Next Article in Journal
Communities of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Their Effects on Plant Biomass Allocation Patterns in Degraded Karst Grasslands of Southwest China
Previous Article in Journal
Dermatophytoses Caused by Trichophyton indotineae: The First Case Reports in Malaysia and the Global Epidemiology (2018–2025)
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
JoF
Volume 11
Issue 7
10.3390/jof11070524
jof-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Evolutionary History and Distribution Analysis of Rhamnosyltransferases in the Fungal Kingdom

by
Joaquín O. Chávez-Santiago
1,
Luz A. López-Ramírez
1,
Luis A. Pérez-García
2,
Iván Martínez-Duncker
3,
Bernardo Franco
1,
Israel E. Padilla-Guerrero
1,
Vianey Olmedo-Monfil
1,
J. Félix Gutiérrez-Corona
1,
Gustavo A. Niño-Vega
1,
Jorge H. Ramírez-Prado
4,*,† and
Héctor M. Mora-Montes
1,*,†
1
Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato 36050, Guanajuato, Mexico
2
Facultad de Estudios Profesionales Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Romualdo del Campo 501, Fracc. Rafael Curiel, Ciudad Valles 79060, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
3
Laboratorio de Glicobiología Humana y Diagnóstico Molecular, Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62209, Morelos, Mexico
4
Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A. C., Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
J. Fungi 2025, 11(7), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070524
Submission received: 21 May 2025 / Revised: 1 July 2025 / Accepted: 12 July 2025 / Published: 15 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Fungal Cell Biology, Metabolism and Physiology)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Rhamnose is a natural sugar found in glycoproteins and structural polysaccharides of plants, fungi, and bacteria. Its incorporation into glycoconjugates is mediated by rhamnosyltransferases (RHTs), key enzymes for biomolecular stability and function. While rhamnose biosynthesis has been studied in certain fungal genera, the evolutionary history and distribution of RHTs across the fungal kingdom remain largely unknown. In this study, 351 fungal species were found to encode putative RHTs. Phylogenetic and structural analyses revealed conserved patterns and similarities with previously characterized RHTs. Molecular docking predicted a high affinity of these proteins for UDP-L-rhamnose, and in silico mutagenesis identified key residues potentially involved in substrate binding. Carbohydrate profiling confirmed the presence of rhamnose in the cell walls of multiple fungi, including Aspergillus, Madurella, Metarhizium, and Trichoderma species. Enzymatic assays further supported rhamnose transfer activity. These findings provide the first comprehensive in silico characterization of fungal RHTs, uncovering conserved sequence motifs despite overall diversity, which may be linked to functional adaptation in different fungal lineages.
Keywords: rhamnosyltransferases; evolutionary history; fungal kingdom; protein glycosylation; hidden Markov models rhamnosyltransferases; evolutionary history; fungal kingdom; protein glycosylation; hidden Markov models
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Chávez-Santiago, J.O.; López-Ramírez, L.A.; Pérez-García, L.A.; Martínez-Duncker, I.; Franco, B.; Padilla-Guerrero, I.E.; Olmedo-Monfil, V.; Gutiérrez-Corona, J.F.; Niño-Vega, G.A.; Ramírez-Prado, J.H.; et al. Evolutionary History and Distribution Analysis of Rhamnosyltransferases in the Fungal Kingdom. J. Fungi 2025, 11, 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070524

AMA Style

Chávez-Santiago JO, López-Ramírez LA, Pérez-García LA, Martínez-Duncker I, Franco B, Padilla-Guerrero IE, Olmedo-Monfil V, Gutiérrez-Corona JF, Niño-Vega GA, Ramírez-Prado JH, et al. Evolutionary History and Distribution Analysis of Rhamnosyltransferases in the Fungal Kingdom. Journal of Fungi. 2025; 11(7):524. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070524

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chávez-Santiago, Joaquín O., Luz A. López-Ramírez, Luis A. Pérez-García, Iván Martínez-Duncker, Bernardo Franco, Israel E. Padilla-Guerrero, Vianey Olmedo-Monfil, J. Félix Gutiérrez-Corona, Gustavo A. Niño-Vega, Jorge H. Ramírez-Prado, and et al. 2025. "Evolutionary History and Distribution Analysis of Rhamnosyltransferases in the Fungal Kingdom" Journal of Fungi 11, no. 7: 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070524

APA Style

Chávez-Santiago, J. O., López-Ramírez, L. A., Pérez-García, L. A., Martínez-Duncker, I., Franco, B., Padilla-Guerrero, I. E., Olmedo-Monfil, V., Gutiérrez-Corona, J. F., Niño-Vega, G. A., Ramírez-Prado, J. H., & Mora-Montes, H. M. (2025). Evolutionary History and Distribution Analysis of Rhamnosyltransferases in the Fungal Kingdom. Journal of Fungi, 11(7), 524. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070524

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop