Carotenoids and Their Biosynthesis in Fungi

Carotenoids represent a class of pigmented terpenoids. They are distributed in all taxonomic groups of fungi. Most of the fungal carotenoids differ in their chemical structures to those from other organisms. The general function of carotenoids in heterotrophic organisms is protection as antioxidants...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-02, Vol.27 (4), p.1431
Main Author: Sandmann, Gerhard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antioxidants
beta Carotene - metabolism
Biological Evolution
Biological Transport
Biosynthesis
Biosynthetic Pathways
carotenogenic pathways
carotenoid biosynthesis
carotenoid distribution
carotenoid pathway engineering
Carotenoids
Carotenoids - chemistry
Carotenoids - metabolism
Cloning
Enzymes
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - metabolism
Fungi
Fungi - physiology
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Genes
Genetic Engineering
Heterotrophic organisms
Mutagenesis
reaction mechanisms
Reactive oxygen species
Review
Taxonomy
trisporic acids
Yeast
Yeasts
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Summary:Carotenoids represent a class of pigmented terpenoids. They are distributed in all taxonomic groups of fungi. Most of the fungal carotenoids differ in their chemical structures to those from other organisms. The general function of carotenoids in heterotrophic organisms is protection as antioxidants against reactive oxygen species generated by photosensitized reactions. Furthermore, carotenoids are metabolized to apocarotenoids by oxidative cleavage. This review presents the current knowledge on fungal-specific carotenoids, their occurrence in different taxonomic groups, and their biosynthesis and conversion into trisporic acids. The outline of the different pathways was focused on the reactions and genes involved in not only the known pathways, but also suggested the possible mechanisms of reactions, which may occur in several non-characterized pathways in different fungi. Finally, efforts and strategies for genetic engineering to enhance or establish pathways for the production of various carotenoids in carotenogenic or non-carotenogenic yeasts were highlighted, addressing the most-advanced producers of each engineered yeast, which offered the highest biotechnological potentials as production systems.
ISSN:1420-3049
1420-3049
DOI:10.3390/molecules27041431