MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Towards engineering agaricomycete fungi for terpenoid production

Summary

Mushroom-forming fungi, particularly species like shiitake and oyster mushrooms, naturally produce valuable compounds called terpenoids used in medicines, food, and cosmetics. Scientists are learning to genetically engineer these fungi to produce even larger amounts of these beneficial compounds, potentially making them as important to biotechnology as baker’s yeast and mold have been historically. This could create new sustainable sources for medicinal compounds and industrial chemicals.

Background

Agaricomycetes are basidiomycete fungi that include edible mushrooms and naturally produce diverse terpenoids with applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. While ascomycete fungi have been extensively engineered as industrial cell factories, the broader biotechnological potential of Agaricomycetes remains largely untapped despite their unique metabolic capabilities.

Objective

This minireview examines the biotechnological potential of Agaricomycete fungi for producing terpenoids, highlighting recent advancements in genomics and genetic engineering tools. The aim is to establish these fungi as robust cell factories for valuable terpenoid production across food, biotech, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Results

The review identifies 2,172 available Agaricomycete genomes containing numerous terpene biosynthetic gene clusters. Recent examples demonstrate successful CRISPR-Cas9 applications in multiple species and homologous overexpression of pathway genes producing terpenoids at commercially relevant titers (0.1-12 g/L).

Conclusion

Continued progress in tailored genetic engineering tools and improved cultivation technologies will facilitate the establishment of Agaricomycetes as effective cell factories for producing valuable terpenoids, contributing significantly to sustainable biotechnological innovations in food, medicine, and related industries.
  • Published in:Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1093/jimb/kuaf020, PMID: 40650568
Scroll to Top