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Wang G, Liu Y, Hu Y, Pan J, Wei Z, Tai B, Yang B, Li E, Xing F. AwSclB regulates a network for Aspergillus westerdijkiae asexual sporulation and secondary metabolism independent of the fungal light control. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 171:103865. [PMID: 38246260 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103865] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
As a prevalent pathogenic fungus, Aspergillus westerdijkiae poses a threat to both food safety and human health. The fungal growth, conidia production and ochratoxin A (OTA) in A. weterdijkiae are regulated by many factors especially transcription factors. In this study, a transcription factor AwSclB in A. westerdijkiae was identified and its function in asexual sporulation and OTA biosynthesis was investigated. In addition, the effect of light control on AwSclB regulation was also tested. The deletion of AwSclB gene could reduce conidia production by down-regulation of conidia genes and increase OTA biosynthesis by up-regulation of cluster genes, regardless under light or dark conditions. It is worth to note that the inhibitory effect of light on OTA biosynthesis was reversed by the knockout of AwSclB gene. The yeast one-hybrid assay indicated that AwSclB could interact with the promoters of BrlA, ConJ and OtaR1 genes. This result suggests that AwSclB in A. westerdijkiae can directly regulate asexual conidia formation by activating the central developmental pathway BrlA-AbaA-WetA through up-regulating the expression of AwBrlA, and promote the light response of the strain by activating ConJ. However, AwSclB itself is unable to respond to light regulation. This finding will deepen our understanding of the molecular regulation of A. westerdijkiae development and secondary metabolism, and provide potential targets for the development of new fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yibing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yafan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiaqi Pan
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zifan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bowen Tai
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bolei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Marcano Y, Montanares M, Gil-Durán C, González K, Levicán G, Vaca I, Chávez R. Pr laeA Affects the Production of Roquefortine C, Mycophenolic Acid, and Andrastin A in Penicillium roqueforti, but It Has Little Impact on Asexual Development. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:954. [PMID: 37888210 PMCID: PMC10607316 DOI: 10.3390/jof9100954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulation of fungal specialized metabolism is a complex process involving various regulators. Among these regulators, LaeA, a methyltransferase protein originally discovered in Aspergillus spp., plays a crucial role. Although the role of LaeA in specialized metabolism has been studied in different fungi, its function in Penicillium roqueforti remains unknown. In this study, we employed CRISPR-Cas9 technology to disrupt the laeA gene in P. roqueforti (PrlaeA) aiming to investigate its impact on the production of the specialized metabolites roquefortine C, mycophenolic acid, and andrastin A, as well as on asexual development, because they are processes that occur in the same temporal stages within the physiology of the fungus. Our results demonstrate a substantial reduction in the production of the three metabolites upon disruption of PrlaeA, suggesting a positive regulatory role of LaeA in their biosynthesis. These findings were further supported by qRT-PCR analysis, which revealed significant downregulation in the expression of genes associated with the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) responsible for producing roquefortine C, mycophenolic acid, and andrastin A in the ΔPrlaeA strains compared with the wild-type P. roqueforti. Regarding asexual development, the disruption of PrlaeA led to a slight decrease in colony growth rate, while conidiation and conidial germination remained unaffected. Taken together, our results suggest that LaeA positively regulates the expression of the analyzed BGCs and the production of their corresponding metabolites in P. roqueforti, but it has little impact on asexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudethzi Marcano
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (Y.M.); (C.G.-D.); (K.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Mariana Montanares
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Carlos Gil-Durán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (Y.M.); (C.G.-D.); (K.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Kathia González
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (Y.M.); (C.G.-D.); (K.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (Y.M.); (C.G.-D.); (K.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Inmaculada Vaca
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Renato Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (Y.M.); (C.G.-D.); (K.G.); (G.L.)
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3
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Yu W, Pei R, Zhang Y, Tu Y, He B. Light regulation of secondary metabolism in fungi. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:57. [PMID: 37653453 PMCID: PMC10472637 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00374-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi have evolved unique metabolic regulation mechanisms for adapting to the changing environments. One of the key features of fungal adaptation is the production of secondary metabolites (SMs), which are essential for survival and beneficial to the organism. Many of these SMs are produced in response to the environmental cues, such as light. In all fungal species studied, the Velvet complex transcription factor VeA is a central player of the light regulatory network. In addition to growth and development, the intensity and wavelength of light affects the formation of a broad range of secondary metabolites. Recent studies, mainly on species of the genus Aspergillus, revealed that the dimer of VeA-VelB and LaeA does not only regulate gene expression in response to light, but can also be involved in regulating production of SMs. Furthermore, the complexes have a wide regulatory effect on different types of secondary metabolites. In this review, we discussed the role of light in the regulation of fungal secondary metabolism. In addition, we reviewed the photoreceptors, transcription factors, and signaling pathways that are involved in light-dependent regulation of secondary metabolism. The effects of transcription factors on the production of secondary metabolites, as well as the potential applications of light regulation for the production of pharmaceuticals and other products were discussed. Finally, we provided an overview of the current research in this field and suggested potential areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Yu
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
| | - Rongqiang Pei
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yufei Zhang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yayi Tu
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Bin He
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China.
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4
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Yu W, Pei R, Zhou J, Zeng B, Tu Y, He B. Molecular regulation of fungal secondary metabolism. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:204. [PMID: 37209190 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03649-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Many bioactive secondary metabolites synthesized by fungi have important applications in many fields, such as agriculture, food, medical and others. The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is a complex process involving a variety of enzymes and transcription factors, which are regulated at different levels. In this review, we describe our current understanding on molecular regulation of fungal secondary metabolite biosynthesis, such as environmental signal regulation, transcriptional regulation and epigenetic regulation. The effects of transcription factors on the secondary metabolites produced by fungi were mainly introduced. It was also discussed that new secondary metabolites could be found in fungi and the production of secondary metabolites could be improved. We also highlight the importance of understanding the molecular regulation mechanisms to activate silent secondary metabolites and uncover their physiological and ecological functions. By comprehensively understanding the regulatory mechanisms involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, we can develop strategies to improve the production of these compounds and maximize their potential benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Yu
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
| | - Rongqiang Pei
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jingyi Zhou
- Zhanjiang Preschool Education College, Zhanjiang, 524084, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Zeng
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yayi Tu
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Bin He
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi, China.
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Tannous J, Cosetta CM, Drott MT, Rush TA, Abraham PE, Giannone RJ, Keller NP, Wolfe BE. LaeA-Regulated Fungal Traits Mediate Bacterial Community Assembly. mBio 2023:e0076923. [PMID: 37162223 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00769-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Potent antimicrobial metabolites are produced by filamentous fungi in pure culture, but their ecological functions in nature are often unknown. Using an antibacterial Penicillium isolate and a cheese rind microbial community, we demonstrate that a fungal specialized metabolite can regulate the diversity of bacterial communities. Inactivation of the global regulator, LaeA, resulted in the loss of antibacterial activity in the Penicillium isolate. Cheese rind bacterial communities assembled with the laeA deletion strain had significantly higher bacterial abundances than the wild-type strain. RNA-sequencing and metabolite profiling demonstrated a striking reduction in the expression and production of the natural product pseurotin in the laeA deletion strain. Inactivation of a core gene in the pseurotin biosynthetic cluster restored bacterial community composition, confirming the role of pseurotins in mediating bacterial community assembly. Our discovery demonstrates how global regulators of fungal transcription can control the assembly of bacterial communities and highlights an ecological role for a widespread class of fungal specialized metabolites. IMPORTANCE Cheese rinds are economically important microbial communities where fungi can impact food quality and aesthetics. The specific mechanisms by which fungi can regulate bacterial community assembly in cheeses, other fermented foods, and microbiomes in general are largely unknown. Our study highlights how specialized metabolites secreted by a Penicillium species can mediate cheese rind development via differential inhibition of bacterial community members. Because LaeA regulates specialized metabolites and other ecologically relevant traits in a wide range of filamentous fungi, this global regulator may have similar impacts in other fungus-dominated microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Tannous
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Casey M Cosetta
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Milton T Drott
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tomás A Rush
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paul E Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Richard J Giannone
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Benjamin E Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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Si P, Wang G, Wu W, Hussain S, Guo L, Wu W, Yang Q, Xing F. SakA Regulates Morphological Development, Ochratoxin A Biosynthesis and Pathogenicity of Aspergillus westerdijkiae and the Response to Different Environmental Stresses. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15040292. [PMID: 37104230 PMCID: PMC10141874 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15040292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA), as a common mycotoxin, has seriously harmful effects on agricultural products, livestock and humans. There are reports on the regulation of SakA in the MAPK pathway, which regulates the production of mycotoxins. However, the role of SakA in the regulation of Aspergillus westerdijkiae and OTA production is not clear. In this study, a SakA deletion mutant (ΔAwSakA) was constructed. The effects of different concentrations of D-sorbitol, NaCl, Congo red and H2O2 on the mycelia growth, conidia production and biosynthesis of OTA were investigated in A. westerdijkiae WT and ΔAwSakA. The results showed that 100 g/L NaCl and 3.6 M D-sorbitol significantly inhibited mycelium growth and that a concentration of 0.1% Congo red was sufficient to inhibit the mycelium growth. A reduction in mycelium development was observed in ΔAwSakA, especially in high concentrations of osmotic stress. A lack of AwSakA dramatically reduced OTA production by downregulating the expression of the biosynthetic genes otaA, otaY, otaB and otaD. However, otaC and the transcription factor otaR1 were slightly upregulated by 80 g/L NaCl and 2.4 M D-sorbitol, whereas they were downregulated by 0.1% Congo red and 2 mM H2O2. Furthermore, ΔAwSakA showed degenerative infection ability toward pears and grapes. These results suggest that AwSakA is involved in the regulation of fungal growth, OTA biosynthesis and the pathogenicity of A. westerdijkiae and could be influenced by specific environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peidong Si
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wenqing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sarfaraz Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ling Guo
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Wu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Qingli Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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7
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Wu Y, Wang Y, Han S, Li Q, Kong L. The global regulator FpLaeB is required for the regulation of growth, development, and virulence in Fusarium pseudograminearum. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1132507. [PMID: 36909432 PMCID: PMC9994621 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1132507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fusarium pseudograminearum is a soil-borne pathogen that is capable of causing a highly destructive crown disease in wheat. Secondary metabolites (SMs), especially deoxynivalenol (DON), are the primary virulence factors during infection. Here, we characterised the global regulator FpLaeB, an orthologue of LaeB protein function, to regulate the SM in Aspergillus nidulans. Through the utility of the gene targeting approach, we found that the vegetative growth of the FpLaeB deletion mutant was drastically reduced compared to that of the wild type. FpLaeB was also important for conidiation because the FpLaeB deletion mutant formed fewer conidia in induced medium. In addition, the sensitivity of the FpLaeB deletion mutant to the cell wall integrity inhibitor was decreased, while its growth was more severely inhibited by the cell membrane inhibitor sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) than that of the wild type. More importantly, the virulence was decreased when the FpLaeB deletion mutant was inoculated onto the wheat stem base or head. Through genome-wide gene expression profiling, FpLaeB was found to regulate several processes related to the above phenotypes such as the carbohydrate metabolic process, which is an integral and intrinsic component of membranes, especially SMs. Furthermore, the generation of DON was impaired in the FpLaeB deletion mutant via ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) assay. These results showed that FpLaeB plays an important role in the growth, development, and maintenance of the cell wall, and in membrane integrity. More importantly, FpLaeB is required for SMs and full virulence in F. pseudograminearum.
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Wang G, Li E, Gallo A, Perrone G, Varga E, Ma J, Yang B, Tai B, Xing F. Impact of environmental factors on ochratoxin A: From natural occurrence to control strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120767. [PMID: 36455768 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination and the associated issues of food security, food safety and economic loss are widespread throughout the world. The occurrence of OTA depends on ochratoxigenic fungi, foodstuffs and their environment. In this review, natural occurrence and control strategy of OTA, with a focus on the impact of environmental factors, are summarized. First, this manuscript introduces potentially contaminated foodstuffs, including the emerging ones which are not regulated in international legislation. Secondly, it gives an update of native producers based on foodstuffs and OTA biosynthesis. Thirdly, complicated environmental regulation is disassembled into individual factors in order to clarify their regulatory effect and mechanism. Finally, to emphasize control OTA at all stages of foodstuffs from farm to table, strategies used at crop planting, harvest, storage and processing stages are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300392, China
| | - Antonia Gallo
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Perrone
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR), Bari, 70126, Italy
| | - Elisabeth Varga
- Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Junning Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Bolei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Bowen Tai
- Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Wang Z, Zhao S, Zhang K, Lin C, Ru X, Yang Q. CgVeA, a light signaling responsive regulator, is involved in regulation of chaetoglobosin A biosynthesis and conidia development in Chaetomium globosum. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 7:1084-1094. [PMID: 35949485 PMCID: PMC9356241 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.07.002] [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: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytochalasans, with diverse structures and pharmacological activities, are a class of compounds containing isoindolinone moieties fused to the tricyclic or tetracyclic ring system. Chaetoglobosin A (cheA), mainly produced by Chaetomium globosum, is the most abundant cytochalasan. However, limited understanding of transcriptional regulation of morphological development and cheA biosynthesis in C. globosum has hindered cheA application in agriculture and biomedical field. This study examined the regulatory role of CgVeA gene in C. globosum. CgVeA had significant effect on secondary metabolites production in C. globosum, similar to that reported in other filamentous fungi. Inactivation of CgVeA caused an obvious decrease in cheA production from 51.32 to 19.76 mg/L under dark conditions. In contrast, CgVeA overexpression resulted in a dramatic increase in cheA production, reaching 206.59 mg/L under light conditions, which was higher than that noted under dark condition. The RT-qPCR results confirmed that CgVeA, as a light responsive regulator, positively regulated cheA biosynthesis by controlling the expression of core genes of the cheA biosynthetic gene cluster and other relevant regulators. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays proved that CgVeA directly regulated LaeA, cheR, and p450, and indirectly regulated PKS. Moreover, CgVeA had a significant effect on the regulation of asexual spores production. When compared with wild-type C. globosum, CgVeA-silenced and CgVeA overexpression mutants presented remarkable differences in sporulation, irrespective of light or dark condition. Besides, CgVeA expression was speculated to negatively regulate spore formation. These findings illustrated the regulatory mechanism of a hypothetical global regulator, CgVeA, in C. globosum, suggesting its potential application in industrial-scale cheA biosynthesis.
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10
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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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Zhao S, Zhang K, Lin C, Cheng M, Song J, Ru X, Wang Z, Wang W, Yang Q. Identification of a Novel Pleiotropic Transcriptional Regulator Involved in Sporulation and Secondary Metabolism Production in Chaetomium globosum. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314849. [PMID: 36499180 PMCID: PMC9740612 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chaetoglobosin A (CheA), a well-known macrocyclic alkaloid with prominently highly antimycotic, antiparasitic, and antitumor properties, is mainly produced by Chaetomium globosum. However, a limited understanding of the transcriptional regulation of CheA biosynthesis has hampered its application and commercialization in agriculture and biomedicine. Here, a comprehensive study of the CgXpp1 gene, which encodes a basic helix-loop-helix family regulator with a putative role in the regulation of fungal growth and CheA biosynthesis, was performed by employing CgXpp1-disruption and CgXpp1-complementation strategies in the biocontrol species C. globosum. The results suggest that the CgXpp1 gene could be an indirect negative regulator in CheA production. Interestingly, knockout of CgXpp1 considerably increased the transcription levels of key genes and related regulatory factors associated with the CheA biosynthetic. Disruption of CgXpp1 led to a significant reduction in spore production and attenuation of cell development, which was consistent with metabolome analysis results. Taken together, an in-depth analysis of pleiotropic regulation influenced by transcription factors could provide insights into the unexplored metabolic mechanisms associated with primary and secondary metabolite production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qian Yang
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-451-8640-2652
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12
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Ochratoxin A Defective Aspergillus carbonarius Mutants as Potential Biocontrol Agents. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14110745. [PMID: 36355995 PMCID: PMC9695793 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14110745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus carbonarius is one of the main species responsible for wine, coffee and cocoa toxin contamination. The main mycotoxin produced by this fungus, ochratoxin A (OTA), is a secondary metabolite categorized as a possible carcinogen because of its significant nephrotoxicity and immunosuppressive effects. A polyketide synthase gene (otaA) encodes the first enzyme in the OTA biosynthetic pathway. It is known that the filamentous fungi, growth, development and production of secondary metabolites are interconnected processes governed by global regulatory factors whose encoding genes are generally located outside the gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of each secondary metabolite, such as the veA gene, which forms part of the VELVET complex. Different fungal strains compete for nutrients and space when they infect their hosts, and safer non-mycotoxigenic strains may be able to outcompete mycotoxigenic strains during colonization. To determine the possible utility of biopesticides based on the competitive exclusion of mycotoxigenic strains by non-toxigenic ones, we used A. carbonarius ΔotaA and ΔveA knockout mutants. Our results showed that during both in vitro growth and infection of grapes, non-mycotoxigenic strains could outcompete the wild-type strain. Additionally, the introduction of the non-mycotoxigenic strain led to a drastic decrease in OTA during both in vitro growth and infection of grapes.
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Schüller A, Studt-Reinhold L, Strauss J. How to Completely Squeeze a Fungus-Advanced Genome Mining Tools for Novel Bioactive Substances. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:1837. [PMID: 36145585 PMCID: PMC9505985 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal species have the capability of producing an overwhelming diversity of bioactive substances that can have beneficial but also detrimental effects on human health. These so-called secondary metabolites naturally serve as antimicrobial "weapon systems", signaling molecules or developmental effectors for fungi and hence are produced only under very specific environmental conditions or stages in their life cycle. However, as these complex conditions are difficult or even impossible to mimic in laboratory settings, only a small fraction of the true chemical diversity of fungi is known so far. This also implies that a large space for potentially new pharmaceuticals remains unexplored. We here present an overview on current developments in advanced methods that can be used to explore this chemical space. We focus on genetic and genomic methods, how to detect genes that harbor the blueprints for the production of these compounds (i.e., biosynthetic gene clusters, BGCs), and ways to activate these silent chromosomal regions. We provide an in-depth view of the chromatin-level regulation of BGCs and of the potential to use the CRISPR/Cas technology as an activation tool.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joseph Strauss
- Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, A-3430 Tulln/Donau, Austria
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Functional Roles of LaeA-like Genes in Fungal Growth, Cellulase Activity, and Secondary Metabolism in Pleurotus ostreatus. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8090902. [PMID: 36135627 PMCID: PMC9502681 DOI: 10.3390/jof8090902] [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: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The global regulator LaeA plays crucial roles in morphological development and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in filamentous fungi. However, the functions of LaeA in basidiomycetes are less reported. The basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus is a well-known fungus used both in medicine and as food that produces polysaccharides and cellulolytic enzymes. In this study, we characterized three LaeA homologs (PoLaeA1, PoLaeA2, and PoLaeA3) in P. ostreatus. PoLaeA1 showed different expression patterns than PoLaeA2 and PoLaeA3 during different developmental stages. Silencing PoLaeA1 decreased the intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) content by approximately 28–30% and reduced intracellular ROS levels compared with those of the WT strain. However, silencing PoLaeA2 and PoLaeA3 decreased cellulase activity by 31–34% and 35–40%, respectively, and reduced the cytosolic Ca2+ content, compared with those of the WT strain. Further analysis showed that PoLaeA1 regulated IPS biosynthesis through intracellular ROS levels, whereas PoLaeA2 and PoLaeA3 regulated cellulase activity through intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Our results provide new insights into the regulation of polysaccharide biosynthesis and cellulase production in filamentous fungi.
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LaeA regulates morphological development and ochratoxin A biosynthesis in Aspergillus niger. Mycotoxin Res 2022; 38:221-229. [PMID: 35879501 DOI: 10.1007/s12550-022-00463-1] [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: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
The global regulator LaeA and its orthologs govern the morphogenetic development and secondary metabolism of several filamentous ascomycetes. In Aspergillus niger, it has been shown that an LaeA ortholog (AnLaeA) regulates the production of citric acid and secondary metabolites. In this work, we constructed AnlaeA disruption and overexpression strains to investigate the roles of AnLaeA in morphological development and ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthesis in A. niger. Phenotypic observation, chemical analysis, and gene expression analysis indicated that AnLaeA acts as a negative regulator of conidial morphogenesis and positively regulates gene expression of the OTA cluster in A. niger grown in CYA medium. However, it was observed that the upregulation of gene expression of the OTA cluster does not necessarily increase OTA production. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the AnlaeA regulatory mechanism and suggest the AnlaeA gene as a potential target for developing control strategies for A. niger infection and OTA biosynthesis.
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16
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Qin M, Li Y, Cai L, Yin X, He Z, Kang J. Overexpression of the global regulator FnVeA up-regulates antitumor substances in endophytic Fusarium nematophilum. Can J Microbiol 2022; 68:531-541. [PMID: 35649283 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2022-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The special niche of endophytic fungi promotes their potential to produce antitumor compounds with novel structure and significant bio-activity for screening of new antitumor drugs. In our previous studies, we isolated a Fusarium strain from the roots of the medicinal plant Nothapodytes pittosporoides and identified it as Fusarium nematophilum. We found that the crude extract of F. nematophilum had significant anti-tumor activity, and overexpressing the global regulatory factor FnVeA resulted in a significant increase in the anti-tumor activity, which was approximately 5-fold higher than wild strain for relative inhibition rate. In FnVeAOE, the accumulation of indole, alkene, alkaloid, steroid and flavonoid metabolites with potential anti-tumor activity were significantly up-regulated as compared with WT via metabolomic analysis. Moreover, the transcriptome analysis showed that 134 differential genes were considered to be closely related to the biosynthesis of anti-tumor substances, of which 59 differential genes were considered as candidate key genes, and related to tryptophan dimethylallyltransferase, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, polyketide synthases and transcription factor. Taken together, we suggest that FnVeA may regulate the biosynthesis of anti-tumor substances by mediating the expression of genes related to secondary metabolic pathways in F. nematophilum. Key words: Endophytic Fusarium nematophilum; global regulator VeA; anti-tumor; metabolome; transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Qin
- Guizhou University, 71206, Guiyang, Guizhou, China;
| | - Yongjie Li
- Guizhou University, 71206, Guiyang, Guizhou, China;
| | - Lu Cai
- Guizhou University, 71206, Guiyang, Guizhou, China;
| | - Xuemin Yin
- Guizhou University, 71206, Guiyang, Guizhou, China;
| | | | - Jichuan Kang
- Guizhou University, 71206, Guiyang, Guizhou, China;
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17
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Bind S, Bind S, Sharma AK, Chaturvedi P. Epigenetic Modification: A Key Tool for Secondary Metabolite Production in Microorganisms. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:784109. [PMID: 35495688 PMCID: PMC9043899 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.784109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are stupendous source of secondary metabolites, having significant pharmaceutical and industrial importance. Genome mining has led to the detection of several cryptic metabolic pathways in the natural producer of secondary metabolites (SMs) such as actinobacteria and fungi. Production of these bioactive compounds in considerable amount is, however, somewhat challenging. This led to the search of using epigenetics as a key mechanism to alter the expression of genes that encode the SMs toward higher production in microorganisms. Epigenetics is defined as any heritable change without involving the changes in the underlying DNA sequences. Epigenetic modifications include chromatin remodeling by histone posttranslational modifications, DNA methylation, and RNA interference. Biosynthetic gene cluster for SMs remains in heterochromatin state in which the transcription of constitutive gene is regulated by epigenetic modification. Therefore, small-molecule epigenetic modifiers, which promote changes in the structure of chromatin, could control the expression of silent genes and may be rationally employed for discovery of novel bioactive compounds. This review article focuses on the types of epigenetic modifications and their impact on gene expression for enhancement of SM production in microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudha Bind
- Department of Biological Sciences, CBSH, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - Sandhya Bind
- Department of Biological Sciences, CBSH, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - A K Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, CBSH, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - Preeti Chaturvedi
- Department of Biological Sciences, CBSH, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India
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Wang G, Li Y, Yang B, Li E, Wu W, Si P, Xing F. AwAreA Regulates Morphological Development, Ochratoxin A Production, and Fungal Pathogenicity of Food Spoilage Fungus Aspergillus westerdijkiae Revealed by an Efficient Gene Targeting System. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:857726. [PMID: 35432249 PMCID: PMC9009206 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.857726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus westerdijkiae, the producer of ochratoxin A (OTA), which is of worldwide concern, is an import fungal species in agriculture, food, and industry. Here, we got the uridine auxotrophic mutant of A. westerdijkiae by deleting AwpyrG. The ΔAwpyrG could be used for bio-transformation with exogenous AfpyrG expression cassette as a selection marker. In order to enhance the efficiency of gene targeting, Awku70 and Awlig4 were homologously deleted from ΔAwpyrG. The efficiencies of homologous replacement for ΔAwku70 and ΔAwlig4 were 95.7 and 87.0% in the deletion of AwAreA, respectively, demonstrating a drastic increase from 4.3% of the wild type (WT) strain. Furthermore, the function of AwAreA was identified with AwAreA deletion mutant and the control strain ΔAwku70. AwAreA regulated the growth and conidiation of A. westerdijkiae in response to nitrogen sources. The concentration of OTA for ΔAwku70 was in the range of 19.4 to 186.9 ng/cm2 on all kinds of nitrogen sources. The OTA production influenced by the deletion of AwAreA was different based on nitrogen sources. Pathogenicity assays on pears, grapes, salted meat, and cheese showed that AwAreA acted as a negative regulator in the infection of food substrates. Therefore, the genetic methods and engineered strains enable us to substantially expand the use of A. westerdijkiae, one of more than twenty OTA-producing fungi, in the study of mycotoxin biosynthesis and regulation, and consequently to aim at providing new ways for controlling this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bolei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Erfeng Li
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenqing Wu
- Horticulture and Landscape College, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peidong Si
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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19
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Cui Z, Guo L, Jin Z, Ma L, Yang H, Miao M. Highly sensitive and specific assessment of ochratoxin A in herbal medicines via activator regeneration by electron transfer ATRP. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2nj03180a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A signal-off fluorescence biosensor for highly sensitive detection of OTA was constructed via the ARGET ATRP signal amplification strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Cui
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
| | - Liang Guo
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
| | - Zhenyu Jin
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
| | - Lele Ma
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
| | - Huaixia Yang
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
| | - Mingsan Miao
- Pharmacy College, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, P. R. China
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20
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Banfalvi G. Janus-Faced Molecules against Plant Pathogenic Fungi. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12323. [PMID: 34830204 PMCID: PMC8623416 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The high cytotoxicity of the secondary metabolites of mycotoxins is capable of killing microbes and tumour cells alike, similarly to the genotoxic effect characteristic of Janus-faced molecules. The "double-edged sword" effect of several cytotoxins is known, and these agents have, therefore, been utilized only reluctantly against fungal infections. In this review, consideration was given to (a) toxins that could be used against plant and human pathogens, (b) animal models that measure the effect of antifungal agents, (c) known antifungal agents that have been described and efficiently prevent the growth of fungal cells, and (d) the chemical interactions that are characteristic of antifungal agents. The utilization of apoptotic effects against tumour growth by agents that, at the same time, induce mutations may raise ethical issues. Nevertheless, it deserves consideration despite the mutagenic impact of Janus-faced molecules for those patients who suffer from plant pathogenic fungal infections and are older than their fertility age, in the same way that the short-term cytotoxicity of cancer treatment is favoured over the long-term mutagenic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaspar Banfalvi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 1 Egyetem Square, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary
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21
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Effects of Light on the Ochratoxigenic Fungi Aspergillus ochraceus and A. carbonarius. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13040251. [PMID: 33807312 PMCID: PMC8065527 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA) usually contaminates agricultural products such as grapes, oatmeal, coffee and spices. Light was reported as an effective strategy to control spoilage fungi and mycotoxins. This research investigated the effects of light with different wavelengths on the growth and the production of OTA in Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus carbonarius. The results showed that the growth of both fungi were extremely inhibited by UV-B. Short-wavelength (blue, violet) significantly inhibited the production of OTA in both fungi, while the inhibitory effect of white was only demonstrated on A. ochraceus. These results were supported by the expression profiles of OTA biosynthetic genes of A. ochraceus and A. carbonarius. To clarify, the decrease in OTA production is induced by inhibition or degradation; therefore, the degradation of OTA under different wavelengths of light was tested. Under UV-B, the degradation rate of 10 μg/mL OTA standard pure-solution samples could reach 96.50% in 15 days, and the degradation effect of blue light was relatively weak. Furthermore, infection experiments of pears showed that the pathogenicity of both fungi was significantly decreased under UV-B radiation. Thus, these results suggested that light could be used as a potential target for strategies in the prevention and control of ochratoxigenic fungi.
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22
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Khataee A, Sohrabi H, Arbabzadeh O, Khaaki P, Majidi MR. Frontiers in conventional and nanomaterials based electrochemical sensing and biosensing approaches for Ochratoxin A analysis in foodstuffs: A review. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 149:112030. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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23
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Gao J, Xu X, Huang K, Liang Z. Fungal G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: A Promising Mediator of the Impact of Extracellular Signals on Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:631392. [PMID: 33643259 PMCID: PMC7907439 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.631392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane receptors involved in transducing signals from the external environment inside the cell, which enables fungi to coordinate cell transport, metabolism, and growth to promote their survival, reproduction, and virulence. There are 14 classes of GPCRs in fungi involved in sensing various ligands. In this paper, the synthesis of mycotoxins that are GPCR-mediated is discussed with respect to ligands, environmental stimuli, and intra-/interspecific communication. Despite their apparent importance in fungal biology, very little is known about the role of ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthesis by Aspergillus ochraceus and the ligands that are involved. Fortunately, increasing evidence shows that the GPCR that involves the AF/ST (sterigmatocystin) pathway in fungi belongs to the same genus. Therefore, we speculate that GPCRs play an important role in a variety of environmental signals and downstream pathways in OTA biosynthesis. The verification of this inference will result in a more controllable GPCR target for control of fungal contamination in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, Beijing, China
| | - Xinge Xu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Kunlun Huang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Liang
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, Beijing, China.,College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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24
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Feng Y, Yin Z, Wu Y, Xu L, Du H, Wang N, Huang L. LaeA Controls Virulence and Secondary Metabolism in Apple Canker Pathogen Valsa mali. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:581203. [PMID: 33250871 PMCID: PMC7674932 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.581203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Apple Valsa canker is a destructive disease caused by the ascomycete Valsa mali and poses a serious threat to apple production. Toxins synthesized by secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (SMBGCs) have been proven to be crucial for pathogen virulence. A previous study showed that V. mali genome contains remarkably expanded SMBGCs and some of their genes were significantly upregulated during infection. In this study, we focus on LaeA, a known regulator of secondary metabolism, for its role in SMBGC regulation, toxin production, and virulence of V. mali. Deletion of VmLaeA led to greatly reduced virulence with lesion length reduced by 48% on apple twigs. Toxicity tests proved that toxicity of secondary metabolites (SMs) produced by VmLaeA deletion mutant (ΔVmlaeA) was markedly decreased in comparison with wild-type (WT). Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of WT and ΔVmlaeA indicated that a portion of transporters and about half (31/60) SMBGCs are regulated by VmLaeA. Function analysis of eight gene clusters including PKS7, PKS11, NRPS14, PKS16, PKS23, PKS31, NRPS/PKS33, and PKS39 that were differentially expressed at both transcriptional and translational levels showed that four of them (i.e., PKS11, PKS16, PKS23, and PKS31) were involved in pigment production and NRPS14 contributed to virulence. Our findings will provide new insights and gene resources for understanding the role of pathogenicity-related toxins in V. mali.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zhiyuan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yuxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Liangsheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Hongxia Du
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Nana Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Lili Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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25
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Wang G, Wang Y, Yang B, Zhang C, Zhang H, Xing F, Liu Y. Carbon Catabolite Repression Gene AoCreA Regulates Morphological Development and Ochratoxin A Biosynthesis Responding to Carbon Sources in Aspergillus ochraceus. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:E697. [PMID: 33152993 PMCID: PMC7693787 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12110697] [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: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon is one of the most important nutrients for the development and secondary metabolism in fungi. CreA is the major transcriptional factor mediating carbon catabolite repression, which is employed in the utilization of carbon sources. Aspergillus ochraceus contaminates various food and feed containing different carbon sources by producing ochratoxin A (OTA). However, little is known about the function of AoCreA in regulating the morphology and OTA production of A. ochraceus. To give an insight into the mechanism of the carbon sources regulating development of A. ochraceus and OTA production, we have identified AoCreA in A. ochraceus. The homologous recombination strategy was used to generate the AoCreA deletion mutant (ΔAoCreA). We have investigated the morphology and OTA production of the wild type (WT) and ΔAoCreA of A. ochraceus with media containing different carbon sources (glucose, fructose, maltose, D-xylose, D-mannose, acetate, D-galactose, D-mannitol and lactose). ΔAoCreA showed a significant growth and conidiation defect on all media as compared with WT. Glucose and maltose were the most inducing media for OTA production by A. ochraceus, followed by sucrose and the nutrient-rich Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). The deletion of AoCreA led to a drastic reduction of OTA production on all kinds of media except PDA, which was supported by the expression profile of OTA biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, infection studies of ΔAoCreA on oats and pears showed the involvement of AoCreA in the pathogenicity of A. ochraceus. Thus, these results suggest that AoCreA regulates morphological development and OTA biosynthesis in response to carbon sources in A. ochraceus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yulong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Bolei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Chenxi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Haiyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Fuguo Xing
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (G.W.); (Y.W.); (B.Y.); (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528231, China
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Zhu Z, Yang M, Bai Y, Ge F, Wang S. Antioxidant-related catalase CTA1 regulates development, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and virulence in pathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2792-2810. [PMID: 32250030 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce the synthesis of a myriad of secondary metabolites, including aflatoxins. It raises significant concern as it is a potent environmental contaminant. In Aspergillus flavus., antioxidant enzymes link ROS stress response with coordinated gene regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis. In this study, we characterized the function of a core component of the antioxidant enzyme catalase (CTA1) of A. flavus. Firstly, we verified the presence of cta1 corresponding protein (CTA1) by Western blot analysis and mass-spectrometry based analysis. Then, the functional study revealed that the growth, sporulation and sclerotia formation significantly increased, while aflatoxins production and virulence were decreased in the cta1 deletion mutant as compared with the WT and complementary strains. Furthermore, the absence of the cta1 gene resulted in a significant rise in the intracellular ROS level, which in turn added to the oxidative stress level of cells. A further quantitative proteomics investigation hinted that in vivo, CTA1 might maintain the ROS level to facilitate the aflatoxin synthesis. All in all, the pleiotropic phenotype of A. flavus CTA1 deletion mutant revealed that the antioxidant system plays a crucial role in fungal development, aflatoxins biosynthesis and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mingkun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.,State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Youhuang Bai
- 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
- 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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Epigenetic manipulation of filamentous fungi for biotechnological applications: a systematic review. Biotechnol Lett 2020; 42:885-904. [PMID: 32246346 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-02871-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The study of the epigenetic regulation of gene function has reached pivotal importance in life sciences in the last decades. The mechanisms and effects of processes such as DNA methylation, histone posttranslational modifications and non-coding RNAs, as well as their impact on chromatin structure and dynamics, are clearly involved in physiology homeostasis in plants, animals and microorganisms. In the fungal kingdom, studies on the model yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe contributed enormously to the elucidation of the eukaryote epigenetic landscape. Epigenetic regulation plays a central role in the expression of virulence attributes of human pathogens such as Candida albicans. In this article, we review the most recent studies on the effects of drugs capable of altering epigenetic states and on the impact of chromatin structure-related genes deletion in filamentous fungi. Emphasis is given on plant and insect pathogens, endophytes, secondary metabolites and cellulases/xylanases producing species.
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