Latest Publications
Identification of a terpene synthase arsenal using long-read sequencing and genome assembly of Aspergillus wentii
Richard Olumakaiye, Christophe Corre, Fabrizio Alberti
Fungi are talented producers of secondary metabolites with applications in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors. Aspergillus wentii CBS 141173 has gathered research interest due to its ability to produce high-value norditerpenoid compounds, including anticancer molecules. In this study, we aimed to expand the genomic information available for A. wentii to facilitate the identification of terpenoid biosynthetic genes that may be involved in the production of bioactive molecules.
The results provide a scaffold for the future exploration of terpenoid biosynthetic pathways for bioactive molecules in A. wentii. The terpenoid clusters identified in this study are candidates for heterologous gene expression and/or gene disruption experiments. The description and availability of the long-read genome assembly of A. wentii CBS 141173 further provides the basis for downstream genome analysis and biotechnological exploitation of this species.