A putative ABC transporter gene, <i>CcT1</i> , is involved in beauvericin synthesis, conidiation, and oxidative stress resistance in <i>Cordyceps chanhua</i>

Beauvericin (BEA) is one of the bioactive components in <i>Cordyceps chanhua</i>, a significant medicinal fungus with widespread use in Asia and beyond. BEA also possesses mycotoxin properties, with certain cytotoxicity and potential <i>in vivo</i> toxicity. However, few studies report the regulation of BEA anabolism. ABC transporters are a superfamily of membrane proteins and have multiple functions such as regulating fungal metabolism. Here, we report an ABC transporter CcT1 involved in BEA synthesis. The disruption of its encoding gene <i>CcT1</i> led to a 64.22% reduction in BEA content compared to the wild-type by regulating the expression levels of several BEA synthesis-related genes. It also affected hyphal growth, conidiation, spore germination, penetration, and oxidative stress resistance of the fungus. The findings in this study enrich the understanding of the function of ABC transporter in fungal metabolism and growth and development.