title: An endophyte of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex. Benth, producing menthol, phenylethyl alcohol and 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and other volatile organic compounds.
abstract: An endophytic fungus, PR4 was found in nature associated with the rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa, a high altitude medicinal plant of Kashmir Himalayas. The fungus was found to inhibit the growth of several phyto-pathogens by virtue of its volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Molecular phylogeny, based on its ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 ribosomal gene sequence, revealed the identity of the fungus as Phomopsis/Diaporthe sp. This endophyte was found to produce a unique array of VOCs, particularly, menthol, phenylethyl alcohol, (+)-isomenthol, β-phellandrene, β-bisabolene, limonene, 3-pentanone and 1-pentanol. The purification of compounds from the culture broth of PR4 led to the isolation of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HPA) as a major metabolite. This is the first report of a fungal culture producing a combination of biologically and industrially important metabolites—menthol, phenylethyl alcohol, and 3-HPA. The investigation into the monoterpene biosynthetic pathway of PR4 led to the partial characterization of isopiperitenone reductase (ipr) gene, which seems to be significantly distinct from the plant homologue. The biosynthesis of plant-like-metabolites, such as menthol, is of significant academic and industrial significance. This study indicates that PR4 is a potential candidate for upscaling of menthol, phenylethyl alcohol, and 3-HPA, as well as for understanding the menthol/monoterpene biosynthetic pathway in fungi.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India.
authors.forename: Masroor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qadri
authors.affiliation: Natural Product Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deshidi
authors.affiliation: Natural Product Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India.
authors.forename: Bhawal Ali
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Natural Product Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India.
authors.forename: Kushal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bindu
authors.affiliation: Microbial Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India.
authors.forename: Ram A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vishwakarma
authors.affiliation: Microbial Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu Tawi, Jammu, 180 001, India. srhassan@iiim.ac.in.
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riyaz-Ul-Hassan
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060026:Endophytes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D008610:Menthol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D032261:Picrorhiza / Q000382:microbiology*; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D008610:Menthol; D019344:Lactic Acid; C031601:hydracrylic acid; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol
keywords: Endophyte; Isopiperitenone reductase; Menthol; Monoterpene biosynthesis; Picrorhiza kurroa; Volatile organic compounds