Essential APSES Transcription Factors for Mycotoxin Synthesis, Fungal Development, and Pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus.

ABSTRACT: Aflatoxins are a potent carcinogenic mycotoxin and has become a research model of fungal secondary metabolism (SM). Via systematically investigating the APSES transcription factors (TFs), two APSES proteins were identified: AfRafA and AfStuA. These play central roles in the synthesis of mycotoxins including aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid, and fungal development and are consequently central to the pathogenicity of the aflatoxigenic A. flavus. Loss of AfRafA not only dramatically suppressed aflatoxin cluster expression, subsequently reducing toxin synthesis both in vitro and in vivo, but also impaired conidia and sclerotia development. More importantly, aflatoxin biosynthesis as well as conidia and sclerotia development were fully blocked in ΔAfStuA. In addition

SUBMITTER: Yao G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5702001 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature