The not-so-vulnerable mushrooms
30.5.17
The mushroom-type fungi, known as basidiomycetes, play a fundamental role in our forests, where they associate with plants, take part in the carbon cycle, and also serve as food for many organisms. Since they are immobile and lack any mechanical way to defend themselves, mushrooms have evolved chemical defenses, including the release of natural products.
For instance, the stereaceous mushroom BY1 is able to produce polyenes yellow pigments to discourage insect larvae from feeding on it. The group of Prof. Dirk Hoffmeister unravelled the unusual biosynthesis of these compounds and discovered that a new enzyme (a polyketide synthase) catalyzes all steps, including the unprecedented shift of multiple double bonds, to assemble this anti-larval natural product.
The basidiomycete BY1 also releases the yellow pigments when the fungus is injured. We now confirmed these findings by MALDI-mass spectrometry imaging and verified polyene accumulation on the wound. Only traces of the compounds were detected on the healthy area, where the mycelium shows only light yellow pigmentation.
Read the full article:
Brandt, P., García‐Altares, M., Nett, M., Hertweck, C., & Hoffmeister, D. (2017). Induced Chemical Defense of a Mushroom by a Double‐Bond‐Shifting Polyene Synthase. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 56(21), 5937-5941.
Brandt, P., García‐Altares, M., Nett, M., Hertweck, C., & Hoffmeister, D. (2017). Induced Chemical Defense of a Mushroom by a Double‐Bond‐Shifting Polyene Synthase. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 56(21), 5937-5941.
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