Analysis of weighted gene co-expression network of triterpenoid-related transcriptome characteristics from different strains of Wolfiporia cocos

The fungus Wolfiporia cocos has wide-ranging and important medicinal value, and its dried sclerotia are used as a traditional Chinese medicine. Modern studies have shown that triterpenoid, the active ingredient of W. cocos, have a variety of pharmacological effects. The aim of our research was to determine the key genes related to triterpenoid biosynthesis, which may be useful for the genetic modification of cell-engineered bacteria for triterpenoid biosynthesis. In this study, two monospore strains, DZAC-WP-H-29 (high-yielding) and DZAC-WP-L-123 (low-yielding), were selected from the sexually propagated offspring of strain 5.78 of W. cocos, and the mycelia were cultured for 17, 34, and 51 days, respectively. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method was used to analyze transcriptional expressions. The results show that eight core genes (ACAT1-b, hgsA, mvd1, SQLE, erg6, TAT, erg26, and erg11) are associated with the triterpenoid synthesis pathway, and Pm20d2 and norA outside the pathway may be important genes that influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of W. cocos triterpenoid. The biosynthesis of W. cocos triterpenoid is closely related to the expression of sterol metabolic pathway genes. The role of these genes in triterpenoid synthesis complements our knowledge on the biosynthesis and accumulation of W. cocos triterpenoid, and also provides a reference for the target gene modification of engineered bacteria for the fermentation production of triterpenoid.