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Genomics‐Driven Discovery of the Gliovirin Biosynthesis Gene Cluster in the Plant Beneficial Fungus Trichoderma Virens
Author(s) -
Sherkhane Pramod D.,
Bansal Ravindra,
Banerjee Kaushik,
Chatterjee Suchandra,
Oulkar Dasharath,
Jain Prachi,
Rosenfelder Lea,
Elgavish Sharona,
Horwitz Benjamin A.,
Mukherjee Prasun K.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201700262
Subject(s) - gene cluster , biology , gene , fungus , oomycete , genome , pathogen , polyketide synthase , genetics , human pathogen , trichoderma , microbiology and biotechnology , polyketide , biosynthesis , botany
Gliovirin is a strong anti‐oomycete and a candidate anticancer compound. It is produced by “P” strains of the plant disease biocontrol fungus Trichoderma virens and is involved in biological control of certain plant pathogens. Even though the compound is known for more than three decades, neither the genes involved nor the biosynthetic pathway are known. We have sequenced the whole genome of a gliovirin producing strain of T. virens and discovered a novel gene cluster comprising of 22 genes. Disruption of the non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase eliminated biosynthesis of gliovirin. The gene cluster is very similar to a hitherto un‐described gene cluster of Aspergillus udagawae , a human pathogen. Our findings open‐up the possibility of strain improvement of T. virens for improved biocontrol of plant diseases through enhanced production of gliovirin. Research also can now be initiated on the role of this gene cluster in pathogenicity of the human pathogen A. udagawae .