Screening and Genomic Analysis of Alkaloid-Producing Endophytic Fungus Fusarium solani Strain MC503 from Macleaya cordata

Abstract

The extensive harvesting of Macleaya cordata, as a biomedicinal plant and a wild source of quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, has led to a rapid decline in its population. An alternative approach to the production of these bioactive compounds, which are known for their diverse pharmacological effects, is needed. Production of these compounds using alkaloid-producing endophytic fungi is a promising potential approach. In this research, we isolated an alkaloid-producing endophytic fungus, strain MC503, from the roots of Macleaya cordata. Genomic analysis was conducted to elucidate its metabolic pathways and identify the potential genes responsible for alkaloid biosynthesis. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analyses revealed the presence and quantified the content of sanguinarine (536.87 μg/L) and chelerythrine (393.31 μg/L) in the fungal fermentation extract. Based on our analysis of the morphological and micromorphological characteristics and the ITS region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of the alkaloid-producing endophyte, it was identified as Fusarium solani strain MC503. To the best of our knowledge, there is no existing report on Fusarium solani from Macleaya cordata or other medicinal plants that produce sanguinarine and chelerythrine simultaneously. These findings provide valuable insights into the capability of Fusarium solani to carry out isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis and lay the foundation for further exploration of its potential applications in pharmaceuticals.