Fox Ellen M, Howlett Barbara J
School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Curr Opin Microbiol. 2008 Dec;11(6):481-7. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2008.10.007. Epub 2008 Nov 3.
Filamentous fungi produce a diverse array of secondary metabolites--small molecules that are not necessary for normal growth or development. Secondary metabolites have a tremendous impact on society; some are exploited for their antibiotic and pharmaceutical activities, others are involved in disease interactions with plants or animals. The availability of fungal genome sequences has led to an enhanced effort at identifying biosynthetic genes for these molecules. Genes that regulate production of secondary metabolites have been identified and a link between secondary metabolism, light and sexual/asexual reproduction established. However, the role of secondary metabolites in the fungi that produce them remains a mystery. Many of these fungi live saprophytically in the soil and such molecules may provide protection against other inhabitants in this ecological niche.
丝状真菌产生各种各样的次生代谢产物——即对正常生长或发育并非必需的小分子。次生代谢产物对社会有着巨大影响；有些因其抗生素和制药活性而得到利用，另一些则涉及与植物或动物的疾病相互作用。真菌基因组序列的可得性促使人们加大力度鉴定这些分子的生物合成基因。调控次生代谢产物产生的基因已被鉴定出来，并且建立了次生代谢、光照与有性/无性繁殖之间的联系。然而，次生代谢产物在产生它们的真菌中所起的作用仍是个谜。许多这类真菌在土壤中腐生生活，这些分子可能为抵御这个生态位中的其他生物提供保护。
