Huperzia serrata Thallus as a Host-Derived Elicitor Enhances Alkaloid and Terpenoid Biosynthesis in a Sporothrix Endophyte: Insights from Multi-Omics
- 1College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Abstract
Endophytic fungi from Huperzia serrata (H. serrata) are promising sources for exploring novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. In this study, 111 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from wild H. serrata, of which 18 exhibited AChE inhibition rates exceeding 90%. Among them, an endophytic Sporothrix isolate (HS2-S-26) showed a 98.37% AChE inhibition rate and could produce a range of AChE inhibitors, including dauricine. Comparative metabolomics and transcriptomics between H. serrata thallus (HT)-treated and untreated cultures revealed that the HT elicitor reprogrammed HS2-S-26 metabolism, affecting 6708 genes and 49 secondary metabolites. Alkaloids and terpenoids were the two largest classes, containing 10 and 11 compounds, respectively. Differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes were co-enriched in 59 KEGG pathways related to the biosynthesis and metabolism of alkaloids, terpenoids, and tyrosine metabolism, etc. HT likely promoted alkaloid accumulation by upregulating the expression of tyrosine biosynthesis genes (AROF, TYR1, GOT2, and ARO8) and may also enhance the supply of dopamine, potentially contributing to dauricine accumulation. Meanwhile, HT may promote terpenoid biosynthesis via activation of core pathway genes (MVAK2, GGPS1, FDFT1) and inhibition of branch pathway genes (COQ2, WRBA). Through multi-omics, this study demonstrates that host thallus acts as an effective elicitor of endophytic secondary metabolism, offering insights into host–endophyte regulatory crosstalk.
Related
- Assessment of antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of Aspergillus fumigatus crude extract, the isolated endophyte from Centella asiatica (L.) urban supported by molecular docking
- Genome mining and metabolomics reveal context-dependent biosynthetic potential in a core poplar dark septate endophyte
- Pharmacological Fingerprinting of Cholesterol Biosynthesis Defects
- Molecular chaperone-like TIGR04500 family proteins guide graspetide biosynthesis
- Stage-Defined Prenyltransferase Integration for Hybrid RiPP Biosynthesis
BibTeX
@article{cheng2026huperzia,
title = {{Huperzia serrata Thallus as a Host-Derived Elicitor Enhances Alkaloid and Terpenoid Biosynthesis in a Sporothrix Endophyte: Insights from Multi-Omics}},
author = {Malong Cheng and Ying Guan and Liangfang Dai and Linlin Zhao and Yongchun Huang and Yaling Chen and Xiangdong Luo},
journal = {Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/jof12100719},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13706357},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Huperzia serrata Thallus as a Host-Derived Elicitor Enhances Alkaloid and Terpenoid Biosynthesis in a Sporothrix Endophyte: Insights from Multi-Omics
AU - Malong Cheng
AU - Ying Guan
AU - Liangfang Dai
AU - Linlin Zhao
AU - Yongchun Huang
AU - Yaling Chen
AU - Xiangdong Luo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/jof12100719
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13706357
AB - Endophytic fungi from Huperzia serrata (H. serrata) are promising sources for exploring novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. In this study, 111 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from wild H. serrata, of which 18 exhibited AChE inhibition rates exceeding 90%. Among them, an endophytic Sporothrix isolate (HS2-S-26) showed a 98.37% AChE inhibition rate and could produce a range of AChE inhibitors, including dauricine. Comparative metabolomics and transcriptomics between H. serrata thallus (HT)-treated and untreated cultures revealed that the HT elicitor reprogrammed HS2-S-26 metabolism, affecting 6708 genes and 49 secondary metabolites. Alkaloids and terpenoids were the two largest classes, containing 10 and 11 compounds, respectively. Differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes were co-enriched in 59 KEGG pathways related to the biosynthesis and metabolism of alkaloids, terpenoids, and tyrosine metabolism, etc. HT likely promoted alkaloid accumulation by upregulating the expression of tyrosine biosynthesis genes (AROF, TYR1, GOT2, and ARO8) and may also enhance the supply of dopamine, potentially contributing to dauricine accumulation. Meanwhile, HT may promote terpenoid biosynthesis via activation of core pathway genes (MVAK2, GGPS1, FDFT1) and inhibition of branch pathway genes (COQ2, WRBA). Through multi-omics, this study demonstrates that host thallus acts as an effective elicitor of endophytic secondary metabolism, offering insights into host–endophyte regulatory crosstalk.
SN - 2309-608X
ER -