DÍAZ SÁNCHEZ , Violeta

Fusarins are a class of mycotoxins of the polyketide family produced by different Fusarium species, including the gibberellin- producing fungus Fusarium fujikuroi. Based on sequence comparisons between polyketide synthase (PKS) enzymes for fusarin production in other Fusarium strains, we have identified the F. fujikuroi orthologue, called fusA....

Retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs) convert retinal to retinoic acid, an important chordate morphogen. Retinal also occurs in some fungi, such as Fusarium and Ustilago spp., evidenced by the presence of rhodopsins and β-carotene cleaving, retinal-forming dioxygenases. Based on the assumption that retinoic acid may also be formed in fungi, we...

The genome of the ascomycete Neurospora crassa encodes CAO-1 and CAO-2, two members of the carotenoid cleavage oxygenase family that target double bonds in different substrates. Previous studies demonstrated the role of CAO-2 in cleaving the C40 carotene torulene, a key step in the synthesis of the C35 apocarotenoid pigment neurosporaxanthin....

The orange pigmentation of the fungus Neurospora crassa is due to the accumulation of the xanthophyll neurosporaxanthin and precursor carotenoids. Two key reactions in the synthesis of these pigments, the formation of phytoene from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate and the introduction of b cycles in desaturated carotenoid products, are catalyzed by...