Skip to content
Review Open access

Biosynthesis and molecular regulatory mechanisms of camptothecin in fungi

Jul 2026 · Discover Applied Sciences · Vol 8 · 0 citations · 130 references

TL;DR

The biosynthetic potency of CPT and their molecular regulatory processes to sustain the CPT productivity by fungi are unraveled by exploring the rate-limiting enzymes, epigenetic regulators and transcriptional factors of CPT biosynthesis.

Abstract

Camptothecin (CPT) is one of the common chemotherapies for tumors, for its superior affinity for inhibiting the Topoisomerase I activity via stabilizing the enzyme–DNA ternary complex, thus precluding the relaxation of DNA in the frequently replicated cells. CPT was initially derived from the bark of chinese Happy tree plants “Camptotheca acuminata”. However, availability of the CPT and their derivatives is the main challenge that halts the further implementation of this compound. The fungal biosynthetic potency of CPT raises the prospective for the production of CPT, due to their short lifespan and feasibility of bulk biomass bioprocessing, nevertheless, weakening of the CPT productivity with the fungal storage consecutive subculturing are the challenge. So, this review was to unravel the biosynthetic potency of CPT and their molecular regulatory processes to sustain the CPT productivity by fungi by exploring the rate-limiting enzymes, epigenetic regulators and transcriptional factors of CPT biosynthesis. As well as, to explore the expression of CPT biosynthetic gene clusters regarding to chromatin remodeling, microbial-microbial crosstalk, in relation to deciphering the CPT biosynthesis gene cluster by fungi.

Read PDF

Similar papers

Open access Aug 2026

Discovery of a taxusin-mediated route to baccatin III enables its complete biosynthesis in engineered microbes

Taxol (paclitaxel) is a frontline anticancer drug widely applied for the treatment of breast, ovarian and lung cancers. Currently, its supply mainly relies on the semi-synthesis using baccatin III from Taxus plants. Heterologous biosynthesis of baccatin III in microorganisms offers a promising solution to alleviate glo...

Chengshuai Yang, Zhenhua Li, Linjie Yu et al. · 0 citations
Jul 2026

Unraveling the Chemical and Enzymatic Logic of Cytokinin Biosynthesis and Inactivation in Fusarium.

A distinct pathway of CKs from Fusarium is identified and the molecular basis underlying CK biosynthesis and inactivation in plant pathogenic fungi is revealed, which provides new insights into the discovery and application of CK derivatives.

Jin-Mei Zhang, Guan-Yin Yuan, Qing-Dong Xu et al. · 0 citations
Jul 2026

Biochemical characterization and assay development for adenylosuccinate synthetase Rv0357c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The expression, purification, and enzymatic characterization of recombinant Mtb ADSS are reported, providing the first comprehensive biochemical framework for studying Mtb ADSS and establishing a foundation for structure-guided inhibitor discovery targeting purine biosynthesis as a novel antitubercular strategy.

Vigyasa Singh, Ran Zhang, Ke Chen et al. · 0 citations
Open access Aug 2026

Systematic prioritization of candidate genes in camptothecin biosynthesis using multi‐omics and deep learning

This study engineered an experimental callus system for inducible production of CPT, which enabled multi‐omics and deep learning analyses to identify candidate genes in CPT biosynthesis and provides a valuable foundation for the complete elucidation of the CPT biosynthetic pathway.

Shenqiu Wang, Xing Wu, Maria Moreno et al. · 0 citations
Open access Jul 2026

Genetic dissection of persiathiacin biosynthesis defines hierarchical P450 oxidations and reveals a more potent antitubercular intermediate

The results define the enzymatic logic and temporal organization of persiathiacin biosynthesis, providing a conceptual framework for rational diversification of complex thiopeptide natural products.

F. A. Sumang, Maxwell T. Stevens, W. Britton et al. · 0 citations
Review Open access Aug 2026

Research progress on biosynthesis and regulation of monoterpenoid compounds

This review summarizes recent advances in monoterpenoid biosynthesis, multilevel regulation, and heterologous production, with particular emphasis on major bottlenecks and optimization strategies for sustainable and efficient biomanufacturing.

Jun-Chi Zhang, Jiale Cui, Shang Li et al. · 0 citations

We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads. See our Cookie Policy.