Convergent evolution of fungal cysteine dioxygenases

Cupin-type cysteine dioxygenases (CDO) are non-heme iron enzymes that occur in animals, plants, bacteria and in filamentous fungi. In this report show that agaricomycetes contain an entirely unrelated type of CDOs that emerged by convergent evolution from enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ergothioneine. The activity of this CDO type is dependent on the ergothioneine precursor N-α-trimethylhistidine. The metabolic link between ergothioneine production and cysteine oxidation suggest that the two processes may be part of the same chemical response in fungi - for example against oxidative stress.