Blueprints of Blue From evolutionary origins to biosynthetic pathway engineering: exploring the sustainable production of the fungal cyan pigment xylindein

PhD thesis, submitted to the university of Groningen

to obtain the degree of PhD of the  University of Groningen 
on the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. J.M.A. Scherpen 
and in accordance with the decision by the College of Deans. 

Propositions (by the author, who has actively participated in Mycobiomics)
 
01.  Beyond its potential as a natural dye, xylindein represents a promising material
for sustainable electronics, particularly for organic solar cell applications. 
02.  The slowing pace of new bioactive natural product discovery highlights the
greater value of elucidating biosynthetic pathways of known compounds and
developing their sustainable production. 
03.  Genome mining and comparative genomics are indispensable tools for
uncovering the evolutionary origin and diversification of fungal secondary
metabolism. Chapter 2 
04.  There is no perfect host for heterologous expression because different
biosynthetic pathways have different requirements. 
05.  Combining genes from different biosynthetic pathways provides a strategy to
generate novel metabolites and enhance the properties of known compounds.
Chapter 2 & Chapter 3 
06.  Gene duplication and differential gene recruitment, as major evolutionary
mechanisms, drive the diversification of fungal fatty acid synthases and their
associated secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways. Chapter 4 
07.  Completing a project is often harder than initiating it, and this is true for many
other aspects of life. 
08.  A PhD is full of challenges, each like a stepping stone, never an obstacle and
always a chance to rise and grow.