AsianScientist (Nov. 19, 2014) – Scientists have completed the whole genome and transcriptomic analysis of the highly sought after Antrodia cinnamomea fungus. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to the development of new strategies for producing medicinally valuable secondary metabolites from fungi.
A. cinnamomea is well-known in Taiwan as a traditional remedy for cancer, hypertension and hangovers. Although this fungus has a high commercial value, it is notoriously difficult to grow in a non-natural environment.
In the present study, a research team led by Academician Li Wen-hsiung of the Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica has used next generation sequencing to study the genome of A. cinnamomea. They sequenced the whole genome and also conducted a transcriptomic analysis of the fruiting body and the mycelium of the fungus. From the results, the researchers were able to identify important pathways for the biosynthesis of anti-tumor terpenes and other bioactive compounds.
Since the production of bioactive compounds by the mushroom involves various biosynthetic pathways and a series of post-translational modifications, the team identified the enzymes participating in different parts of the pathways, as well as many important downstream modifying enzymes.
In addition to revealing biosynthetic pathways of bioactive metabolites, the work also unveiled the mechanism of the mushroom’s sexual development. Investigation of the genes differentially expressed between the fruiting body (sexual organ) and mycelia (asexual organ) showed where specific compounds are abundantly synthesized.
According to Dr. Li, this work is the first publication documenting the genome of A. cinnamomea. The genome sequence, transcriptomic data and biosynthetic pathway information from this study will serve as a basis for future genetic and molecular study.
The article can be found at: Lu et al. (2014) Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses of the Medicinal Fungus Antrodia cinnamomea for its Metabolite Biosynthesis and Sexual Development.
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Source: Academia Sinica; Photo: 學文 吳/Flickr/CC.
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