Metal ion enhancement of fungal growth, gene expression and aflatoxin synthesis in Aspergillus flavus: RT-PCR characterization.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of mineral ions (e.g., Zn2+, Cu2+, and Fe2+) on the enhancement of fungal growth, total RNA, aflatoxin pathway gene expression, and production of aflatoxin and its precursor O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST).


RESULTS
The influence of the metal ions, as a single or mixed treatments, was observed in submerged cultures of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus through changes in the fungal RNA or aflatoxin pathway gene (omtA) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) levels, and also in fungal dry-weight accumulation, aflatoxin and OMST production.


CONCLUSIONS
The ion treatments induced changes of fungal total RNA, mRNA levels, associate fungal growth, biosynthesis of aflatoxin and OMST, and enhanced expression of RT-PCR.


CONCLUSIONS
Demonstrates at the cellular and molecular level, the significant effects of metal ions on both fungal growth and production of aflatoxin.
Cuero
R
R
Prairie View A & M University, CARC, PO BOX 685, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA. olimpa@aol.com
Ouellet
T
T
Yu
J
J
Mogongwa
N
N
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000838:Anions / Q000494:pharmacology; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000502:physiology*; D018533:Biomass; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology; D008670:Metals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013241:Sterigmatocystin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology
D000348:Aflatoxins; D000838:Anions; D008670:Metals; D013241:Sterigmatocystin; C039904:O-methylsterigmatocystin; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc