Transcriptional and Proteomic Analysis of the Aspergillus fumigatus ΔprtT Protease-Deficient Mutant

ABSTRACT: Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common opportunistic mold pathogen of humans, causing invasive diseases in immunocompromised patients. In these patients, the fungus can invade the lungs and other organs, causing severe damage. Penetration of the pulmonary epithelium is a key step in the infectious process. A. fumigatus produces extracellular proteases to degrade the structural barriers of the host. The A. fumigatus transcription factor PrtT controls the expression of multiple secreted proteases. PrtT shows similarity to the fungal Gal4-type Zn(2)-Cys(6) DNA-binding domain of several transcription factors. In this work, we further investigate the function of this transcription factor by performing a transcriptional and a proteomic analysis of the ΔprtT mutant. The microarray analysis revealed several unexpected findings. In addition to a decrease in protease expression, expression of genes involved in iron uptake and ergosterol synthesis was dramatically decreased in the ΔprtT mutant. A second finding of interest is that deletion of PrtT resulted in the upregulation of four secondary metabolite clusters, including genes for the biosynthesis of pseurotin A. The proteomic analysis identified 15 proteins secreted by the A. fumigatus WT strain when grown on protein-rich skim-milk medium. Of these, the ΔprtT mutant expressed reduced levels of ALP1 protease, TppA tripeptidyl peptidase and a serine peptidase and increased levels of FAD-oxygenase, AspF chitosinase, EglC endoglucanase and Bgt1 glucanosyltransferase compared to the WT strain. This report highlights the complexity of gene regulation by PrtT.

ORGANISM(S): Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillus fumigatus Af293

PROVIDER: GSE33254 | GEO | 2011/11/29

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA149039

REPOSITORIES: GEO