Study on bio-synthesis of cordycepin in Ophiocordyceps sinensis based on RNA-seq / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective Recent years, some studies have been studied on the biosynthesis of cordycepin, but it is not clear. To sequence the transcriptomes of the Ophiocordyceps sinensis which could provide the basis for revealing the bio-synthesis mechanism of cordycepin. Methods In this study, by Illumina/Solexa HiSeq 2500 technology, the transcriptomes of the O. sinensis fungus (anamorph) and the fruiting body (teleomorph) was sequenced, assembled and analyzed. By RT-PCR, the full lengths of RNRL (RNR large subunit) and RNRM (RNR small subunit) cDNA were cloned from the fresh O. sinensis fruit body. Results The pathway and the genes involved in cordycepin biosynthesis were predicted. Among of them, RNR was the critical enzyme in the metabolism of adenosine, also predicted to play an important role in the biosynthesis of cordycepin. From the transcriptome data, one large, one small subunits, and four similar sequences of RNR were found. RNRL mRNA was 2 733 bp, encoding 910 aa and RNRM mRNA 1 257 bp, encoding 418 aa. The analysis of the conserved and functional regions showed that catalytic site and binding site mainly lied in RNRL, RNRM contained a ferritin-like conserved sequence. Conclusion This study would be established for revealing the bio-synthesis mechanism of cordycepin.