Biosynthesis of the trichothecene 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. Is isotrichodermin a biosynthetic precursor?

3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol is the major trichothecene produced by the fungus Fusarium culmorum. The first proven tricyclic intermediate in the biosynthesis of 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol has been shown by in vivo studies to be isotrichodermin, a natural metabolite of F. culmorum. Indeed, the feeding of ring-deuterated isotrichodermin resulted in ring-deuterated 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol as shown by NMR studies. In this work, we have shown that the 3-acetyl group of isotrichodermin is mostly lost in its metabolism to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. We have shown by two different approaches that the deacetylation occurs at an early step after the first oxygenation step at C-15. Derivatives of isotrichodermin lacking the 3-acetyl such as 3-deacetyl isotrichodermin or 3-oxo-12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene are not precursors to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. The role of this acetyl exchange mechanism is not clear presently.

Biosynthesis of the trichothecene 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol: cell-free hydroxylations of isotrichodermin.

3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol is the major trichothecene produced by the fungus Fusarium culmorum. Studies in vivo with F. culmorum have established the following biosynthetic precursors of 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol: isotrichool → isotrichodiol → isotrichodermin → 15-deacetylcalonectrin, 7α-hydroxyisotrichodermin, 8α-hydroxyisotrichodermin → calonectrin → deoxynivalenol. In this paper, we describe in vitro investigations of one of these metabolic steps. The cell-free system of F. culmorum that converts isotrichodermin into 15-deacetylcalonectrin, 7α-hydroxyisotrichodermin, and 8α-hydroxyisotrichodermin is described here. This preparation requires NADPH but not NADH for activity and is not inhibited by carbon monoxide, cyanide, or known oxygenase inhibitors, such as SKF-525-A or ancymidol.Key words: trichothecene, Fusarium culmorum, cell-free system, isotrichodermin, 15-deacetylcalonectrin.

Biosynthesis of the trichothecene 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. Identification of the oxygenation steps after isotrichodermin.

Upon feeding an excess of the substrate isotrichodermin, five tricyclic metabolites accumulated in Fusarium culmorum cultures. These compounds were also identified as transient intermediates of trichothecene biosynthesis by kinetic pulse labeling. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, 13C NMR, 2H NMR, and nuclear Overhauser effect difference experiments) as: 1, 15-deacylcalonectrin; 2, calonectrin; 3, 7-hydroxyisotrichodermin; 4, 8-hydroxyisotrichodermin; and 5, 7, hydroxycalonectrin. Four of these metabolites (1-4) were rigorously proven to be biosynthetic precursors to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. Indeed, their deuteriated derivatives were shown to be incorporated very efficiently into 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol by 2H-NMR. In addition, our experimental data suggests that the first oxygenation step after isotrichodermin is at C-15, producing 15-deacylcalonectrin.

Biosynthesis of isochorismate in Klebsiella pneumoniae: origin of O-2.

The shikimate metabolites are key precursors to a large number of natural products, including aromatic amino acids. Chorismic acid is an important branch point in the biosynthetic pathway to aromatic amino acids. Chorismic acid is also unique among natural products since it is the only compound known to undergo an enzymatic Claisen rearrangement. A metabolite of chorismic acid, isochorismic acid, first observed in Aerobacter aerogenes differs in its chemical structure by the location of the hydroxyl group and the double bonds. Isochorismic acid is a precursor to a growing number of shikimate-derived metabolites. Isochorismic acid has also been postulated to be an intermediate of m-carboxyaromatic amino acids, implying another enzymatic Claisen rearrangement. In this publication, we have isolated isochorismate synthase and found that on lyophilization the enzyme is stable for at least 6 months at -20 degrees C. Incubation of chorismate with this preparation in water enriched with 18O led to incorporation of one atom of 18O as proven from the fast atom bombardment mass spectra of the HPLC purified derived isochorismate.

Biosynthesis of Fusarium culmorum trichothecenes. The roles of isotrichodermin and 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene.

Two different approaches enabled us to unambiguously establish the intermediacy of isotrichodermin and 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene in the biosynthesis of the trichothecenes 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol and sambucinol, respectively. The kinetic pulse-labeling method enabled us to detect a plausible precursor to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol biosynthesis. Feeding experiments using the pure 14C-labeled intermediate established that it was incorporated 27% into 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol but not to sambucinol. The 14C-precursor was subsequently used as a marker to purify the unlabeled intermediate which was shown to be isotrichodermin by spectroscopic techniques. In order to trace the enriched carbons incorporated into 3-acetylde-oxynivalenol, specifically deuteriated isotrichodermin was synthesized and fed to Fusarium culmorum. The 2H NMR spectrum of the derived 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol proved conclusively the position of the deuteriums and that isotrichodermin is a major biosynthetic precursor. The proof that isotrichodermin is converted in vivo to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol but not to sambucinol led us to postulate that 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene might have an important role in the biosynthesis of trichothecenes. We synthesized 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene with tritium at C-15 or with two deuteriums at C-4 and two deuteriums at C-15. These labeled compounds enabled us to prove that 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene is a major precursor to sambucinol biosynthesis but is neither converted to isotrichodermin nor to 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol. We also succeeded in isolating a biosynthetic intermediate between 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene and sambucinol and characterized its structure as 3-deoxysambucinol by spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, 2H NMR, 13C NMR, correlation spectroscopy, two-dimensional heteronuclear correlation experiments, and mass spectroscopy).

Structure of D-prephenyllactate. A carboxycyclohexadienyl metabolite from Neurospora crassa.

A novel natural product structurally related to prephenate and arogenate was isolated from a mutant of Neurospora crassa. This D-beta-(1-carboxy-4-hydroxy-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-yl)-lactic acid is herein given the trivial name of D-prephenyllactate. The new metabolite is even more acid labile than is prephenate and is quantitatively converted to phenyllactate at mildly acidic pH. The structure characterization of prephenyllactate was performed using spectroscopic techniques (ultraviolet, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, two-dimensional heteronuclear experiments and mass spectrometry). Circular dichroism proved conclusively the R configuration of the asymmetric carbon at C-8 of prephenyllactate. Enzymatic utilization of prephenyllactate by cyclohexadienyl dehydratase and by cyclohexadienyl dehydrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae was demonstrated.

Kinetic pulse-labeling study of Fusarium culmorum. Biosynthetic intermediates and dead-end metabolites.

A kinetic pulse-labeling method was utilized in Fusarium culmorum to detect plausible biosynthetic intermediates and differentiate them from dead-end metabolites. The ultimate test to demonstrate a precursor relies on feeding experiments. We now report the detection of four new metabolites, one of them (compound 1) behaves as a dead-end metabolite, whereas compounds 2, 3, and 4 seem to be putative intermediates: they metabolize with time just when 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADN) and/or sambucinol (SOL) start to be produced. Feeding experiments confirmed these results: compound 1 is not converted to 3-ADN or SOL, and compounds 2-4 are precursors to 3-ADN. In addition 3 is a precursor to SOL.

Structure determination and biosynthesis of a novel metabolite of Fusarium culmorum, apotrichodiol.

A novel dead-end metabolite of Fusarium culmorum was isolated and characterized (Zamir, L. O., and Devor, K. A. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 15348-15353). This 3 alpha, 13-dihydroxy-apotrichothec-9-ene is herein given the trivial name of apotrichodiol to indicate its basic structure. The characterization of apotrichodiol was established through the application of spectroscopic techniques (ultraviolet, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, and DEPT experiments) on the natural product as well as on its diacetate derivative. The mode of folding of its precursor farnesyl pyrophosphate was derived from feeding experiments with 3,4-[13C2]mevalonolactone. 13C-NMR assignments were also made of 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol and sambucinol which were derived from these feedings with enriched mevalonolactone.

Membrane hybridization by centrifugation analysed by lipid phase transitions and reconstitution of NADH-oxidase-activity.

A procedure is described to hybridize cytoplasmic membranes of Escherichia coli. The method involves high-speed contrifugation of two different vesicle preparations at 37 degrees C in the presence of cations such as spermine or Mg2+. The occurrence of hybridization is shown by the following experiments. Firstly, formation of a mixed lipis phase starting from two membranes having a different hydrocarbon chain composition in their phospholipids. Secondly, formation of a hybrid membrane having an intermediate lipid to protein ratio from two membrane fractions having different lipid to protein ratios. Thirdly, reconstitution of NADH oxidase activity by hybridization of two membrane fractions, one lacking active cytochromes and the other being deficient in quinones. It is proposed that hybridization occurs by fusion of vesicles during the tight association of collapsed vesicles under high centrifugal forces. This interpretation is supported by electron microscopy of the membrane pellets after centrifugation. However, lipid transfer as the mechanism of hybridization cannot be excluded and attempts to reconstitute active galactoside transport by complementation of beta-galactoside transport-deficient membranes and cytochrome-deficient membranes have been unsuccessful.

Structural analysis of phosphatidylcholine of plant tissue.

Pure preparations of phosphatidylcholine were isolated from spinach leaf chloroplasts, spinach leaf microsomes, and cauliflower inflorescence. The isolated phosphatidylcholine was treated with snake venom phospholipase A, and the fatty acid distribution and composition of the fatty acid methyl esters prepared from the lysophosphatidylcholine and the freed fatty acid were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The results showed that saturated fatty acids were preferentially esterified at position 1 and unsaturated fatty acids at position 2. The phosphatidylcholine from cauliflower was also treated with phospholipase C. The resulting diglycerides were fractionated on AgNO(3)-impregnated thin-layer plates. The diglyceride fractions were transesterified and the fatty acid composition of each was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The predominant species contained linolenic acid only (22% of the total), linolenic and oleic acids (19%), and linolenic and palmitic acids (37%). These molecular species could not be accounted for by random distribution of the fatty acids.

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves.

The enzymic incorporation of choline-1,2-(14)C from CDP-choline-1,2-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine by spinach leaf preparations was characterized. The enzyme catalyzing the incorporation, choline phosphotransferase, had a pH optimum of about 8.0 and required either Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) as cofactor. The saturation concentration of Mn(2+) was 0.3 mm and that for Mg(2+) was 13 mm. The K(m) for CDP-choline was 10 micro m. The choline phosphotransferase was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The enzyme was inactivated at 30 degrees C, but this inactivation could be prevented by dithiothreitol and Mn(2+). Preincubation of the enzyme with Mn(2+) prevented inhibition by sulfhydryl reagents. The incorporation of diglyceride-U-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine was also studied. The enzyme did not show any diglyceride specificity when exogenous diglyceride was added, indicating that fatty acid distribution in phosphatidylcholine of spinach is not controlled by choline phosphotransferase.

Control of fatty acid distribution in phosphatidylcholine of spinach leaves.

The acylation of lysophosphatidylcholine by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves was studied. The acylation reaction was followed by the incorporation of (14)C-labeled fatty acids from the respective coenzyme A derivatives into phosphatidylcholine. The subcellular fraction with the highest specific activity was the microsomal fraction. Contaminating thioesterase activity which was encountered was inhibited by treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate. The acyltransferase activity was only mildly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. Labeled fatty acid was primarily incorporated into phosphatidylcholine. When saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl CoA derivatives were used, the saturated derivatives were incorporated primarily into the 1-position of the glycerol moiety, and the unsaturated fatty acids went primarily to the 2-position. This pattern of incorporation agrees with the fatty acid distribution in vivo.

Acetate binding of spinach chloroplasts as a facet of fatty acid synthesis.

A particulate fraction of spinach chloroplasts is the major site of binding when either acetate or acetyl-CoA is used as substrate. The acetate is linked covalently, and the binding is inhibited by reagents which react with sulfhydryl groups. The amount of acetate bound is lowered by both citrate and oxaloacetate; however, the binding is not reversed by oxaloacetate. Reversal of binding is also not brought about by the addition of unlabeled acetyl-CoA. If cofactors for fatty acid synthesis and cold acetyl-CoA are added, the binding of labeled acetate is reversed. Acyl carrier protein from E. coli increases the binding of labeled acetate.