Cordyceps at a glance: Miraculous metabolite and molecular insights

Loknath Deshmukh; Rupesh Thakur; Aanchal Sonkuwar; Sardul Singh Sandhu

Loknath Deshmukh School of Life and Allied Science, ITM University
Rupesh Thakur School of Life and Allied Science, ITM University
Aanchal Sonkuwar Bio-Design Innovation Centre, R.D. University
Sardul Singh Sandhu Bio-Design Innovation Centre, R.D. University

Ariticle ID: 270

154 Views, 98 PDF Downloads

Keywords: Cordyceps species, future aspects, genetic studies, metabolic research, immunomodulatory effect

Abstract

As an entomopathogenic fungus with significant

pharmacological and therapeutic implications, particularly for human

health, Cordyceps sp. is a good alternative for ethnopharmacological use.

A unique bio-metabolite termed Cordycepin (3′deoxyadenosine), which

has extremely significant anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and

anti-inflammatory properties, is the main component of the extract

made from this fungus. Due to their diverse biological functions,

Cordyceps fungi have long drawn the interest of scientists; nonetheless, it

has been difficult to successfully isolate active monomer molecules from

them. Fungi produce significantly fewer substances in the lab than they

do in the wild. In this review, I go through recent discoveries about the

transcriptional and epigenetic control of BGCs as well as the ecological

functions of fungal secondary metabolites in development, defense, and

warfare. I also look at ways to find new fungal metabolites and the

difficulties associated with gathering secondary metabolites derived

from fungi. Metabolites serve a variety of purposes, including energy

production, structural support, signaling and modulation of enzyme

activity (often as an enzyme cofactor), defense, and interactions with

other organisms (such as the production of pigments, odorants, and

pheromones). Refocusing and reviving efforts to mine the fungal

secondary metabolome has been one of the most interesting

developments in the field of microbiology. Cordyceps sp., an

entomopathogenic fungus, is a potential ethnopharmacological source

due to its unique bio-metabolite, Cordycepin, which has anti-cancer,

anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its potential

applications include immune system effects, DNA technology,

metagenomics, kidney and cardiovascular systems, and cancer

prevention in food and cosmetic industries.

References

[1] Deshmukh L, Sharma AK, Sandhu SS. Contrive Himalayan soft gold Cordyceps species: A lineage of

[2] eumycota bestowing tremendous pharmacological and therapeutic potential. Current Pharmacology Reports

[3] ; 6: 155–166. doi: 10.1007/s40495-020-00223-8

[4] Shankar A, Sharma KK. Fungal secondary metabolites in food and pharmaceuticals in the era of multi-omics.

[5] Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2022; 106: 3465–3488. doi: 10.1007/s00253-022-11945-8

[6] Ashraf SA, Elkhalifa AEO, Siddiqui AJ, et al. Cordycepin for health and wellbeing: A potent bioactive

[7] metabolite of an entomopathogenic Cordyceps medicinal fungus and its nutraceutical and therapeutic

[8] potential. Molecules 2020; 25: 2735. doi: 10.3390/molecules251227355

[9] Keller NP. Fungal secondary metabolism: Regulation, function and drug discovery. Nature Reviews

[10] Microbiology 2019; 17(3): 167–180. doi: 10.1038/s41579-018-0121-1

[11] Daley DK, Brown KJ, Badal S. Fungal metabolites. In: Badal S, Delgoda R (editors). Pharmacognosy:

[12] Fundamentals, Applications and Strategies. Academic Press; 2017. pp. 413–421. doi:

[13] 1016/B978-0-12-802104-0.00020-2

[14] Wei J, Zhou X, Dong M, et al. Metabolites and novel compounds with anti-microbial or antiaging activities

[15] from Cordyceps fumosorosea. AMB Express 2022; 12(1): 40. doi: 10.1186/s13568-022-01379-w

[16] Qu SL, Li SS, Li D, Zhao PJ. Metabolites and their bioactivities from the genus Cordyceps. Microorganisms

[17] ; 10(8): 1489. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10081489

[18] Tuli HS, Sharma AK, Sandhu SS, Kashyap D. Cordycepin: A bioactive metabolite with therapeutic potential.

[19] Life Sciences 2013; 93(23): 863–869. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2013.09.030

[20] Deshmukh L, Kumar S, Aharwal RP, et al. Study on in-vitro antibacterial activity of mushroom collected

[21] from Jabalpur region. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014; 6(9): 143–146.

[22] Chen B, Sun Y, Luo F, Wang C. Bioactive metabolites and potential mycotoxins produced by Cordyceps

[23] fungi: A review of safety. Toxins 2020; 12(6): 410. doi: 10.3390/toxins12060410

[24] Zheng R, Zhu R, Li X, et al. N6-(2-hydroxyethyl) adenosine from Cordyceps cicadae ameliorates renal

[25] interstitial fibrosis and prevents inflammation via TGF-β1/smad and NF-κB signaling pathway. Frontiers in

[26] Physiology 2018; 9: 1229. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01229

[27] Olatunji OJ, Tang J, Tola A, et al. The genus Cordyceps: An extensive review of its traditional uses,

[28] phytochemistry and pharmacology. Fitoterapia 2018; 129: 293–316. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2018.05.010

[29] Li F, Gao XY, Rao BF, et al. Effects of Cordyceps sinensis alcohol extractive on serum interferon-gamma level

[30] and splenic T lymphocyte subset in mice with viral myocarditis. Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular

[31] Immunology 2006; 22(3): 321–323.

[32] Sengupta S, Chattopadhyay MK, Grossart HP. The multifaceted roles of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance

[33]

[34] Metabolism Studies 2023; 1(1): 270.

[35] in nature. Frontiers in Microbiology 2013; 4: 47. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00047

[36] Deshmukh L, Singh R, Sandhu SS. Far ranging antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activity of

[37] Himalayan soft gold mushroom; Cordyceps sp. In: Sen R, Mukherjee S, Paul R, Narula R (editors).

[38] Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, 1st ed. CRC Press; 2019: pp. 297–302. doi: 10.1201/9781003001614-50

[39] Mamta, Mehrotra S, Amitabh, et al. Phytochemical and antimicrobial activities of Himalayan Cordyceps

[40] sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 2015; 53(1): 36–43.

[41] Chen SY, Ho KJ, Hsieh YJ, et al. Contents of lovastatin, γ-aminobutyric acid and ergothioneine in

[42] mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelia. LWT 2012; 47(2): 274–278. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2012.01.019

[43] Mirahmadi M, Azimi-Hashemi S, Saburi E, et al. Potential inhibitory effect of lycopene on prostate cancer.

[44] Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 2020; 129: 110459. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110459

[45] Tuli HS, Sandhu SS, Sharma AK. Pharmacological and therapeutic potential of Cordyceps with special

[46] reference to Cordycepin. 3 Biotech 2014; 4: 1–12. doi: 10.1007/s13205-013-0121-9

[47] Jinek M, Chylinski K, Fonfara I, et al. A programmable dual-RNA-guided DNA endonuclease in

[48] adaptive bacterial immunity. Science 2012; 337(6096): 816–821. doi: 10.1126/science.1225829

[49] Park SY, Jeong MH, Wang HY, et al. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of the Lichen

[50] fungus, Umbilicaria muehlenbergii. PLoS ONE 2013; 8(12): e83896. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083896

[51] Lee KH, Morris-Natschke SL, Yang X, et al. Recent progress of research on medicinal mushrooms, foods,

[52] and other herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine. Journal of Traditional and Complementary

[53] Medicine 2012; 2(2): 84–95.

[54] Zheng P, Xia Y, Xiao G, et al. Genome sequence of the insect pathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris, a valued

[55] traditional Chinese medicine. Genome Biology 2012; 12: R116. doi: 10.1186/gb-2011-12-11-r116

[56] Yoo CH, Sadat MA, Kim W, et al. Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of Cordyceps militaris cultivated on

[57] germinated soybeans. Mycobiology 2022; 50(1): 1–11. doi: 10.1080/12298093.2022.2035906