Three previously unrecognised classes of biosynthetic enzymes revealed during the production of xenovulene A

Xenovulene A is a complex fungal meroterpenoid, produced by the organism hitherto known as Acremonium strictum IMI 501407, for which limited biosynthetic evidence exists. Here, we generate a draft genome and show that the producing organism is previously unknown and should be renamed as Sarocladium schorii. A biosynthetic gene cluster is discovered which bears resemblance to those involved in the biosynthesis of fungal tropolones, with additional genes of unknown function. Heterologous reconstruction of the entire pathway in Aspergillus oryzae allows the chemical steps of biosynthesis to be dissected. The pathway shows very limited similarity to the biosynthesis of other fungal meroterpenoids. The pathway features: the initial formation of tropolone intermediates; the likely involvement of a hetero Diels-Alder enzyme; a terpene cyclase with no significant sequence homology to any known terpene cyclase and two enzymes catalysing oxidative-ring contractions. © 2018 The Author(s)