title: The transcriptional activator GaaR of Aspergillus niger is required for release and utilization of d-galacturonic acid from pectin.
abstract: We identified the d-galacturonic acid (GA)-responsive transcriptional activator GaaR of the saprotrophic fungus, Aspergillus niger, which was found to be essential for growth on GA and polygalacturonic acid (PGA). Growth of the ΔgaaR strain was reduced on complex pectins. Genome-wide expression analysis showed that GaaR is required for the expression of genes necessary to release GA from PGA and more complex pectins, to transport GA into the cell, and to induce the GA catabolic pathway. Residual growth of ΔgaaR on complex pectins is likely due to the expression of pectinases acting on rhamnogalacturonan and subsequent metabolism of the monosaccharides other than GA.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alazi
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joanna E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.affiliation: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Aguilar Pontes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan A L
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Kan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands.|Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Fungal Physiology, CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre & Fungal Molecular Physiology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arthur F J
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ram
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D010368:Pectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D015534:Trans-Activators; C007819:galacturonic acid; D010368:Pectins
keywords: Zn2Cys6 transcription factor; gene regulation; pectinase; polygalacturonic acid; transcriptomics