Requirement of monooxygenase-mediated steps for sterigmatocystin biosynthesis by Aspergillus nidulans

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2000 Jan;66(1):359-62. doi: 10.1128/AEM.66.1.359-362.2000.

Abstract

Sterigmatocystin (ST) and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) are two polyketide-derived Aspergillus mycotoxins synthesized by functionally identical sets of enzymes. ST, the compound produced by Aspergillus nidulans, is a late intermediate in the AFB(1) pathway of A. parasiticus and A. flavus. Previous biochemical studies predicted that five oxygenase steps are required for the formation of ST. A 60-kb ST gene cluster in A. nidulans contains five genes, stcB, stcF, stcL, stcS, and stcW, encoding putative monooxygenase activities. Prior research showed that stcL and stcS mutants accumulated versicolorins B and A, respectively. We now show that strains disrupted at stcF, encoding a P-450 monooxygenase similar to A. parasiticus avnA, accumulate averantin. Disruption of either StcB (a putative P-450 monooxygenase) or StcW (a putative flavin-requiring monooxygenase) led to the accumulation of averufin as determined by radiolabeled feeding and extraction studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anthraquinones / metabolism
  • Aspergillus nidulans / enzymology*
  • Aspergillus nidulans / genetics
  • Aspergillus nidulans / growth & development
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
  • Oxygenases / genetics*
  • Oxygenases / metabolism*
  • Sterigmatocystin / biosynthesis*
  • Transformation, Genetic

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Sterigmatocystin
  • averantin
  • averufin
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Oxygenases
  • dimethylaniline monooxygenase (N-oxide forming)
  • norsolorinic acid