1
|
Liang L, Wang X, Wei S, Lei Y, Zhang S, Zhai H, Hu Y, Lv Y. m 6A methyltransferase AflIme4 orchestrates mycelial growth, development and aflatoxin B 1 biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus. Microbiol Res 2024; 283:127710. [PMID: 38593581 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127710] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a highly toxic secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus flavus, poses a severe threat to agricultural production, food safety and human health. The methylation of mRNA m6A has been identified as a regulator of both the growth and AFB1 production of A. flavus. However, its intracellular occurrence and function needs to be elucidated. Here, we identified and characterized a m6A methyltransferase, AflIme4, in A. flavus. The enzyme was localized in the cytoplasm, and knockout of AflIme4 significantly reduced the methylation modification level of mRNA. Compared with the control strains, ΔAflIme4 exhibited diminished growth, conidial formation, mycelial hydrophobicity, sclerotium yield, pathogenicity and increased sensitivity to CR, SDS, NaCl and H2O2. Notably, AFB1 production was markedly inhibited in the A. flavus ΔAflIme4 strain. RNA-Seq coupled with RT-qPCR validation showed that the transcriptional levels of genes involved in the AFB1 biosynthesis pathway including aflA, aflG, aflH, aflK, aflL, aflO, aflS, aflV and aflY were significantly upregulated. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (MeRIP-qPCR) analysis demonstrated a significant increase in m6A methylation modification levels of these pathway-specific genes, concomitant with a decrease in mRNA stability. These results suggest that AflIme4 attenuates the mRNA stability of genes in AFB1 biosynthesis by enhancing their mRNA m6A methylation modification, leading to impaired AFB1 biosynthesis. Our study identifies a novel m6A methyltransferase AflIme4 and highlights it as a potential target to control A. flavus growth, development and aflatoxin pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuke Liang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shan Wei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yang Lei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shuaibing Zhang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huanchen Zhai
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yuansen Hu
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yangyong Lv
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Osorio-Concepción M, Lax C, Lorenzo-Gutiérrez D, Cánovas-Márquez JT, Tahiri G, Navarro E, Binder U, Nicolás FE, Garre V. H3K4 methylation regulates development, DNA repair, and virulence in Mucorales. IMA Fungus 2024; 15:6. [PMID: 38481304 PMCID: PMC10938801 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00136-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mucorales are basal fungi that opportunistically cause a potentially fatal infection known as mucormycosis (black fungus disease), which poses a significant threat to human health due to its high mortality rate and its recent association with SARS-CoV-2 infections. On the other hand, histone methylation is a regulatory mechanism with pleiotropic effects, including the virulence of several pathogenic fungi. However, the role of epigenetic changes at the histone level never has been studied in Mucorales. Here, we dissected the functional role of Set1, a histone methyltransferase that catalyzes the methylation of H3K4, which is associated with the activation of gene transcription and virulence. A comparative analysis of the Mucor lusitanicus genome (previously known as Mucor circinelloides f. lusitanicus) identified only one homolog of Set1 from Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contains the typical SET domain. Knockout strains in the gene set1 lacked H3K4 monomethylation, dimethylation, and trimethylation enzymatic activities. These strains also showed a significant reduction in vegetative growth and sporulation. Additionally, set1 null strains were more sensitive to SDS, EMS, and UV light, indicating severe impairment in the repair process of the cell wall and DNA lesions and a correlation between Set1 and these processes. During pathogen-host interactions, strains lacking the set1 gene exhibited shortened polar growth within the phagosome and attenuated virulence both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest that the histone methyltransferase Set1 coordinates several cell processes related to the pathogenesis of M. lusitanicus and may be an important target for future therapeutic strategies against mucormycosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Macario Osorio-Concepción
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carlos Lax
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Damaris Lorenzo-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Ghizlane Tahiri
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Eusebio Navarro
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francisco Esteban Nicolás
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Victoriano Garre
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang C, Wu D, Lin H, Ma D, Fu W, Yao Y, Pan X, Wang S, Zhuang Z. Role of RNA Modifications, Especially m6A, in Aflatoxin Biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:726-741. [PMID: 38112282 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05926] [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: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications play key roles in eukaryotes, but the functions in Aspergillus flavus are still unknown. Temperature has been reported previously to be a critical environmental factor that regulates the aflatoxin production of A. flavus, but much remains to be learned about the molecular networks. Here, we demonstrated that 12 kinds of RNA modifications in A. flavus were significantly changed under 29 °C compared to 37 °C incubation; among them, m6A was further verified by a colorimetric method. Then, the transcriptome-wide m6A methylome and m6A-altered genes were comprehensively illuminated through methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing, from which 22 differentially methylated and expressed transcripts under 29 °C were screened out. It is especially notable that AFCA_009549, an aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway gene (aflQ), and the m6A methylation of its 332nd adenine in the mRNA significantly affect aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus both on media and crop kernels. The content of sterigmatocystin in both ΔaflQ and aflQA332C strains was significantly higher than that in the WT strain. Together, these findings reveal that RNA modifications are associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis of A. flavus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- 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 350012, 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Shihua Wang
- 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
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liang L, Wang X, Lan H, Wei S, Lei Y, Zhang S, Zhai H, Hu Y, Lv Y. Comprehensive analysis of aflatoxin B 1 biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus via transcriptome-wide m 6A methylome response to cycloleucine. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132677. [PMID: 37797576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus and its toxic aflatoxins secondary metabolites contaminate food and grains, posing a severe threat to human health and leading to liver cancer. Here, we demonstrated that cycloleucine blocked aflatoxin B1 synthesis by inhibiting N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation modification of messenger RNA (mRNA). m6A Methylation Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (m6A MeRIP-Seq)-based comprehensive transcriptome-wide m6A profiling identified 102 differentially expressed genes that underwent m6A modification, of which 22 hypermethylated genes were downregulated and 49 hypomethylated genes were upregulated, suggesting a negative correlation between m6A methylation and gene expression. Notably, cycloleucine inhibited aflatoxin B1 production via multiple targets. The m6A sites of several key genes involved in the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway were significantly enriched in the coding sequence and around the stop codon, resulting in their downregulation. Furthermore, m6A methylation on genes related to the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway led to reduced mRNA stability. Cycloleucine inhibition of aflatoxin B1 production highlights its potential as an agent for removing mycotoxins in environmental pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Aflatoxins, highly carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus, frequently contaminate crops such as peanut, corn, wheat and sesame leading to irreversible loss in the quality and yield of agricultural products and posing serious threats to food safety. Aflatoxins has also been linked to developmental delays and liver cancer in humans. In our study, 'monitoring aflatoxin concentrations and its bioaccumulation in organisms' has been conducted. The results demonstrated that aflatoxin production in A. flavus was completely blocked after cycloleucine treatment. Additionally, we demonstrated that inhibition of aflatoxin was linked to N6-methyladenosine methylation of multiple genes in aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuke Liang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Haier Lan
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shan Wei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yang Lei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shuaibing Zhang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huanchen Zhai
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yuansen Hu
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yangyong Lv
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li Q, Zhang M, Sun J, Li Y, Zu S, Xiang Y, Jin X. Porcine β-defensin-2 alleviates aflatoxin B1 induced intestinal mucosal damage via ROS-Erk 1/2 signaling pathway. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167201. [PMID: 37734607 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic fungal toxin that causes severe damage to animal intestines. Porcine beta-defensin-2 (pBD-2) is a well-studied antimicrobial peptide in pigs that can protect animal intestines and improve productivity. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of pBD-2 in alleviating AFB1-induced oxidative stress and intestinal mucosal damage using porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2 cells) and Kunming (KM) mice. The maximum destructive concentration of AFB1 for IPEC-J2 cells and the optimal therapeutic concentration of pBD-2 were determined by CCK-8 and RT-qPCR. We then investigated the oxidative stress and intestinal damage induced by AFB1 and the alleviating effect of pBD-2 by detecting changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammatory cytokines, tight junction proteins (TJPs) and mucin. Finally, the molecular mechanism of pBD-2 mitigates AFB1-induced oxidative stress and intestinal mucosal damage were explored by adding ROS and Erk1/2 pathway inhibitors to comparative analysis. In vivo, the therapeutic effect of pBD-2 on AFB1-induced intestinal damage was analyzed from aspects such as average daily gain (ADG), pathological damage, inflammation, and mucosal barrier in KM mice. The study found that low doses of pBD-2 promoted cell proliferation and prevented AFB1-induced cell death, and pBD-2 significantly restored the feed conversion rate and ADG of KM mice reduced by long-term exposed AFB1. Increasing the intracellular ROS and the expression and phosphorylation of Erk1/2, AFB1 promoted inflammation by altering inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, and disrupted the mucosal barrier by interfering with Claudin-3, Occludin, and MUC2, while pBD-2 significantly reduced ROS and decreased the expression and phosphorylation of Erk1/2 to restored their expression to alleviate AFB1-induced oxidative stress and intestinal mucosal damage in IPEC-J2 cells and the small intestine of mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qinghao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Man Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Juan Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Yilei Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Shaopo Zu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Yuqiang Xiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Xin Jin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Animal Pathogens and Biosafety, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pandey AK, Sanches Silva A, Chávez-González ML, Singh P. Recent advances in delivering free or nanoencapsulated Curcuma by-products as antimicrobial food additives. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:1257-1283. [PMID: 36130809 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2110856] [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: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Food commodities are often contaminated by microbial pathogens in transit or during storage. Hence, mitigation of these pathogens is necessary to ensure the safety of food commodities. Globally, researchers used botanicals as natural additives to preserve food commodities from bio-deterioration, and advances were made to meet users' acceptance in this domain, as synthetic preservatives are associated with harmful effects to both consumers and environments. Over the last century, the genus Curcuma has been used in traditional medicine, and its crude and nanoencapsulated essential oils (EOs) and curcuminoids were used to combat harmful pathogens that deteriorate stored foods. Today, more research is needed for solving the problem of pathogen resistance in food commodities and to meet consumer demands. Therefore, Curcuma-based botanicals may provide a source of natural preservatives for food commodities that satisfy the needs both of the food industry and the consumers. Hence, this article discusses the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of EOs and curcuminoids derived from the genus Curcuma. Further, the action modes of Curcuma-based botanicals are explained, and the latest advances in nanoencapsulation of these compounds in food systems are discussed alongside knowledge gaps and safety assessment where the focus of future research should be placed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhay K Pandey
- Department of Mycology and Microbiology, Tea Research Association, North Bengal Regional R & D Center, Nagrakata, India
| | - Ana Sanches Silva
- National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), I.P, Oeiras, Portugal
- Center for Study in Animal Science (CECA), ICETA, University of Oporto, Oporto, Portugal
| | - Mónica L Chávez-González
- Food Research Departments, School of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, México
| | - Pooja Singh
- Bacteriology and Natural Pesticide Laboratory, Department of Botany, DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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: 1.0] [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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pan X, Hao L, Yang C, Lin H, Wu D, Chen X, Zhang M, Ma D, Wang Y, Fu W, Yao Y, Wang S, Zhuang Z. SWD1 epigenetically chords fungal morphogenesis, aflatoxin biosynthesis, metabolism, and virulence of Aspergillus flavus. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131542. [PMID: 37172387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
As the main producer of aflatoxins, Aspergillus flavus is also one of the most important causes of invasive and non-invasive aspergillosis. Therefore, it is crucial to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of growth, metabolism, and pathogenicity of A. flavus. SWD1 is highly conserved across species for maintaining COMPASS methyltransferase activity, but the bio-function of SWD1 in A. flavus has not been explored. Through genetic analysis, this study revealed that SWD1 is involved in fungal morphogenesis and AFB1 biosynthesis by regulating the orthodox pathways through H3K4me1-3. Stresses sensitivity and crop models analysis revealed that SWD1 is a key regulator for the resistance of A. flavus to adapt to extreme adverse environments and to colonize crop kernels. It also revealed that the WD40 domain and 25 aa highly conserved sequence are indispensable for SWD1 in the regulation of mycotoxin bio-synthesis and fungal virulence. Metabolomic analysis inferred that SWD1 is crucial for the biosynthesis of numerous primary and secondary metabolites, regulates biological functions by reshaping the whole metabolic process, and may inhibit fungal virulence by inducing the apoptosis of mycelia through the inducer sphingosine. This study elucidates the epigenetic mechanism of SWD1 in regulating fungal pathogenicity and mycotoxin biosynthesis, and provides a potential novel target for controlling the virulence of A. flavus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Xuan Chen
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Yu Wang
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Shihua Wang
- 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.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xu X, Chen Y, Li B, Tian S. Histone H3K4 Methyltransferase PeSet1 Regulates Colonization, Patulin Biosynthesis, and Stress Responses of Penicillium expansum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0354522. [PMID: 36633412 PMCID: PMC9927251 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03545-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Fruit blue mold disease and patulin contamination caused by Penicillium expansum lead to huge economic losses and food safety concerns worldwide. Many genes have been proven to be involved in the regulation of pathogenic and toxigenic processes of P. expansum. Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation is well recognized for its association with chromatin regulation and gene transcription. However, it is not clear whether H3K4 methylation is related to infection and patulin biosynthesis in Penicillium. Here, we characterized PeSet1, which is responsible for H3K4me1/me2/me3 in P. expansum. The deletion of PeSet1 caused severe defects in hyphal growth, conidiation, colonization, patulin biosynthesis, and stress responses. Moreover, we demonstrated that PeSet1 is involved in the regulation of patulin biosynthesis by mediating the expression of patulin cluster genes and crucial global regulatory factors. Likewise, PeSet1 positively regulated key genes in β-1,3-glucan biosynthesis and the reactive oxygen species scavenging process to modulate cell wall integrity and oxidative stress responses, respectively. Collectively, we have proven for the first time the function of Set1 in patulin biosynthesis and the crucial role of Set1 in colonization and stress responses in P. expansum. IMPORTANCE Penicillium expansum is one of the most important plant fungal pathogens, which not only causes blue mold rot in various fruits, leading to huge decay losses, but also produces mycotoxin patulin, posing a threat to human health. Both pathogenesis and patulin biosynthesis in P. expansum are regulated by complex and sophisticated networks. We focused on the epigenetic modification and identified a conserved histone H3K4 methyltransferase PeSet1 in P. expansum. Our work revealed the important role of PeSet1 in growth, development, colonization, patulin production, and stress responses of P. expansum. In particular, we originally described the regulation of Set1 on patulin biosynthetic pathway. These findings will provide new targets for the prevention and control of blue mold disease and patulin contamination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Boqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hatmaker EA, Rangel-Grimaldo M, Raja HA, Pourhadi H, Knowles SL, Fuller K, Adams EM, Lightfoot JD, Bastos RW, Goldman GH, Oberlies NH, Rokas A. Genomic and Phenotypic Trait Variation of the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Aspergillus flavus and Its Close Relatives. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0306922. [PMID: 36318036 PMCID: PMC9769809 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03069-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal diseases affect millions of humans annually, yet fungal pathogens remain understudied. The mold Aspergillus flavus can cause both aspergillosis and fungal keratitis infections, but closely related species are not considered clinically relevant. To study the evolution of A. flavus pathogenicity, we examined genomic and phenotypic traits of two strains of A. flavus and three closely related species, Aspergillus arachidicola (two strains), Aspergillus parasiticus (two strains), and Aspergillus nomiae (one strain). We identified >3,000 orthologous proteins unique to A. flavus, including seven biosynthetic gene clusters present in A. flavus strains and absent in the three nonpathogens. We characterized secondary metabolite production for all seven strains under two clinically relevant conditions, temperature and salt concentration. Temperature impacted metabolite production in all species, whereas salinity did not affect production of any species. Strains of the same species produced different metabolites. Growth under stress conditions revealed additional heterogeneity within species. Using the invertebrate fungal disease model Galleria mellonella, we found virulence of strains of the same species varied widely; A. flavus strains were not more virulent than strains of the nonpathogens. In a murine model of fungal keratitis, we observed significantly lower disease severity and corneal thickness for A. arachidicola compared to other species at 48 h postinfection, but not at 72 h. Our work identifies variations in key phenotypic, chemical, and genomic attributes between A. flavus and its nonpathogenic relatives and reveals extensive strain heterogeneity in virulence that does not correspond to the currently established clinical relevance of these species. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus flavus is a filamentous fungus that causes opportunistic human infections, such as aspergillosis and fungal keratitis, but its close relatives are considered nonpathogenic. To begin understanding how this difference in pathogenicity evolved, we characterized variation in infection-relevant genomic, chemical, and phenotypic traits between strains of A. flavus and its relatives. We found extensive variation (or strain heterogeneity) within the pathogenic A. flavus as well as within its close relatives, suggesting that strain-level differences may play a major role in the ability of these fungi to cause disease. Surprisingly, we also found that the virulence of strains from species not considered to be pathogens was similar to that of A. flavus in both invertebrate and murine models of disease. These results contrast with previous studies on Aspergillus fumigatus, another major pathogen in the genus, for which significant differences in infection-relevant chemical and phenotypic traits are observed between closely related pathogenic and nonpathogenic species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E. Anne Hatmaker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Manuel Rangel-Grimaldo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hadi Pourhadi
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sonja L. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kevin Fuller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Emily M. Adams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jorge D. Lightfoot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rafael W. Bastos
- Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
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]
|
13
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
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.
Collapse
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,
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Assessment of the Potential of a Native Non-Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus Isolate to Reduce Aflatoxin Contamination in Dairy Feed. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14070437. [PMID: 35878175 PMCID: PMC9319854 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070437] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species can produce aflatoxins (AFs), which can severely affect human and animal health. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of reducing AF contamination of a non-aflatoxigenic isolate of A. flavus experimentally coinoculated with different aflatoxigenic strains in whole plant (WP), corn silage (CS), immature grains (IG) and in culture media (CM). An L-morphotype of A. flavus (CS1) was obtained from CS in a dairy farm located in the Mexican Highland Plateau; The CS1 failed to amplify the AFs biosynthetic pathway regulatory gene (aflR). Monosporic CS1 isolates were coinoculated in WP, CS, IG and CM, together with A. flavus strains with known aflatoxigenic capacity (originating from Cuautitlán and Tamaulipas, Mexico), and native isolates from concentrate feed (CF1, CF2 and CF3) and CS (CS2, CS3). AF production was evaluated by HPLC and fungal growth rate was measured on culture media. The positive control strains and those isolated from CF produced a large average amount of AFs (15,622 ± 3952 and 12,189 ± 3311 µg/kg), whereas A. flavus strains obtained from CS produced a lower AF concentration (126 ± 25.9 µg/kg). CS1 was efficient (p < 0.01) in decreasing AF concentrations when coinoculated together with CF, CS and aflatoxigenic positive control strains (71.6−88.7, 51.0−51.1 and 63.1−71.5%) on WP, CS, IG and CM substrates (73.9−78.2, 65.1−73.7, 63.8−68.4 and 57.4−67.6%). The results suggest that the non-aflatoxigenic isolate can be an effective tool to reduce AF contamination in feed and to minimize the presence of its metabolites in raw milk and dairy products intended for human nutrition.
Collapse
|
16
|
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: 4.0] [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.
Collapse
|
17
|
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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
UvKmt2-Mediated H3K4 Trimethylation Is Required for Pathogenicity and Stress Response in Ustilaginoidea virens. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8060553. [PMID: 35736036 PMCID: PMC9225167 DOI: 10.3390/jof8060553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modification is important for cellular functions. Trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3), which associates with transcriptional activation, is one of the important epigenetic modifications. In this study, the biological functions of UvKmt2-mediated H3K4me3 modification were characterized in Ustilaginoidea virens, which is the causal agent of the false smut disease, one of the most destructive diseases in rice. Phenotypic analyses of the ΔUvkmt2 mutant revealed that UvKMT2 is necessary for growth, conidiation, secondary spore formation, and virulence in U. virens. Immunoblotting and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) showed that UvKMT2 is required for the establishment of H3K4me3, which covers 1729 genes of the genome in U. virens. Further RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that UvKmt2-mediated H3K4me3 acts as an important role in transcriptional activation. In particular, H3K4me3 modification involves in the transcriptional regulation of conidiation-related and pathogenic genes, including two important mitogen-activated protein kinases UvHOG1 and UvPMK1. The down-regulation of UvHOG1 and UvPMK1 genes may be one of the main reasons for the reduced pathogenicity and stresses adaptability of the ∆Uvkmt2 mutant. Overall, H3K4me3, established by histone methyltransferase UvKMT2, contributes to fungal development, secondary spore formation, virulence, and various stress responses through transcriptional regulation in U. virens.
Collapse
|
19
|
Ren K, Mou YN, Ying SH, Feng MG. Conserved and Noncanonical Activities of Two Histone H3K36 Methyltransferases Required for Insect-Pathogenic Lifestyle of Beauveria bassiana. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:956. [PMID: 34829243 PMCID: PMC8623635 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Set2 and Ash1 are histone methyltransferases (KMTs) in the KMT3 family normally used to catalyze methylation of histone H3K36 (H3K36me) but remain unexplored in fungal insect pathogens. Here, we report broader/greater roles of Set2 and Ash1 in mono-/di-/trimethylation (me1/me2/me3) of H3K4 than of H3K36 in Beauveria bassiana and function similarly to Set1/KMT2, which has been reported to catalyze H3K4me3 as an epigenetic mark of cre1 (carbon catabolite repressor) to upregulate the classes I and II hydrophobin genes hyd1 and hyd2 required for conidial hydrophobicity and adherence to insect cuticle. H3K4me3 was more attenuated than H3K36me3 in the absence of set2 (72% versus 67%) or ash1 (92% versus 12%), leading to sharply repressed or nearly abolished expression of cre1, hyd1 and hyd2, as well as reduced hydrophobicity. Consequently, the delta-set2 and delta-ash1 mutants were differentially compromised in radial growth on various media or under different stresses, aerial conidiation under normal culture conditions, virulence, and cellular events crucial for normal cuticle infection and hemocoel colonization, accompanied by transcriptional repression of subsets of genes involved in or required for asexual development and multiple stress responses. These findings unravel novel roles of Set2 and Ash1 in the co-catalysis of usually Set1-reliant H3K4me3 required for fungal insect-pathogenic lifestyle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ming-Guang Feng
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Collegeof Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (K.R.); (Y.-N.M.); (S.-H.Y.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kim J, Park S, Kwon SH, Lee EJ, Lee JS. Set1-mediated H3K4 methylation is required for Candida albicans virulence by regulating intracellular level of reactive oxygen species. Virulence 2021; 12:2648-2658. [PMID: 34696687 PMCID: PMC8555521 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1980988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that exists in normal flora but can cause infection in immunocompromised individuals. The transition to pathogenic C. albicans requires a change of various gene expressions. Because histone-modifying enzymes can regulate gene expression, they are thought to control the virulence of C. albicans. Indeed, the absence of H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase Set1 has been shown to reduce the virulence of C. albicans; however, Set1-regulated genes responsible for this attenuated virulence phenotype remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that Set1 positively regulates the expression of mitochondrial protein genes by methylating H3K4. In particular, levels of cellular mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were higher in Δset1 than in the wild-type due to the defect of those genes’ expression. Set1 deletion also increases H2O2 sensitivity and prevents proper colony formation when interacting with macrophage in vitro, consistent with its attenuated virulence in vivo. Together, these findings suggest that Set1 is required to regulate proper cellular ROS production by positively regulating the expression of mitochondrial protein genes and subsequently sustaining mitochondrial membrane integrity. Consequently, C. albicans maintains proper ROS levels via Set1-mediated transcriptional regulation, thus establishing a rapid defense against external ROS generated by the host.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jueun Kim
- Department of Molecular Bioscience College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Korea
| | - Shinae Park
- Department of Molecular Bioscience College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Korea
| | - So Hee Kwon
- College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, Incheon, Korea
| | - Eun-Jin Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung-Shin Lee
- Department of Molecular Bioscience College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Bachleitner S, Sulyok M, Sørensen JL, Strauss J, Studt L. The H4K20 methyltransferase Kmt5 is involved in secondary metabolism and stress response in phytopathogenic Fusarium species. Fungal Genet Biol 2021; 155:103602. [PMID: 34214671 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Fusarium fujikuroi and Fusarium graminearum are agronomically important plant pathogens, both infecting important staple food plants and thus leading to huge economic losses worldwide. F.fujikuroi belongs to the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) and causes bakanae disease on rice, whereas F.graminearum, a member of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC), is the causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) disease on wheat, barley and maize. In recent years, the importance of chromatin regulation became evident in the plant-pathogen interaction. Several processes, including posttranslational modifications of histones, have been described as regulators of virulence and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In this study, we have functionally characterised methylation of lysine 20 histone 4 (H4K20me) in both Fusarium species. We identified the respective genes solely responsible for H4K20 mono-, di- and trimethylation in F.fujikuroi (FfKMT5) and F.graminearum (FgKMT5). We show that loss of Kmt5 affects colony growth in F.graminearum while this is not the case for F.fujikuroi. Similarly, FgKmt5 is required for full virulence in F.graminearum as Δfgkmt5 is hypovirulent on wheat, whereas the F.fujikuroi Δffkmt5 strain did not deviate from the wild type during rice infection. Lack of Kmt5 had distinct effects on the secondary metabolism in both plant pathogens with the most pronounced effects on fusarin biosynthesis in F.fujikuroi and zearalenone biosynthesis in F.graminearum. Next to this, loss of Kmt5 resulted in an increased tolerance towards oxidative and osmotic stress in both species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Bachleitner
- Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, Department for Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Str. 20, Tulln 3430, Austria
| | - Jens Laurids Sørensen
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lena Studt
- Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
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: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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.
Collapse
|
23
|
Ren K, Mou YN, Tong SM, Ying SH, Feng MG. SET1/KMT2-governed histone H3K4 methylation coordinates the lifecycle in vivo and in vitro of the fungal insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5541-5554. [PMID: 34390612 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Biological control potential of insect-pathogenic fungi against pests is an overall output of various cellular processes regulated by signalling and epigenetic networks. In Beauveria bassiana, mono/di/trimethylation of histone H3 Lys 4 (H3K4me1/me2/m3) was abolished by inactivation of the histone lysine methyltransferase SET1/KMT2, leading to marked virulence loss, reductions in conidial hydrophobicity and adherence to insect cuticle, impeded proliferation in vivo, severe defects in growth and conidiation, and increased sensitivities to cell wall perturbation, H2 O2 and heat shock. Such compromised phenotypes correlated well with transcriptional abolishment or repression of carbon catabolite-repressing transcription factor Cre1, classes I and II hydrophobins Hyd1 and Hyd2 required for cell hydrophobicity, key developmental regulators, and stress-responsive enzymes/proteins. Particularly, expression of cre1, which upregulates hyd4 upon activation by KMT2-mediated H3K4me3 in Metarhizium robertsii, was nearly abolished in the Δset1 mutant, leading to abolished expression of hyd1 and hyd2 as homologues of hyd4. These data suggest that the SET1-Cre1-Hyd1/2 pathway function in B. bassiana like the KMT2-Cre1-Hyd4 pathway elucidated to mediate pathogenicity in M. robertsii. Our findings unveil not only a regulatory role for the SET1-cored pathway in fungal virulence but also its novel role in mediating asexual cycle in vitro and stress responses in B. bassiana.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kang Ren
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Ya-Ni Mou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Sen-Miao Tong
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
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: 1.3] [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.
Collapse
|