title: siRNA mediated gene silencing in Fusarium sp. HKF15 for overproduction of bikaverin.
abstract: Fusarium sp. HKF15 is an isolate from effluent treatment plant which produces bikaverin. Bikaverin is a polyketide having antitumor and antibiotic potential. Acetyl coenzyme A is a common precursor for bikaverin as well as carotenoids and gibberellins. A polyketide synthase gene bik1 is responsible for bikaverin production whereas, hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (hmgR) and farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (fpps) are carotenoid and gibberellin pathway genes. Aim of this study was assessing siRNA mediated gene silencing for bikaverin overproduction with down-regulation of carotenoid and gibberellin pathway. HKF15 protoplasts derived from glucose grown culture were treated with 200pmolml(-1)hmgR and fpps siRNAs separately. Along with down-regulation of target genes, there was 2.4-fold increase in bik1 gene expression. The silencing was effective till 48h with a 41% increase in bikaverin production. The study proposes a strategy for manipulation of physiology towards desired secondary metabolite overproduction.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India. Electronic address: hemantdrd@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hemant J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Purohit
mesh_terms: D005670:Fusarium / Q000235:genetics*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism*; D044004:Xanthones / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D044004:Xanthones; C000269:bikaverin
keywords: Bikaverin; Fusarium; Gene silencing; Protoplast; siRNA