Tuesday, May 3, 2011
We isolated 426 cDNA of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) from eukaryotic fungi, white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium, brown-rot basidiomycete Postia placenta, and filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Using the isolated cDNA, we constructed a functional library of P450s in which 426 isoforms of P450s were co-expressed with yeast NADPH-P450 reductase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using the functional library, we investigated the catalytic potentials of fungal P450s against a series of compounds such as pharmacochemicals, steroids, petrochemicals, pollutants, and plant-related. Based upon these results, we were able to ascribe novel functions to some of the fungal P450s that would be useful to produce value-added products. The functional screening system used in this study is a robust method for elucidating the catalytic potentials of P450s. Functional characterization of fungal P450s provides new insight into the fascinating biology and metabolic processes of fungi that could also have commercial application for the biotechnology sector.