Disruption of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase in Aspergillus fumigatus eliminates gliotoxin production.

ABSTRACT: The fungal secondary metabolite gliotoxin produced by Aspergillus fumigatus has been hypothesized to be important in the development of invasive aspergillosis. In this study, we addressed this hypothesis by disrupting a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) (encoded by gliP) predicted to be involved in gliotoxin production. Mutants with a disrupted gliP locus failed to produce gliotoxin, which confirmed the role of the NRPS encoded by gliP in gliotoxin biosynthesis. We found no morphological, developmental, or physiological defects in DeltagliP mutant strains. In addition, disruption of gliP resulted in down regulation of gene expression in the gliotoxin biosynthesis gene cluster, which was restored with addition of exogenous gliotoxin. This interesting result suggests a role for gliotoxi

SUBMITTER: Cramer RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1489275 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature