title: Aspergillus flavus SUMO Contributes to Fungal Virulence and Toxin Attributes.
abstract: Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs) can be reversibly attached to target proteins in a process known as SUMOylation, and this process influences several important eukaryotic cell events. However, little is known regarding SUMO or SUMOylation in Aspergillus flavus. Here, we identified a novel member of the SUMO family in A. flavus, AfSumO, and validated the existence of SUMOylation in this pathogenic filamentous fungus. We investigated the roles of AfsumO in A. flavus by determining the effects of AfsumO mutations on the growth phenotype, stress response, conidia and sclerotia production, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and pathogenicity to seeds, and we found that SUMOylation plays a role in fungal virulence and toxin attributes. Taken together, these results not only reveal potential mechanisms of fungal virulence and toxin attributes in A. flavus but also provide a novel approach for promising new control strategies of this fungal pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Mengguang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Xiuna
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Youhuang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Shihua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010367:Arachis / Q000382:microbiology; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D025842:SUMO-1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D025842:SUMO-1 Protein
keywords: AfsumO; Aspergillus flavus; SUMOylation; aflatoxin; morphogenesis; pathogenicity