title: The Aspergillus flavus fluP-associated metabolite promotes sclerotial production.
abstract: Aspergillus flavus is able to synthesize a variety of polyketide-derived secondary metabolites including the hepatocarcinogen, aflatoxin B1. The fungus reproduces and disseminates predominantly by production of conidia. It also produces hardened mycelial aggregates called sclerotia that are used to cope with unfavourable growth environments. In the present study, we examined the role of A. flavus fluP, the backbone polyketide synthase gene of secondary metabolite gene cluster 41, on fungal development. The A. flavus CA14 fluP deletion mutant (AfΔfluP) grew and accumulated aflatoxin normally but produced a lower amount of sclerotia than the parental strain. This was also true for the Aspergillus parasiticus BN9 fluP deletion mutant (ApΔfluP). The A. flavus fluP gene was positively regulated by developmental regulators of VeA and VelB but not by the global regulator of secondary metabolism, LaeA. Overexpression of fluP in AfΔfluP (OEfluP) elevated its ability to produce sclerotia compared to that of the parental strain. Coculture of OEfluP with CA14, AfΔfluP, ApΔfluP, or an A. flavus pptA deletion mutant incapable of producing functional polyketide synthases also allowed increased sclerotial production of the respective strains at edges where colonies made contact. Acetone extracts of OEfluP but not of AfΔfluP exhibited the same effect in promoting sclerotial production of AfΔfluP. These results suggest that FluP polyketide synthase is involved in the synthesis of a diffusible metabolite that could serve as a signal molecule to regulate sclerotiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124, United States. Electronic address: perngkuang.chang@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Perng-Kuang
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124, United States.
authors.forename: Leslie L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Scharfenstein
authors.affiliation: Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124, United States.
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, 460 Ottergemsesteenweg, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diana Di Mavungu
mesh_terms: D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D025282:Mycelium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D064210:Secondary Metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D048630:Polyketide Synthases
keywords: Aflatoxin; Gene cluster; Polyketide synthase; Sclerotia