mrskn7, a putative response regulator gene of Monascus ruber M7, is involved in oxidative stress response, development, and mycotoxin production.
Skn7, a response regulator (RR), is associated with oxidative stress adaptation, hypo-osmotic stress response, fungicide sensitivity, cell wall biosynthesis, cell cycle regulation, sexual mating, and sporulation in many filamentous fungi and yeasts. In this study a Skn7-like protein gene mrskn7 (Monascus ruber skn7) was isolated, sequenced, and disrupted to investigate its function in M. ruber Bioinformatics predicted that the deduced protein encoded by mrskn7 contained the conserved DNA-binding and signal-receiver domains similar to the Skn7-like protein structure in other filamentous fungi. The Δmrskn7 strain produced fewer conidia and less mycotoxin, demonstrated increased sensitivity to peroxide but the same level of osmotic resistance to NaCl and glycerol with the wild-type. Additionally, cleistothecia observed at different time point showed a different morphology between the wild-type and the Δmrskn7 strain, suggesting the involvement of mrskn7 in sexual development of M. ruber These results indicated that mrskn7 plays important roles in asexual and sexual development, the production of mycotoxin as well as regulation of oxidative stress signal in M. ruber.
Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology; Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1 Shizishan Street, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei Province, P.R. China.
Yanchun
Y
Shao
College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Street, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei Province, P.R. China.
Sha
S
Yang
Institute of Processing of Agricultural Product and Nuclear Agricultural Research, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1 Yaoyuan Street, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430064 Hubei Province, P.R. China.
Zhouwei
Z
Zhang
Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1 Yaoyuan Street, Hongshan District, Wuhany, 430064 Hubei Province, P.R. China.
Youxiang
Y
Zhou
Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology; Huazhong Agricultural University, No. 1, Shizishan Street, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei Province, P.R. China supervisor.chen@aliyun.com.
Fusheng
F
Chen
D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D032741:Monascus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D009183:Mycotoxins
Monascus ruber; citrinin; development; oxidative stress; response regulator