Generation of two novel furanosteroids via heterologous expression of demethoxyviridin biosynthetic genes in a wortmannin-producing strain.

Furanosteroids, represented by wortmannin and demethoxyviridin, are a class of structurally unique steroids with significant bioactivities. In this study, wortmannin and its analogue 11-desacetoxywortmannin were isolated from Talaromyces wortmannii ATCC 26942. Subsequently, individual post-tailoring enzyme genes involved in the biosynthesis of demethoxyviridin were introduced into T. wortmannii ATCC 26942, leading to the detection of four putative novel furanosteroids. Among them, two compounds were isolated and identified, both of which are detrimental to Aspergillus niger R330 and Candida albicans FIM709.