Evolutionary Origin of Pigmentation in Trichocoma paradoxa

Perrotta, Candice

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Evolutionary Origin of Pigmentation in Trichocoma paradoxa Public Deposited

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/3f4626587

Abstract

Fungi in the order Eurotiales are known to be prolific producers of secondary metabolites, natural products that confer a selective advantage but are not required for growth, reproduction, or development of an organism under favorable environmental conditions. The genes that encode for a secondary metabolite are typically organized physically adjacent to one another as a biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC). BGCs encode for a number of products, such as antibiotics (e.g., penicillin), toxins (e.g., ergot alkaloids), and a diversity of pigments (e.g., melanin and azaphilone). With the aim of identifying the BGCs that encode for pigments in Trichocoma paradoxa and other members of the order Eurotiales, whole genome assemblies of eleven related Eurotiales taxa, including T. paradoxa, were mined using the secondary metabolite prediction alignment tool, antiSMASH, and verified by identification of homologous proteins. Our results show that T. paradoxa has all of the required core pathway genes needed to produce the classical yellow, orange, and red Monascus azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs). We also show that there have been independent losses of the Monascus azaphilone BGC, or MonAzPs-type compounds, in the Eurotiales clade, but that the ancestor to all Eurotiales taxa was likely able to produce azaphilone-related pigments. Understanding the evolution and diversity of pigment encoding BGCs, and the species that produce them, will aid in future food, pharmaceutical, and textile applications.

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