clusters of biaryls from ascomycetes. However, such phenol-coupling systems including their regio- and stereoselectivity have not been characterized so far. Elucidating the biosynthesis of the antiparasitic binaphthalene sporandol from Chrysosporium merdarium, we demonstrate the combination of a laccase and a fas protein to be crucial for the dimerization reaction. Only the heterologous coproduction of the laccase and the fas protein led to a functional phenol-coupling system, whereas the laccase alone showed no coupling activity. Thus, the laccase/fas protein combination forms an independent group of phenol-coupling enzymes that determines the coupling activity and selectivity of the reaction concurrently and applies to the biosynthesis of many fungal natural products with a biaryl scaffold.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus niger / genetics
  • Chrysosporium / enzymology
  • Chrysosporium / genetics
  • Chrysosporium / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Laccase / chemistry*
  • Laccase / genetics
  • Multigene Family
  • Naphthols / chemical synthesis*
  • Phenols / chemistry*
  • Polyketide Synthases / chemistry
  • Polyketide Synthases / genetics
  • Protein Domains
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Naphthols
  • Phenols
  • Polyketide Synthases
  • Laccase

Supplementary concepts

  • Chrysosporium merdarium