S-Adenosyl-l-Methionine Salvage Impacts Psilocybin Formation in “Magic” Mushrooms |
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Authors: | Richard Demmler Janis Fricke Sebastian Dörner Dr Markus Gressler Prof?Dr Dirk Hoffmeister |
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Affiliation: | Department Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany |
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Abstract: | Psychotropic Psilocybe mushrooms biosynthesize their principal natural product psilocybin in five steps, among them a phosphotransfer and two methyltransfer reactions, which consume one equivalent of 5′-adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and two equivalents of S-adenosyl-l -methionine (SAM). This short but co-substrate-intensive pathway requires nucleoside cofactor salvage to maintain high psilocybin production rates. We characterized the adenosine kinase (AdoK) and S-adenosyl-l -homocysteine (SAH) hydrolase (SahH) of Psilocybe cubensis. Both enzymes are directly or indirectly involved in regenerating SAM. qRT-PCR expression analysis revealed an induced expression of the genes in the fungal primordia and carpophores. A one-pot in vitro reaction with the N-methyltransferase PsiM of the psilocybin pathway demonstrates a concerted action with SahH to facilitate biosynthesis by removal of accumulating SAH. |
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Keywords: | adenosine kinase enzymes methylation psilocybin S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase |
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