Project description:We report here the AflR binding motif of Aspergillus flavus for the first time with the aid of ChIP-seq analysis. Of the 540 peak sequences associated with AflR binding events, 66.8% were located within 2 kb upstream (promoter region) of translational start sites. The identified 18-bp binding motif was a perfect palindromic sequence, 5′-CSSGGGWTCGAWCCCSSG’3′ with S representing G or C and W representing A or T. On closer examination, we hypothesized that the 18-bp motif sequence identified contained two identical parts (here called motif A and motif B). Motif A was in positions 8–18 on the upper strand, while motif B was in positions 11-1 on the bottom strand. The inferred length and sequence of the putative motif identified in A. flavus were similar to previous findings in A. parasiticus and A. nidulans. Gene ontology analysis indicated that AflR bound to other genes outside the aflatoxin biosynthetic gene cluster.
Project description:Objective: Aspergillus flavus aflR, a gene encoding a Zn(II)2Cys6 DNA-binding domain, is an important transcriptional regulator of the aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster. Our previous results of GO analysis for the binding sites of AflR in A. flavus suggest that AflR may play an integrative regulatory role. This study aimed to investigate the integrative function of the aflR gene in A. flavus. Design: In this study, we used Aspergillus flavus NRRL3357 as a wild-type strain (WT) and constructed a knockout strain of A. flavus ΔaflR by homologous recombination. Based on the transcriptomics technology, we investigated the metabolic effects of aflR gene on growth, development and toxin synthesis of A. flavus, and discussed the overall regulation mechanism of aflR gene on A. flavus at the transcriptional level. Results: The disruption of aflR severely affected the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway, resulting in a significant decrease in aflatoxin production. In addition, disrupted strains of the aflR gene produced relatively sparse conidia and a very small number of sclerotia. However, the biosynthesis of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) was not affected by aflR gene disruption. Transcriptomic analysis of the ΔaflR strain grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates at 0 h, 24 h, and 72 h showed that expression of clustering genes involved in the biosynthesis of aflatoxin was significantly down-regulated. Meanwhile, the ΔaflR strain showed significant expression differences in genes involved in spore germination, sclerotial development, and carbohydrate metabolism compared to the WT strain. Conclusions: The results showed that the A. flavus aflR gene also played a positive role in the growth and development of fungi.
Project description:Aflatoxins are toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate aflatoxin production, the biosynthesis of the toxin in A. flavus and A. parasticus grown in yeast extract sucrose media supplemented with 50 mM tryptophan (Trp) were examined. A. flavus grown in the presence of 50 mM tryptophan was found to have significantly reduced aflatoxin B1 and B2 biosynthesis, while A. parasiticus cultures had significantly increased B1 and G1 biosynthesis. Microarray analysis of RNA extracted from fungi grown under these conditions revealed seventy seven genes that are expressed significantly different between A. flavus and A. parasiticus, including the aflatoxin biosynthetic genes aflD (nor-1), aflE (norA), and aflO (omtB). It is clear that the regulatory mechanisms of aflatoxin biosynthesis in response to Trp in A. flavus and A. parasiticus are different. These candidate genes may serve as regulatory factors of aflatoxin biosynthesis. Keywords: Aflatoxin, Aspergillus, flavus, Amnio Acids, Tryptophan
Project description:RNA-seq was used to compare differential gene expressions for Aspergillus flavus wild type strain and ASPES transcription factor deletion strains.The goals of this study are to explore the aflatoxin regulation pathway in A. flavus.
Project description:Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are two of the most important aflatoxin-producing species that contaminate agricultural commodities worldwide. Both species are heterothallic and undergo sexual reproduction in laboratory crosses. Here, we examine the possibility of interspecific matings between A. flavus and A. parasiticus. These species can be distinguished morphologically and genetically, as well as by their mycotoxin profiles. Aspergillus flavus produces both B aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), B aflatoxins or CPA alone, or neither mycotoxin; Aspergillus parasiticus produces B and G aflatoxins or the aflatoxin precursor O-methylsterigmatocystin, but not CPA. Only four out of forty-five attempted interspecific crosses between compatible mating types of A. flavus and A. parasiticus were fertile and produced viable ascospores. Single ascospore strains from each cross were isolated and were shown to be recombinant hybrids using multilocus genotyping and array comparative genome hybridization. Conidia of parents and their hybrid progeny were haploid and predominantly monokaryons and dikaryons based on flow cytometry. Multilocus phylogenetic inference showed that experimental hybrid progeny were grouped with naturally occurring A. flavus L strain and A. parasiticus. Higher total aflatoxin concentrations in some F1 progeny strains compared to midpoint parent aflatoxin levels indicate synergism in aflatoxin production; moreover, three progeny strains synthesized G aflatoxins that were not produced by the parents, and there was evidence of putative allopolyploidization in one strain. These results suggest that hybridization is an important diversifying force resulting in the genesis of novel toxin profiles in these agriculturally important species.
Project description:We report here the AflR binding motif of Aspergillus flavus for the first time with the aid of ChIP-seq analysis. Of the 540 peak sequences associated with AflR binding events, 66.8% were located within 2 kb upstream (promoter region) of translational start sites. The identified 18-bp binding motif was a perfect palindromic sequence, 5'-CSSGGGWTCGAWCCCSSG'3' with S representing G or C and W representing A or T. On closer examination, we hypothesized that the 18-bp motif sequence identified contained two identical parts (here called motif A and motif B). Motif A was in positions 8-18 on the upper strand, while motif B was in positions 11-1 on the bottom strand. The inferred length and sequence of the putative motif identified in A. flavus were similar to previous findings in A.parasiticus and A.nidulans. Gene ontology analysis indicated that AflR bound to other genes outside the aflatoxin biosynthetic gene cluster.
Project description:Aspergillus flavus contaminates crops during preharvest and post-harvest periods and produce carcinogenic mycotoxin aflatoxins posing severe threat to food safety and human health. Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation is one of the most important reversible post-translational modifications and plays a vital regulatory role in various cellular processes. In order to explore the potential roles of lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation in aflatoxin biosynthesis, protein 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation analysis of A. flavus was performed, and a total of 7156 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites in 1473 proteins were identified.
Project description:Dimethyl sulfoxide (DSMO) is a simple molecule widely used because of its great solvating ability. Beyond its physico-chemical properties, it is also biologically active, including on fungal species. Aspergillus flavus is a saprophytic and famous pathogenic fungus able to produce Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin which may contaminate many food crops. The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of DMSO on A. flavus transcriptome profile using high-throughput RNA-sequencing assay.
Project description:Several are the inputs which are able to modulate mycotoxin synthesis. In particular, when a fungus receives an external stimulus reacts by activating, through a quite well-defined signal cascade, an evident switch in its lifestyle. This profound change is also due to the activation of global gene regulators and, in particular, of transcription factors able to switch on the mycotoxin gene clusters expression. Aflatoxins (AF) are harmful carcinogenic compounds produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. AF are produced during the contamination of maize kernels into the field, even if their role in phyto-toxicity is not yet assessed. Nevertheless, AF biosynthesis is tightly regulated by host-derived signals. Recently, the nature of some of these signals have been elucidated. In particular, a role in susceptibility and resistance of maize to A. flavus contamination has been assigned to some plant oxylipins. These findings draw a scenario in which a complex interplay is under way between A. flavus and maize. For uncovering all the implications of this cross-talk we decide to follow a holistic approach. In particular, we designed experimental conditions aimed to mimic the different phases of A. flavus infection cycle on maize and then by performing a microarray analysis on the harvested mycelia. The microarray data set has been processed for performing the differential expression analysis of almost 14000 gene probes, the pathway analysis based on the gene ontology and inter pro annotations, the secondary metabolites cluster co-expression analysis and an identification of groups of co-expressed neighbor genes, possibly associated with production of secondary metabolites. Analysis of 12 microarrays monitoring gene expression of Aspergillus flavus over various growth conditions
Project description:Linking cell reproduction and survival is a key task of all life forms. All fungi in the genus Aspergillus reproduce by forming asexual spores called conidia, of which formation is governed by the central regulatory circuit, BrlA->AbaA->WetA. Here, we report that WetA is a key multi-functional regulator that bridged spore differentiation, long-term survival, and chemical development in Aspergillus flavus.