Transcription Factor Engineering in Aspergillus nidulans Leads to the Discovery of an Orsellinaldehyde Derivative Produced via an Unlinked Polyketide Synthase Gene.

Secondary metabolites are generally produced by enzymes encoded by genes within a biosynthetic gene cluster. Transcription factor genes are frequently located within these gene clusters. These transcription factors often drive expression of the other genes of the biosynthetic gene cluster, and overexpression of the transcription factor provides a facile approach to express all genes within a gene cluster, resulting in production of downstream metabolite(s). Unfortunately this approach is not always successful, leading us to engineer more effective hybrid transcription factors. Herein, we attempted to activate a putative cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster in Aspergillus nidulans using a combination of transcription factor engineering and overexpression approaches. This resulted in the discovery of a novel secondary metabolite we term triorsellinaldehyde. Surprisingly, deletion of the polyketide synthase gene within the gene cluster did not prevent triorsellinaldehyde production. However, targeted deletion of a polyketide synthase gene elsewhere in the genome revealed its role in triorsellinaldehyde biosynthesis.