Functional roles of LaeA, polyketide synthase, and glucose oxidase in the regulation of ochratoxin A biosynthesis and virulence in Aspergillus carbonarius.

ABSTRACT: Aspergillus carbonarius is the major producer of ochratoxin A (OTA) among Aspergillus species, but the contribution of this secondary metabolite to fungal virulence has not been assessed. We characterized the functions and addressed the roles of three factors in the regulation of OTA synthesis and pathogenicity in A. carbonarius: LaeA, a transcriptional factor regulating the production of secondary metabolites; polyketide synthase, required for OTA biosynthesis; and glucose oxidase (GOX), regulating gluconic acid (GLA) accumulation and acidification of the host tissue during fungal growth. Deletion of laeA in A. carbonarius resulted in significantly reduced OTA production in colonized nectarines and grapes. The ∆laeA mutant was unable to efficiently acidify the colonized tissue, as a direc

SUBMITTER: Maor U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7749749 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature