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Zhao W, Ma X, Yan H, Zhang L, Shi W, Zhou Y. Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins control in long-term storage of food ingredients of Puerh tea, peanut and polished rice. Food Chem 2024; 461:140805. [PMID: 39181056 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Aflatoxins are a group of high toxic mycotoxins in food chain. Recent studies showed that aflatoxins might contaminate post-fermented tea, but the result remains controversial. Here, Aspgergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin production were characterized in Puerh tea, peanut and polished rice at different initial water activity (aw) values for long-term storage. As a result, food initial aw value was the critical factor for A. flavus growth and aflatoxin production, and A. flavus almost not grew on foods at aw value lower than 0.8. A. flavus grew best in peanut, followed by rice, but growth on Puerh tea was limited. A. flavus growth was inhibited significantly by adding tea to Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). Accordingly, aflatoxins produced dramatically in peanut, followed by rice at the first 90 days storage. However, aflatoxin neither produced in Puerh tea nor on tea modified PDA, indicating tea components inhibited A. flavus growth and aflatoxins synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Xue Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Hangbin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China; Key Laboratory of Jianghuai Agricultural Product Fine Processing and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Road West, Hefei 230036, China.
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2
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Chen X, Wu L, Zhang Y, Wang S, Wang S. Importance of benzoyltransferase GcnE and lysine benzoylation of alcohol dehydrogenase AdhB in pathogenesis and aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus. mBio 2024:e0266524. [PMID: 39601562 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02665-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 10/21/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Lysine benzoylation (Kbz) is a newly identified post-translational modification associated with active transcription and metabolism in eukaryotes. However, whether Kbz exists in pathogenic fungi and its function remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that Kbz is present in Aspergillus flavus and identified 60 benzoylated sites on 46 benzoylated proteins by global benzoylome analysis. Our data demonstrated that alcohol dehydrogenase B (AdhB) is regulated by benzoylation on lysine 321 (K321), and mutations of Kbz site in AdhB significantly reduced the alcohol dehydrogenase activity in vivo and in vitro. Both adhB deletion mutant and benzoylated site mutants (K321R and K321A) exhibited similar phenotype, including decreased conidiation and seed colonization, increased sclerotia formation and aflatoxin production, and more sensitive to cell wall damage stress. We also found that GcnE has benzoyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo, and its repression leads to decreased Kbz level and enzymatic activity of AdhB. The catalytic site E139 is important for the benzoyltransferase function of GcnE. Our study uncovers a previously unknown mechanism by which benzoylation regulates AdhB activity to affect the development, secondary metabolism, pathogenicity, and stress response of A. flavus. Meanwhile, it points out the important role of Kbz in the pathogenicity of pathogenic fungi.IMPORTANCEAspergillus flavus is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen of plants and animals, which produces carcinogenic and toxic secondary metabolite aflatoxin. A. flavus and aflatoxin contamination have emerged as a global food safety concern. Currently, post-translational modification plays crucial modulatory roles in the fungal development and virulence, but the role of benzoylation in fungal pathogenicity remains undetermined, which limits the development of prevention and control technique. Here, we first identified 46 benzoylated proteins in A. flavus, and found that benzoyltransferase GcnE exerted effects on pathogenicity and aflatoxin production by regulating the benzoylation of AdhB. This finding not only provided valuable information for prevention and control of A. flavus contamination, but also offered basic knowledge for investigation of the regulation mechanism of secondary metabolism in other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lihan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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3
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Wu D, Yang C, Yao Y, Ma D, Lin H, Hao L, Xin W, Ye K, Sun M, Hu Y, Yang Y, Zhuang Z. SntB triggers the antioxidant pathways to regulate development and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus. eLife 2024; 13:RP94743. [PMID: 39499647 PMCID: PMC11537487 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenetic reader SntB was identified as an important transcriptional regulator of growth, development, and secondary metabolite synthesis in Aspergillus flavus. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, by gene deletion and complementation, we found SntB is essential for mycelia growth, conidial production, sclerotia formation, aflatoxin synthesis, and host colonization. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that SntB played key roles in oxidative stress response of A. flavus, influencing related gene activity, especially catC encoding catalase. SntB regulated the expression activity of catC with or without oxidative stress, and was related to the expression level of the secretory lipase (G4B84_008359). The deletion of catC showed that CatC participated in the regulation of fungal morphogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and aflatoxin production, and that CatC significantly regulated fungal sensitive reaction and AFB1 yield under oxidative stress. Our study revealed the potential machinery that SntB regulated fungal morphogenesis, mycotoxin anabolism, and fungal virulence through the axle of from H3K36me3 modification to fungal virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The results of this study shed light into the SntB-mediated transcript regulation pathways of fungal mycotoxin anabolism and virulence, which provided potential strategy to control the contamination of A. flavus and its aflatoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Chi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
- Institute of Edible Mushroom, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFuzhouChina
| | - Yanfang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Dongmei Ma
- College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Hong Lin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Ling Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Wenwen Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS)BeijingChina
| | - Kangfu Ye
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Minghui Sun
- College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yule Hu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yanling Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Zhenhong Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
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Zhang R, Yang Q, Yao X, Fang Z, Wu X, Lin Q, Qing Y. Transcriptome analysis reveals the effect of cold storage time on the expression of genes related to oxidative metabolism in Chinese black truffle. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1375386. [PMID: 38895661 PMCID: PMC11183293 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1375386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Chinese black truffle (Tuber indicum) is a hypogenous fungus of great value due to its distinctive aroma. In this study, both transcriptome and physicochemical analyses were performed to investigate the changes of nutrients and gene expression in truffle fruiting bodies during cold storage. The results of physicochemical analysis revealed the active metabolism of fruiting bodies in cold storage, showing the decreased contents of protein and soluble sugar, the variations in both polyphenol oxidase activity and total phenol content, and the detrimental effect of reactive oxygen species production caused by heavy metals (cadmium and lead) in truffles. Transcriptome analysis identified a total of 139,489 unigenes. Down-regulated expression of genes encoding the catalase-like domain-containing protein (katE), glutaredoxin protein (GRX), a copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Sod_Cu), and aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) affected the degradation metabolism of intracellular oxides. Ribulose-5-phosphate-3-epimerase (RPE) was a key enzyme in response to oxidative stress in truffle cells through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). A total of 51,612 simple sequence repeats were identified, providing valuable resources for further genetic diversity analysis, molecular breeding, and genetic map-ping in T. indicum. Transcription factors GAL4 and SUF4-like protein were involved in glucose metabolism and histone methylation processes, respectively. Our study provided a fundamental characterization of the physicochemical and molecular variations in T. indicum during the cold storage at 4°C, providing strong experimental evidence to support the improvement of storage quality of T. indicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runji Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Panxi Featured Crops Research and Utilization, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Qiuyue Yang
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Xin Yao
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Zhirong Fang
- College of Resources and Environment, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Xia Wu
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Qiao Lin
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Xichang University, Xichang, China
| | - Yuan Qing
- Key Laboratory of Panxi Featured Crops Research and Utilization, Xichang University, Xichang, China
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5
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Han J, Wang L, Tang X, Liu R, Shi L, Zhu J, Zhao M. Glsirt1-mediated deacetylation of GlCAT regulates intracellular ROS levels, affecting ganoderic acid biosynthesis in Ganoderma lucidum. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 216:1-11. [PMID: 38458391 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Lysine acetylation is a reversible, dynamic protein modification regulated by lysine acetyltransferases and deacetylases. However, in Basidiomycetes, the extent of lysine acetylation of nonhistone proteins remains largely unknown. Recently, we identified the deacetylase Glsirt1 as a key regulator of the biosynthesis of ganoderic acid (GA), a key secondary metabolite of Ganoderma lucidum. To gain insight into the characteristics, extent, and biological function of Glsirt1-mediated lysine acetylation in G. lucidum, we aimed to identify additional Glsirt1 substrates via comparison of acetylomes between wild-type (WT) and Glsirt1-silenced mutants. A large amount of Glsirt1-dependent lysine acetylation occurs in G. lucidum according to the results of this omics analysis, involving energy metabolism, protein synthesis, the stress response and other pathways. Our results suggest that GlCAT is a direct target of Glsirt1 and that the deacetylation of GlCAT by Glsirt1 reduces catalase activity, thereby leading to the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and positively regulating the biosynthesis of GA. Our findings provide evidence for the involvement of nonhistone lysine acetylation in the biological processes of G. lucidum and help elucidate the involvement of important ROS signaling molecules in regulating physiological and biochemical processes in this organism. In conclusion, this proteomic analysis reveals a striking breadth of cellular processes affected by lysine acetylation and provides new nodes of intervention in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in G. lucidum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Han
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Lingshuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Xin Tang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Liang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Jing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Mingwen Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, PR China.
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6
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Zhu Z, Yang M, Yang G, Zhang B, Cao X, Yuan J, Ge F, Wang S. PP2C phosphatases Ptc1 and Ptc2 dephosphorylate PGK1 to regulate autophagy and aflatoxin synthesis in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus. mBio 2023; 14:e0097723. [PMID: 37754565 PMCID: PMC10653812 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00977-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Aspergillus flavus is a model filamentous fungus that can produce aflatoxins when it infects agricultural crops. This study evaluated the protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) family as a potential drug target with important physiological functions and pathological significance in A. flavus. We found that two redundant PP2C phosphatases, Ptc1 and Ptc2, regulate conidia development, aflatoxin synthesis, autophagic vesicle formation, and seed infection. The target protein phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) that interacts with Ptc1 and Ptc2 is essential to regulate metabolism and the autophagy process. Furthermore, Ptc1 and Ptc2 regulate the phosphorylation level of PGK1 S203, which is important for influencing aflatoxin synthesis. Our results provide a potential target for interdicting the toxicity of A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mingkun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaohong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Feng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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7
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Hao L, Zhang M, Yang C, Pan X, Wu D, Lin H, Ma D, Yao Y, Fu W, Chang J, Yang Y, Zhuang Z. The epigenetic regulator Set9 harmonizes fungal development, secondary metabolism, and colonization capacity of Aspergillus flavus. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 403:110298. [PMID: 37392609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
As a widely distributed food-borne pathogenic fungus, Aspergillus flavus and its secondary metabolites, mainly aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), pose a great danger to humans. It is urgent to reveal the complex regulatory network of toxigenic and virulence of this fungus. The bio-function of Set9, a SET-domain-containing histone methyltransferase, is still unknown in A. flavus. By genetic engineering means, this study revealed that, through catalyzing H4K20me2 and -me3, Set9 is involved in fungal growth, reproduction, and mycotoxin production via the orthodox regulation pathway, and regulates fungal colonization on crop kernels through adjusting fungal sensitivity reactions to oxidation stress and cell wall integrity stress. Further domain deletion and point mutation inferred that the SET domain is the core element in catalyzing H4K20 methylation, and D200 site of the domain is the key amino acid in the active center of the methyltransferase. Combined with RNA-seq analysis, this study revealed that Set9 regulates the aflatoxin gene cluster by the AflR-like protein (ALP), other than traditional AflR. This study revealed the epigenetic regulation mechanism of fungal morphogenesis, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity of A. flavus mediated by the H4K20-methyltransferase Set9, which might provide a potential new target for early prevention of contamination of A. flavus and its deadly mycotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Mengjuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Chi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Edible Mushroom, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350014, China
| | - Xiaohua Pan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Propagated Sensation along Meridian, Fujian Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Dandan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dongmei Ma
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yanfang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wangzhuo Fu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jiarui Chang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yanling Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Zhenhong Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, Proteomic Research Center, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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8
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Li R, Chen F, Li S, Yuan L, Zhao L, Tian S, Chen B. Comparative acetylomic analysis reveals differentially acetylated proteins regulating fungal metabolism in hypovirus-infected chestnut blight fungus. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:1126-1138. [PMID: 37278715 PMCID: PMC10423328 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cryphonectria parasitica, the chestnut blight fungus, and hypoviruses are excellent models for examining fungal pathogenesis and virus-host interactions. Increasing evidence suggests that lysine acetylation plays a regulatory role in cell processes and signalling. To understand protein regulation in C. parasitica by hypoviruses at the level of posttranslational modification, a label-free comparative acetylome analysis was performed in the fungus with or without Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1) infection. Using enrichment of acetyl-peptides with a specific anti-acetyl-lysine antibody, followed by high accuracy liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, 638 lysine acetylation sites were identified on 616 peptides, corresponding to 325 unique proteins. Further analysis revealed that 80 of 325 proteins were differentially acetylated between C. parasitica strain EP155 and EP155/CHV1-EP713, with 43 and 37 characterized as up- and down-regulated, respectively. Moreover, 75 and 65 distinct acetylated proteins were found in EP155 and EP155/CHV1-EP713, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the differentially acetylated proteins were involved in various biological processes and were particularly enriched in metabolic processes. Differences in acetylation in C. parasitica citrate synthase, a key enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, were further validated by immunoprecipitation and western blotting. Site-specific mutagenesis and biochemical studies demonstrated that the acetylation of lysine-55 plays a vital role in the regulation of the enzymatic activity of C. parasitica citrate synthase in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide a valuable resource for the functional analysis of lysine acetylation in C. parasitica, as well as improving our understanding of fungal protein regulation by hypoviruses from a protein acetylation perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Fengyue Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Shuangcai Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Luying Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Lijiu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Shigen Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of AgricultureGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
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9
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Chu T, Shang J, Jian H, Song C, Yang R, Bao D, Tan Q, Tang L. Potential Role of Lysine Acetylation and Autophagy in Brown Film Formation and Postripening of Lentinula edodes Mycelium. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0282322. [PMID: 37347174 PMCID: PMC10434168 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02823-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentinula edodes is one of the most widely cultivated edible mushrooms in the world. When cultivated in sawdust, the surface mycelium of L. edodes needs a long postripening stage wherein it forms a brown film (BF) by secreting and accumulating pigments. BF formation is critical for the high quality and yield of fruiting bodies. Protein lysine acetylation (KAC) is an important post-translational modification that regulates growth and development. Previous studies have shown that deacetylase levels are significantly increased during BF formation in the postripening stage of L. edodes. The aim of this study was to assess the role of protein acetylation during BF formation. To this end, we compared the acetylome of L. edodes mycelia before and after BF formation using anti-acetyl antibody-based label-free quantitative proteomics. We identified 5,613 acetylation sites in 1,991 proteins, and quantitative information was available for 4,848 of these sites in 1,815 proteins. Comparative acetylome analysis showed that the modification of 699 sites increased and that of 562 sites decreased during BF formation. Bioinformatics analysis of the differentially acetylated proteins showed significant enrichment in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and proteasome pathways. Furthermore, functional assays showed that BF formation is associated with significant changes in the activities of proteasome, citrate synthase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Consistent with this hypothesis, the lysine deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin (TSA) delayed autophagy and BF formation in L. edodes. Taken together, KAC and autophagy play important roles in the mycelial BF formation and postripening stage of L. edodes. IMPORTANCE Mycelial BF formation and postripening of L. edodes affects the quality and quantity of its edible fruiting bodies. In this study, we explored the role of protein KAC in this biological process, with the aim of optimizing the cultivation and yield of L. edodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Chu
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Food Sciences and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjun Shang
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huahua Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyan Song
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiheng Yang
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dapeng Bao
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Tan
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihua Tang
- National Engineering Research Centre of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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10
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Zhang W, Li B, Lv Y, Wei S, Zhang S, Hu Y. Synergistic effects of combined cinnamaldehyde and nonanal vapors against Aspergillus flavus. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 402:110277. [PMID: 37331114 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the synergistic antifungal effects of vapor-phase natural agents against Aspergillus flavus with an aim to prevent fungal contamination in agricultural products. Screening different combinations of natural antifungal vapor agents using the checkerboard assay revealed that the cinnamaldehyde and nonanal (SCAN) blend could exert the strongest synergistic antifungal activities against A. flavus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.03 μL/mL, which caused a 76 % decrease in fungal population compared to when each agent was used separately. Subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis demonstrated that the cinnamaldehyde/nonanal combination was stable and no effects on their individual molecular structures. SCAN at 2 × MIC completely inhibited the fungal conidia production and mycelial growth. The calcofluor white (CFW) and dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining assays showed that SCAN treatment could accelerate the destruction of cell wall integrity and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A. flavus. Moreover, pathogenicity assay indicated that in contrast to separate treatment with cinnamaldehyde or nonanal, SCAN could cause a decrease in the production of A. flavus asexual spores and AFB1 on peanuts, which verified its potential synergistic activity against fungal propagation. In addition, SCAN effectively preserves the organoleptic and nutritional properties of stored peanuts. Overall, our findings strongly indicated that the cinnamaldehyde/nonanal combination is a potentially significant antifungal agent against A. flavus contamination during the postharvest storage of peanuts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Bangbang Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangyong Lv
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Wei
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuaibing Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuansen Hu
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China; Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Ferrara M, Perrone G, Gallo A. Recent advances in biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms of principal mycotoxins. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Wen M, Lan H, Sun R, Chen X, Zhang X, Zhu Z, Tan C, Yuan J, Wang S. Histone deacetylase SirE regulates development, DNA damage response and aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5596-5610. [PMID: 36059183 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is a ubiquitous saprotrophic soil-borne pathogenic fungus that causes crops contamination with the carcinogen aflatoxins. Although Sirtuin E (SirE) is known to be a NAD-dependent histone deacetylase involved in global transcriptional regulation. Its biological functions in A. flavus are not fully understood. To explore the effects of SirE, we found that SirE was located in the nucleus and increased the level of H3K56 acetylation. The ΔsirE mutant had the most severe growth defect in the sirtuin family. The RNA-Seq revealed that sirE was crucial for secondary metabolism production as well as genetic information process and oxidation-reduction in A. flavus. Further analysis revealed that the ΔsirE mutant increased aflatoxin production. Both the sirE deletion and H3K56 mutants were highly sensitive to DNA damage and oxidative stresses, indicating that SirE was required for DNA damage and redox reaction by the H3K56 locus. Furthermore, the ΔsirE mutant displayed high sensitivity to osmotic stress and cell wall stress, but they may not be associated with the H3K56. Finally, the catalytic activity site N192 of SirE was required for regulating growth, deacetylase function and aflatoxin production. Together, SirE is essential for histone deacetylation and biological function in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meifang Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Huahui Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ruilin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhuo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Can Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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13
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Li Y, Song Z, Wang E, Dong L, Bai J, Wang D, Zhu J, Zhang C. Potential antifungal targets based on histones post-translational modifications against invasive aspergillosis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:980615. [PMID: 36016791 PMCID: PMC9395700 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.980615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As a primary cause of death in patients with hematological malignancies and transplant recipients, invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a condition that warrants attention. IA infections have been increasing, which remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. During the past decade, antifungal drug resistance has emerged, which is especially concerning for management given the limited options for treating azole-resistant infections and the possibility of failure of prophylaxis in those high-risk patients. Histone posttranslational modifications (HPTMs), mainly including acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination and phosphorylation, are crucial epigenetic mechanisms regulating various biological events, which could modify the conformation of histone and influence chromatin-associated nuclear processes to regulate development, cellular responsiveness, and biological phenotype without affecting the underlying genetic sequence. In recent years, fungi have become important model organisms for studying epigenetic regulation. HPTMs involves in growth and development, secondary metabolite biosynthesis and virulence in Aspergillus. This review mainly aims at summarizing the acetylation, deacetylation, methylation, demethylation, and sumoylation of histones in IA and connect this knowledge to possible HPTMs-based antifungal drugs. We hope this research could provide a reference for exploring new drug targets and developing low-toxic and high-efficiency antifungal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiman Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihui Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ente Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liming Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyan Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Chao Zhang,
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14
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The Regulatory Role of the Aspergillus flavus Core Retromer Complex in Aflatoxin Metabolism. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102120. [PMID: 35697069 PMCID: PMC9283945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aflatoxins are a series of highly toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites that are synthesized by Aspergillus species. The degradation of aflatoxin enzymes is an important regulatory mechanism which modulates mycotoxin producing. The retromer complex is responsible for the retrograde transport of specific biomolecules and the vacuolar fusion in the intracellular transport. Late endosomal-associated GTPase (Rab7) has been shown to be a downstream effector protein of the retromer complex. A deficiency in the retromer complex or Rab7 results in several cellular trafficking problems in yeast and humans, like protein abnormal accumulation. However, whether retromer dysfunction is involved in aflatoxin synthesis remains unclear. Here, we report that the core retromer complex, which comprises three vacuolar protein sorting-associated proteins (AflVps26-AflVps29-AflVps35), is essential for the development of dormant and resistant fungal forms such as conidia (asexual reproductive spore) and sclerotia (hardened fungal mycelium), as well as aflatoxin production and pathogenicity, in Aspergillus flavus. In particular, we show the AflVps26-AflVps29-AflVps35 complex is negatively correlated with aflatoxin exportation. Structural simulation, site-specific mutagenesis, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that interactions among AflVps26, AflVps29, and AflVps35 played crucial roles in the retromer complex executing its core functions. We further found an intrinsic connection between AflRab7 and the retromer involved in vesicle-vacuole fusion, which in turn affected the accumulation of aflatoxin synthesis-associated enzymes, suggesting that they work together to regulate the production of toxins. Overall, these results provide mechanistic insights that contribute to our understanding of the regulatory role of the core retromer complex in aflatoxin metabolism.
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15
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Regulator of G Protein Signaling Contributes to the Development and Aflatoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus through the Regulation of Gα Activity. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0024422. [PMID: 35638847 PMCID: PMC9238415 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00244-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterotrimeric G-proteins play crucial roles in growth, asexual development, and pathogenicity of fungi. The regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins function as negative regulators of the G proteins to control the activities of GTPase in Gα subunits. In this study, we functionally characterized the six RGS proteins (i.e., RgsA, RgsB, RgsC, RgsD, RgsE, and FlbA) in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus. All the aforementioned RGS proteins were also found to be functionally different in conidiation, aflatoxin (AF) biosynthesis, and pathogenicity in A. flavus. Apart from FlbA, all other RGS proteins play a negative role in regulating both the synthesis of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and the activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Additionally, we also found that although RgsA and RgsE play a negative role in regulating the FadA-cAMP/PKA pathway, they function distinctly in aflatoxin biosynthesis. Similarly, RgsC is important for aflatoxin biosynthesis by negatively regulating the GanA-cAMP/PKA pathway. PkaA, which is the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, also showed crucial influences on A. flavus phenotypes. Overall, our results demonstrated that RGS proteins play multiple roles in the development, pathogenicity, and AF biosynthesis in A. flavus through the regulation of Gα subunits and cAMP-PKA signals. IMPORTANCE RGS proteins, as crucial regulators of the G protein signaling pathway, are widely distributed in fungi, while little is known about their roles in Aspergillus flavus development and aflatoxin. In this study, we identified six RGS proteins in A. flavus and revealed that these proteins have important functions in the regulation of conidia, sclerotia, and aflatoxin formation. Our findings provide evidence that the RGS proteins function upstream of cAMP-PKA signaling by interacting with the Gα subunits (GanA and FadA). This study provides valuable information for controlling the contamination of A. flavus and mycotoxins produced by this fungus in pre- and postharvest of agricultural crops.
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16
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Yang K, Tian J, Keller NP. Post-translational modifications drive secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Aspergillus: a review. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2857-2881. [PMID: 35645150 PMCID: PMC9545273 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Post‐translational modifications (PTMs) are important for protein function and regulate multiple cellular processes and secondary metabolites (SMs) in fungi. Aspergillus species belong to a genus renown for an abundance of bioactive secondary metabolites, many important as toxins, pharmaceuticals and in industrial production. The genes required for secondary metabolites are typically co‐localized in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), which often localize in heterochromatic regions of genome and are ‘turned off’ under laboratory condition. Efforts have been made to ‘turn on’ these BGCs by genetic manipulation of histone modifications, which could convert the heterochromatic structure to euchromatin. Additionally, non‐histone PTMs also play critical roles in the regulation of secondary metabolism. In this review, we collate the known roles of epigenetic and PTMs on Aspergillus SM production. We also summarize the proteomics approaches and bioinformatics tools for PTM identification and prediction and provide future perspectives on the emerging roles of PTM on regulation of SM biosynthesis in Aspergillus and other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunlong Yang
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, USA
| | - Jun Tian
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, USA
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17
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Lv Y, Wang J, Yang H, Li N, Farzaneh M, Wei S, Zhai H, Zhang S, Hu Y. Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation orchestrates cell development and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:4356-4368. [PMID: 35621059 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib ) is a recently identified post-translational modifications (PTM) that regulates numerous cellular metabolic processes. In pathogenic microorganism, although glycolysis and fungal virulence are regulated by Khib , its potential roles in fungi remains to be elusive. Our preliminary results showed that levels of Khib fluctuate over time in Aspergillus flavus, which frequently contaminates crops and produces carcinogenic aflatoxins. However, the perception of Khib function in A. flavus is limited, especially in mycotoxin-producing strains. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of Khib in A. flavus, and 7156 Khib sites were identified in 1473 proteins. Notably, we demonstrated that Khib of AflM, a key enzyme in aflatoxin biosynthesis, affected conidia production and sclerotia formation. Furthermore, aflM deletion impaired aflatoxin biosynthesis, and more importantly, strains in which Khib was mimicked by K to T mutation at K49, K179 and K180 sites showed reduced aflatoxin production compared with wild type and ΔaflM complementation strains. These results indicate that Khib at these sites of AflM negatively regulates aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus. In summary, our study revealed the potential roles of Khib in A. flavus, and particularly shed light on a new way to regulate aflatoxin production via Khib . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyong Lv
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Haojie Yang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Li
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Mohsen Farzaneh
- Department of Agriculture, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, 1983969411, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shan Wei
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanchen Zhai
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuaibing Zhang
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuansen Hu
- College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China.,Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biological Processing and Nutritional Function of Wheat, Zhengzhou, 450001, People's Republic of China
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18
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Chen X, Wu L, Lan H, Sun R, Wen M, Ruan D, Zhang M, Wang S. Histone acetyltransferases MystA and MystB contribute to morphogenesis and aflatoxin biosynthesis by regulating acetylation in fungus Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2021; 24:1340-1361. [PMID: 34863014 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Myst family is highly conserved histone acetyltransferases in eukaryotic cells and is known to play crucial roles in various cellular processes; however, acetylation catalysed by acetyltransferases is unclear in filamentous fungi. Here, we identified two classical nonessential Myst enzymes and analysed their functions in Aspergillus flavus, which generates aflatoxin B1, one of the most carcinogenic secondary metabolites. MystA and MystB located in nuclei and cytoplasm, and mystA could acetylate H4K16ac, while mystB acetylates H3K14ac, H3K18ac and H3K23ac. Deletion mystA resulted in decreased conidiation, increased sclerotia formation and aflatoxin production. Deletion of mystB leads to significant defects in conidiation, sclerotia formation and aflatoxin production. Additionally, double-knockout mutant (ΔmystA/mystB) display a stronger and similar defect to ΔmystB mutant, indicating that mystB plays a major role in regulating development and aflatoxin production. Both mystA and mystB play important role in crop colonization. Moreover, catalytic domain MOZ and the catalytic site E199/E243 were important for the acetyltransferase function of Myst. Notably, chromatin immunoprecipitation results indicated that mystB participated in oxidative detoxification by regulating the acetylation level of H3K14, and further regulated nsdD to affect sclerotia formation and aflatoxin production. This study provides new evidences to discover the biological functions of histone acetyltransferase in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Lianghuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Huahui Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ruilin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Meifang Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Danrui Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mengjuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
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19
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Wei W, Lan F, Liu Y, Wu L, Hassan BH, Wang S. Characterization of the Bifunctional Enzyme BioDA Involved in Biotin Synthesis and Pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:11971-11981. [PMID: 34591470 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c03248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biotin is an important enzyme cofactor that plays a key role in all three domains. The classical bifunctional enzyme BioDA in eukaryotes (such as Aspergillus flavus and Arabidopsis thaliana) is involved in the antepenultimate and penultimate steps of biotin biosynthesis. In this study, we identified a A. flavus bifunctional gene bioDA which could complement both Escherichia coli ΔEcbioD and ΔEcbioA mutants. Interestingly, the separated domain of AfBioD and AfBioA could, respectively, fuse with EcBioA and EcBioD well and work together. What is more, we found that BioDA was almost localized to the mitochondria in A. flavus, as shown by N-terminal red fluorescent protein tag fusion. Noteworthy, the subcellular localization of AfBioDA is never affected by common environmental stresses (such as hyperosmotic stress or oxidative stress). The knockout strategy demonstrated that the deletion of AfbioDA gene from the chromosome impaired the biotin de novo synthesis pathway in A. flavus. Importantly, this A. flavus mutant blocked biotin production and decreased its pathogenicity to infect peanuts. Based on the structural comparison, we found that two inhibitors (amiclenomycin and gemcitabine) could be candidates for antifungal drugs. Taken together, our findings identified the bifunctional AfbioDA gene and shed light on biotin biosynthesis in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Faxiu Lan
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yinghang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lianghuan Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Bachar H Hassan
- Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, New York 11794, United States
| | - Shihua Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Zhu Y, Hu M, Ngowo J, Gao X, Chen X, Yan H, Yu W. Deacetylation of BmAda3 is required for cell apoptosis caused by Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus infection. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 108:e21838. [PMID: 34350621 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Silkworm is not only an ideal insect model with a biological significance, but it is also crucially important in sericulture and bioreactors. Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a principal pathogen of silkworm. However, the molecular mechanism underlying BmNPV invasion is still unclear. Based on our previous acetylome research findings of B. mori after BmNPV infection, here, we focused on silkworm alteration/deficiency in activation-3 (BmAda3). The acetylation of K124 and K128 were significantly reduced (0.66-fold) upon the virus challenge. Due to the interaction between Ada3 and P53, acetylation-mimic K124Q/K128Q and deacetylation-mimic K124R/K128R mutants of BmAda3 were constructed to explore the roles exerted by the acetylation modification of BmAda3 on P53. Yeast two-hybrid and IP results revealed that both BmAda3 and its deacetylation mutants (K124R/K128R) interacted with P53. Interestingly, we found that the deacetylation mutants (K124R/K128R) of BmAda3 significantly promoted the stability of P53. Since P53 is a proapoptotic factor, cell apoptosis was detected. We established that the deacetylation of BmAda3 at K124/K128 facilitated cellular apoptosis during BmNPV infection. Finally, viral proliferation was analyzed, and the results indicated that virus generation was reduced by K124/K128 deacetylation. Our report, based on the deacetylation of two lysine sites 124/128 of BmAda3, shows possible regulatory pathways of BmNPV proliferation and provides novel insights into the development of antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Zhu
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Miao Hu
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jonas Ngowo
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huihui Yan
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei Yu
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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21
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Bauer I, Graessle S. Fungal Lysine Deacetylases in Virulence, Resistance, and Production of Small Bioactive Compounds. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1470. [PMID: 34680865 PMCID: PMC8535771 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing number of immunocompromised patients begs for efficient therapy strategies against invasive fungal infections. As conventional antifungal treatment is increasingly hampered by resistance to commonly used antifungals, development of novel therapy regimens is required. On the other hand, numerous fungal species are industrially exploited as cell factories of enzymes and chemicals or as producers of medically relevant pharmaceuticals. Consequently, there is immense interest in tapping the almost inexhaustible fungal portfolio of natural products for potential medical and industrial applications. Both the pathogenicity and production of those small metabolites are significantly dependent on the acetylation status of distinct regulatory proteins. Thus, classical lysine deacetylases (KDACs) are crucial virulence determinants and important regulators of natural products of fungi. In this review, we present an overview of the members of classical KDACs and their complexes in filamentous fungi. Further, we discuss the impact of the genetic manipulation of KDACs on the pathogenicity and production of bioactive molecules. Special consideration is given to inhibitors of these enzymes and their role as potential new antifungals and emerging tools for the discovery of novel pharmaceutical drugs and antibiotics in fungal producer strains.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Graessle
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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22
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Updates on the Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of the Genes Involved in Aspergillus flavus Development and Biosynthesis of Aflatoxins. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080666. [PMID: 34436205 PMCID: PMC8401812 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is a ubiquitous and opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes invasive and non-invasive aspergillosis in humans and animals. This fungus is also capable of infecting a large number of agriculture crops (e.g., peanuts, maze, cotton seeds, rice, etc.), causing economic losses and posing serious food-safety concerns when these crops are contaminated with aflatoxins, the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens. In particular, A. flavus and aflatoxins are intensely studied, and they continue to receive considerable attention due to their detrimental effects on humans, animals, and crops. Although several studies have been published focusing on the biosynthesis of the aforementioned secondary metabolites, some of the molecular mechanisms (e.g., posttranslational modifications, transcription factors, transcriptome, proteomics, metabolomics and transcriptome, etc.) involved in the fungal development and aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus are still not fully understood. In this study, a review of the recently published studies on the function of the genes and the molecular mechanisms involved in development of A. flavus and the production of its secondary metabolites is presented. It is hoped that the information provided in this review will help readers to develop effective strategies to reduce A. flavus infection and aflatoxin production.
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Wang J, Liu C, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Ma Z. Protein acetylation and deacetylation in plant-pathogen interactions. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4841-4855. [PMID: 34398483 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein acetylation and deacetylation catalysed by lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) and deacetylases (KDACs), respectively, are major mechanisms regulating various cellular processes. During the fight between microbial pathogens and host plants, both apply a set of measures, including acetylation interference, to strengthen themselves while suppressing the other. In this review, we first summarize KATs and KDACs in plants and their pathogens. Next, we introduce diverse acetylation and deacetylation mechanisms affecting protein functions, including the regulation of enzyme activity and specificity, protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions, subcellular localization and protein stability. We then focus on the current understanding of acetylation and deacetylation in plant-pathogen interactions. Additionally, we also discuss potential acetylation-related approaches for controlling plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Youfu Zhao
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zhonghua Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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24
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Zhu Z, Ma G, Yang M, Tan C, Yang G, Wang S, Li N, Ge F, Wang S. Ras subfamily GTPases regulate development, aflatoxin biosynthesis and pathogenicity in the fungus Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5334-5348. [PMID: 34097354 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ras subfamily proteins are molecular switches in signal transduction pathways of many eukaryotes that regulate a variety of cellular processes. Here, the Ras subfamily, encoded by six genes, was identified in Aspergillus flavus: rasA, rasB, rasC, rab-33, rheb and rsr1. The rsr1 deletion mutant (∆rsr1), rheb deletion mutant (∆rheb) and double deletion mutant (∆rheb/rsr1) displayed significantly decreased growth and sporulation. Sclerotia formation was significantly decreased for ∆rheb or ∆rheb/rsr1 but increased for ∆rsr1. Aflatoxin production was significantly increased in ∆rheb but decreased in ∆rsr1 and ∆rheb/rsr1. We found that rsr1 and rheb are crucial for the pathogenicity of A. flavus. Quantitative proteomics identified 520 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) for the ∆rsr1 mutant and 133 DEPs for the ∆rheb mutant. These DEPs were annotated in multiple biological processes and KEGG pathways in A. flavus. Importantly, we identified the cytokinesis protein SepA in the protein-protein interaction network of rsr1, and deletion mutants showed that SepA has pleiotropic effects on growth and AF biosynthesis, which may depend on Rsr1 for regulation in A. flavus. Our results indicated that these Ras subfamily proteins exhibited functional redundancy with each other but there were also differences in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Gengli Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mingkun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Can Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Na Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Feng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
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The PHD transcription factor Cti6 is involved in the fungal colonization and aflatoxin B1 biological synthesis of Aspergillus flavus. IMA Fungus 2021; 12:12. [PMID: 34006318 PMCID: PMC8130384 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-021-00062-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus and its main secondary metabolite AFB1 pose a serious threat to several important crops worldwide. Recently, it has been reported that some PHD family transcription factors are involved in the morphogenesis and AFB1 biological synthesis in A. flavus, but the role of Cti6, a PHD domain containing protein in A. flavus, is totally unknown. The study was designed to reveal the biological function of Cti6 in the fungus by deletion of cti6, and its two domains (PHD and Atrophin-1) through homologous recombination, respectively. The results showed that Cti6 might up-regulate the mycelium growth, conidiation, sclerotia formation and AFB1 biological synthesis of A. flavus by its PHD domain, while Atrophin-1 also improved the conidiation of the fungus. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that Cti6 increased the conidiation of the fungus through AbaA and BrlA mediated conidiation pathway, triggered the formation of sclerotia by orthodox sclerotia formation pathway, and improved the production of AFB1 by orthodox AFB1 synthesis pathway. Crops models analysis showed that A. flavus Cti6 plays vital role in colonization and the production of AFB1 on the host grains mainly via PHD domain. Bioinformatics analysis showed Cti6 is conservative in Aspergillus spp., and mCherry mediated subcellular localization showed that most Cti6 accumulated in the nuclei, which reflected that Cti6 performed its important biological function in the nuclei in Aspergillus spp.. The results of the current study elucidate the roles of PHD domain containing proteins in the mechanism of the infection of crops by A. flavus, and provided a novel target for effectively controlling the contamination of Aspergillus spp. to crops.
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Zhu L, Yuhan J, Huang K, He X, Liang Z, Xu W. Multidimensional analysis of the epigenetic alterations in toxicities induced by mycotoxins. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 153:112251. [PMID: 33961929 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mycotoxins contaminate all types of food and feed, threatening human and animal health through food chain accumulation, producing various toxic effects. Increasing attention is being focused on the molecular mechanism of mycotoxin-induced toxicity in all kinds of in vivo and in vitro models. Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), were identified as being involved in various types of mycotoxin-induced toxicity. In this review, the emphasis was on summarizing the epigenetic alterations induced by mycotoxin, including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and deoxynivalenol (DON). This review summarized and analyzed the roles of DNA methylation, ncRNAs, and protein PTMs after mycotoxin exposure based on recently published papers. Moreover, the main research methods and their deficiencies were determined, while some remedial suggestions are proposed. In summary, this review helps to understand better the epigenetic alterations induced by the non-genotoxic effects of mycotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liye Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jieyu Yuhan
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Kunlun Huang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zhihong Liang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Wentao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Yang M, Zhu Z, Zhuang Z, Bai Y, Wang S, Ge F. Proteogenomic Characterization of the Pathogenic Fungus Aspergillus flavus Reveals Novel Genes Involved in Aflatoxin Production. Mol Cell Proteomics 2020; 20:100013. [PMID: 33568340 PMCID: PMC7950108 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra120.002144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus), a pathogenic fungus, can produce carcinogenic and toxic aflatoxins that are a serious agricultural and medical threat worldwide. Attempts to decipher the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway have been hampered by the lack of a high-quality genome annotation for A. flavus. To address this gap, we performed a comprehensive proteogenomic analysis using high-accuracy mass spectrometry data for this pathogen. The resulting high-quality data set confirmed the translation of 8724 previously predicted genes and identified 732 novel proteins, 269 splice variants, 447 single amino acid variants, 188 revised genes. A subset of novel proteins was experimentally validated by RT-PCR and synthetic peptides. Further functional annotation suggested that a number of the identified novel proteins may play roles in aflatoxin biosynthesis and stress responses in A. flavus. This comprehensive strategy also identified a wide range of posttranslational modifications (PTMs), including 3461 modification sites from 1765 proteins. Functional analysis suggested the involvement of these modified proteins in the regulation of cellular metabolic and aflatoxin biosynthetic pathways. Together, we provided a high-quality annotation of A. flavus genome and revealed novel insights into the mechanisms of aflatoxin production and pathogenicity in this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkun Yang
- School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhuo Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhenhong Zhuang
- School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Youhuang Bai
- School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Feng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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Ssu72 Regulates Fungal Development, Aflatoxin Biosynthesis and Pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12110717. [PMID: 33202955 PMCID: PMC7696088 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12110717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription process is coordinated by the reversible phosphorylation of its largest subunit-carboxy terminal domain (CTD). Ssu72 is identified as a CTD phosphatase with specificity for phosphorylation of Ser5 and Ser7 and plays critical roles in regulation of transcription cycle in eukaryotes. However, the biofunction of Ssu72 is still unknown in Aspergillus flavus, which is a plant pathogenic fungus and produces one of the most toxic mycotoxins-aflatoxin. Here, we identified a putative phosphatase Ssu72 and investigated the function of Ssu72 in A. flavus. Deletion of ssu72 resulted in severe defects in vegetative growth, conidiation and sclerotia formation. Additionally, we found that phosphatase Ssu72 positively regulates aflatoxin production through regulating expression of aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster genes. Notably, seeds infection assays indicated that phosphatase Ssu72 is crucial for pathogenicity of A. flavus. Furthermore, the Δssu72 mutant exhibited more sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Taken together, our study suggests that the putative phosphatase Ssu72 is involved in fungal development, aflatoxin production and pathogenicity in A. flavus, and may provide a novel strategy to prevent the contamination of this pathogenic fungus.
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29
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Chen J, Liu Q, Zeng L, Huang X. Protein Acetylation/Deacetylation: A Potential Strategy for Fungal Infection Control. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:574736. [PMID: 33133044 PMCID: PMC7579399 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.574736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein acetylation is a universal post-translational modification that fine-tunes the major cellular processes of many life forms. Although the mechanisms regulating protein acetylation have not been fully elucidated, this modification is finely tuned by both enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. Protein deacetylation is the reverse process of acetylation and is mediated by deacetylases. Together, protein acetylation and deacetylation constitute a reversible regulatory protein acetylation network. The recent application of mass spectrometry-based proteomics has led to accumulating evidence indicating that reversible protein acetylation may be related to fungal virulence because a substantial amount of virulence factors are acetylated. Additionally, the relationship between protein acetylation/deacetylation and fungal drug resistance has also been proven and the potential of deacetylase inhibitors as an anti-infective treatment has attracted attention. This review aimed to summarize the research progress in understanding fungal protein acetylation/deacetylation and discuss the mechanism of its mediation in fungal virulence, providing novel targets for the treatment of fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhu Chen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiong Liu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Lingbing Zeng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaotian Huang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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Yang G, Cao X, Ma G, Qin L, Wu Y, Lin J, Ye P, Yuan J, Wang S. MAPK pathway-related tyrosine phosphatases regulate development, secondary metabolism and pathogenicity in fungus Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:5232-5247. [PMID: 32813277 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are highly conserved in eukaryotic cells and are known to play crucial roles in the regulation of various cellular processes. However, compared with kinase-mediated phosphorylation, dephosphorylation catalysed by phosphatases has not been well characterized in filamentous fungi. In this study, we identified five MAPK pathway-related phosphatases (Msg5, Yvh1, Ptp1, Ptp2 and Oca2) and characterized their functions in Aspergillus flavus, which produces aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ), one of the most toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites. These five phosphatases were identified as negative regulators of MAPK (Slt2, Fus3 and Hog1) pathways. Deletion of Msg5 and Yvh1 resulted in significant defects in conidiation, sclerotia formation, aflatoxin production and crop infection. Additionally, double knockout mutants (ΔMsg5/ΔPtp1, ΔMsg5/ΔPtp2 and ΔMsg5/ΔOca2) displayed similar defects to those observed in the ΔMsg5 single mutant, indicating that Msg5 plays a major role in the regulation of development and pathogenicity in A. flavus. Importantly, we found that the active site at C439 is essential for the function of the Msg5 phosphatase. Furthermore, the MAP kinase Fus3 was found to be involved in the regulation of development, aflatoxin biosynthesis and pathogenicity, and its conserved phosphorylation residues (Thr and Tyr) were critical for the full range of its functions in A. flavus. Overall, our results reveal that MAPK related tyrosine phosphatases play important roles in the regulation of development, secondary metabolism and pathogenicity in A. flavus, and could be developed as potential targets for preventing damage caused by this fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xiaohong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Genli Ma
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ling Qin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Yuanzhen Wu
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Jian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Peng Ye
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Jun Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
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