title: The Master Transcription Factor mtfA Governs Aflatoxin Production, Morphological Development and Pathogenicity in the Fungus Aspergillus flavus.
abstract: Aspergillus flavus produces a variety of toxic secondary metabolites; among them, the aflatoxins (AFs) are the most well known. These compounds are highly mutagenic and carcinogenic, particularly AFB₁. A. flavus is capable of colonizing a number of economically-important crops, such as corn, cotton, peanut and tree nuts, and contaminating them with AFs. Molecular genetic studies in A. flavus could identify novel gene targets for use in strategies to reduce AF contamination and its adverse impact on food and feed supplies worldwide. In the current study, we investigated the role of the master transcription factor gene mtfA in A. flavus. Our results revealed that forced overexpression of mtfA results in a drastic decrease or elimination of several secondary metabolites, among them AFB₁. The reduction in AFB₁ was accompanied by a decrease in aflR expression. Furthermore, mtfA also regulates development; conidiation was influenced differently by this gene depending on the type of colonized substrate. In addition to its effect on conidiation, mtfA is necessary for the normal maturation of sclerotia. Importantly, mtfA positively affects the pathogenicity of A. flavus when colonizing peanut seeds. AF production in colonized seeds was decreased in the deletion mtfA strain and particularly in the overexpression strain, where only trace amounts were detected. Interestingly, a more rapid colonization of the seed tissue occurred when mtfA was overexpressed, coinciding with an increase in lipase activity and faster maceration of the oily part of the seed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr., Dekalb, IL 60115, USA. xzhzhenhong@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhenhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr., Dekalb, IL 60115, USA. jlohmar1@niu.edu.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lohmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr., Dekalb, IL 60115, USA. tsatterlee1@niu.edu.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satterlee
authors.affiliation: Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, USDA/ARS, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA 70124, USA. jeff.cary@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cary
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr., Dekalb, IL 60115, USA. amcalvo@niu.edu.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calvo
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D010367:Arachis / Q000382:microbiology; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000032:analysis; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D013172:Spores, Fungal; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D004875:Ergosterol
keywords: Aspergillus flavus; aflatoxin; conidiation; mtfA; pathogenicity; sclerotia; secondary metabolism