( ndary metabolites. In a parallel e...)Mining for gems in the fungal genome

In a parallel experiment, Bok designed a fungal strain that produced extra amounts of LaeA. This time, the team searched for groups of over-active genes, which they knew were likely secondary metabolite gene clusters.

The team's new approach located 40 active gene clusters; previously, fewer than ten secondary metabolites were known in this widely studied fungal species.

The newly discovered secondary metabolite gene clusters are already beginning to yield potentially useful medical agents. The team found an anti-tumor agent never before seen in Aspergillus nidulans. "It's just one of many [secondary metabolites to discover]," says Keller. "It's just the tip of the iceburg."

Thirty or so secondary metabolites await analysis in Aspergillus nidulans alone. Additionally, scientists suspect LaeA may play a similar role in all Aspergillus species, meaning there are over 180 fungi that can be mined using this technique. Keller also believes the mining strategy might work outside the Aspergillus genus with some modifications.

"This is really exciting," says Keller. "It's a method to find new metabolites, some of which we hope to be important ones."