Interrogation of Benzomalvin Biosynthesis Using Fungal Artificial Chromosomes with Metabolomic Scoring (FAC-MS): Discovery of a Benzodiazepine Synthase Activity

Biochemistry. 2018 Jun 12;57(23):3237-3243. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00076. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Abstract

The benzodiazepine benzomalvin A/D is a fungally derived specialized metabolite and inhibitor of the substance P receptor NK1, biosynthesized by a three-gene nonribosomal peptide synthetase cluster. Here, we utilize fungal artificial chromosomes with metabolomic scoring (FAC-MS) to perform molecular genetic pathway dissection and targeted metabolomics analysis to assign the in vivo role of each domain in the benzomalvin biosynthetic pathway. The use of FAC-MS identified the terminal cyclizing condensation domain as BenY-CT and the internal C-domains as BenZ-C1 and BenZ-C2. Unexpectedly, we also uncovered evidence suggesting BenY-CT or a yet to be identified protein mediates benzodiazepine formation, representing the first reported benzodiazepine synthase enzymatic activity. This work informs understanding of what defines a fungal CT domain and shows how the FAC-MS platform can be used as a tool for in vivo analyses of specialized metabolite biosynthesis and for the discovery and dissection of new enzyme activities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus nidulans* / enzymology
  • Aspergillus nidulans* / genetics
  • Benzodiazepines / metabolism*
  • Chromosomes, Artificial / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Artificial / metabolism
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Fungal / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins* / chemistry
  • Fungal Proteins* / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins* / metabolism
  • Peptide Synthases* / chemistry
  • Peptide Synthases* / genetics
  • Peptide Synthases* / metabolism
  • Protein Domains
  • Pyrimidinones / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Pyrimidinones
  • Benzodiazepines
  • benzomalvin A
  • Peptide Synthases