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Comparative metabolic profiling of the mycelium and fermentation broth of Penicillium restrictum from Peucedanum praeruptorum rhizosphere

Summary

Researchers studied a fungus called Penicillium restrictum found in the roots of QianHu, a traditional Chinese medicine plant. Using advanced chemical analysis, they discovered that this fungus produces important medicinal compounds called coumarins, with peak production around day 4 of growth. The fungus appears to produce even more types of these beneficial compounds than the plant itself, suggesting it could be used to manufacture these medicines more efficiently.

Background

Penicillium restrictum is a fungus isolated from the rhizosphere of Peucedanum praeruptorum, a traditional Chinese medicine plant. Rhizosphere microorganisms play important roles in plant growth and secondary metabolite accumulation, but their metabolic profiles remain understudied.

Objective

This study aimed to characterize the intracellular and extracellular metabolites of P. restrictum across different fermentation periods using non-targeted metabolomics to understand metabolite accumulation patterns and potential interactions with the host plant.

Results

Analysis identified 799 intracellular and 468 extracellular differential metabolites. Marmesin, an important coumarin precursor, showed highest accumulation on day 4 of incubation. Highly enriched metabolic pathways included alanine/aspartate/glutamate metabolism, glyoxylate metabolism, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, with ABC transporter proteins potentially involved in amino acid and carbohydrate transport.

Conclusion

P. restrictum produces diverse coumarins including novel compounds not found in the host plant, providing potential routes for heterologous production of furanocoumarins. Day 4 of fermentation represents the optimal phase for inoculation based on marmesin accumulation, offering insights into rhizosphere-plant interactions and metabolite transport mechanisms.
  • Published in:Environmental Microbiology Reports,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1111/1758-2229.13286
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