Molecular cloning, characterization, and function analysis of a mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase gene from Ganoderma lucidum

This study investigated the role of the mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase gene in the triterpene biosynthetic pathway of Ganoderma lucidum. The mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase gene (mvd) was isolated using a degenerate primer-PCR technique. An analysis of the Gl-mvd transcription profile revealed a positive correlation between the expression of the Gl-mvd gene and triterpene content changes in G. lucidum during development. Furthermore, a promoter deletion analysis was conducted in G. lucidum to investigate the promoter activity and the role of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) responsive elements in the mvd promoter under the MeJA elicitor. The overexpression of Gl-mvd increased triterpene accumulation compared with the wild-type strain and increased the expression of several genes involved in the triterpene biosynthetic pathway. The findings of this study suggest that mvd may play an important role in triterpene biosynthesis regulation. Moreover, there may be the interactions among the genes involved in the triterpene biosynthetic pathway in the G. lucidum. Additionally, this study provides an approach for improving triterpene content through the overexpression of a key gene.