Investigation and determination of CoQ10(H2) and CoQ10(H4) species from black yeast-like fungi and filamentous fungi

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) or ubiquinone functions as an electron transporter in the electron transport system in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The isoprenyl side chain of CoQ is modified in some organisms, especially in fungi, for optimal electron transport performance under various conditions. In this study, we investigated the side chain saturated dihydro CoQ (CoQ10(H2)) in Aureobasidium pullulans EXF-150, Sydowia polyspora NBRC 30562, and naturally isolated Plowrightia sp. A37, all of which are melanized Dothideomycetes species within Ascomycota, and also in filamentous fungi Aspergillus oryzae and A. terreus. Plowrightia sp. A37 produced the rarely synthesized tetrahydro type CoQ10(H4), especially in glucose-rich medium, during extended cultivation in contrast to CoQ10(H2) in time-limited cultivation. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we identified demethoxyubiquinone-H2 (DMQ(H2)) as an indicative intermediate that suggests that the side chain saturation of CoQ occurs after the formation of DMQ and not always in the last step as previously considered.