Probing Labdane-Related Diterpenoid Biosynthesis in the Fungal Genus Aspergillus

While terpenoid production is generally associated with plants, a variety of fungi contain operons predicted to lead to such biosynthesis. Notably, fungi contain a number of cyclases characteristic of labdane-related diterpenoid metabolism, which have not been much explored. These also are often found near cytochrome P450 (CYP) mono-oxygenases that presumably further decorate the ensuing diterpene, suggesting that these fungi might produce more elaborate diterpenoids. To probe the functional diversity of such biosynthetic capacity, an investigation of the phylogenetically diverse cyclases and associated CYPs from the fungal genus Aspergillus was undertaken, revealing their ability to produce isopimaradiene-derived diterpenoids. Intriguingly, labdane-related diterpenoid biosynthetic genes are largely found in plant-associated fungi, hinting that these natural products may play a role in such interactions. Accordingly, it is hypothesized here that isopimarane production may assist the plant-saprophytic lifestyle of Aspergillus fungi.