title: A Polyketide Synthase Encoded by the Gene An15g07920 Is Involved in the Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A in Aspergillus niger.
abstract: The polyketide synthase gene An15g07920 was known in Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88 as putatively involved in the production of ochratoxin A (OTA). Genome resequencing analysis revealed that the gene An15g07920 is also present in the ochratoxin-producing A. niger strain 1062. Disruption of An15g07920 in A. niger 1062 removed its capacity to biosynthesize ochratoxin β (OTβ), ochratoxin α (OTα), and OTA. These results indicate that the polyketide synthase encoded by An15g07920 is a crucial player in the biosynthesis of OTA, in the pathway prior to the phenylalanine ligation step. The gene An15g07920 reached its maximum transcription level before OTA accumulation reached its highest level, confirming that gene transcription precedes OTA production. These findings will not only help explain the mechanism of OTA production in A. niger but also provide necessary information for the development of effective diagnostic, preventive, and control strategies to reduce the risk of OTA contamination in foods.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.|Tianjin SF-Bio Industrial Bio-Tec Co., Ltd. , Tianjin 300462, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8313-1433
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Liuyang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Haoyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4075-7115
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Depei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology , Tianjin 300457, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; D048630:Polyketide Synthases
keywords: Aspergillus niger; biosynthesis; gene expression; kinetics; ochratoxin A