Advances in Synthetic Biology of Fungi and Contributions to the Discovery of New Molecules

Abstract

The sequencing of fungal genomes is becoming increasingly accessible, with a wealth of data already available. In parallel, the prediction of the putative biosynthetic pathways responsible for the synthesis of potential new natural products is also increasing. The difficulty of translating computational analyses into available compounds is becoming evident, slowing down a process that was thought to be faster with the advent of the genomic era. Advances in gene techniques made it possible to genetically modify a wider range of organisms, including fungi typically considered recalcitrant to DNA manipulation. However, the possibility of screening many gene cluster products for new activities in a high-throughput manner remains unfeasible. Nonetheless, some updates on the synthetic biology of fungi could provide interesting insights that could help to achieve this goal in the future.