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Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Modulates Shiraia Hypocrellin A Biosynthesis Through ROS/NO Signaling in Response to Bamboo Polysaccharide Elicitation

Summary

Researchers discovered that a naturally derived compound from bamboo boosts the production of hypocrellin A, a promising cancer-fighting and antimicrobial agent made by a special fungus. By studying a key enzyme called G6PDH, they found that it acts as a molecular switch controlling hypocrellin production when the fungus senses bamboo components. This discovery enables cost-effective large-scale production of this powerful medicine through simple fermentation, potentially making novel cancer treatments and antibiotics more accessible.

Background

Hypocrellin A (HA) is a photodynamic perylenequinone pigment from Shiraia fruiting bodies with clinical applications in photodynamic therapy. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) governs carbon flux into NADPH production via the pentose phosphate pathway. The regulatory role of G6PDH in fungal HA biosynthesis and its connection to ROS/NO signaling remains unexplored.

Objective

This study elucidates G6PDH’s regulatory role in HA biosynthesis in Shiraia sp. S9 under bamboo polysaccharide (BPS) elicitation. The researchers aimed to determine how G6PDH modulates ROS and NO generation and upregulates key HA biosynthetic genes through BPS-induced signaling.

Results

BPS elicitation (100 mg/L on day 3) enhanced HA production to 428.1 mg/L (1.6-fold higher than controls). BPS upregulated G6PDH expression and activity, concomitant with increased ROS and NO generation. G6PDH inhibition suppressed both ROS and NO production, and reduced expression of key HA biosynthetic genes (PKS, Omef) and transport gene (MFS) by 15-83%.

Conclusion

G6PDH acts as a central regulator of BPS-induced HA biosynthesis through ROS/NO signaling, establishing novel metabolic crosstalk between the pentose phosphate pathway and fungal perylenequinone biosynthesis. BPS elicitation presents a cost-effective, scalable biotechnological strategy for industrial HA production, with G6PDH as a promising target for strain engineering.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 41157077, DOI: 10.3390/molecules30204060
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