Functional analyses of the versicolorin B synthase gene in Aspergillus flavus. Issue 4 (13th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ren, Silin; Yue, Yuewei; Li, Yu; Guo, Xiaodong; Wang, Shihua
• Is Part Of: MicrobiologyOpen. Volume 6:Issue 4(2017:Aug.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-06-13
• Subjects: aflatoxin -- Aspergillus flavus -- gene complementation strain -- gene deletion strain -- sclerotia; Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579
• DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.471
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-8827

Abstract

Abstract: Aflatoxin is a toxic, carcinogenic mycotoxin primarily produced by Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus . Previous studies have predicted the existence of more than 20 genes in the gene cluster involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis. Among these genes, aflK encodes versicolorin B synthase, which converts versiconal to versicolorin B. Past research has investigated aflK in A. parasiticus, but few studies have characterized aflK in the animal, plant, and human pathogen A. flavus . To understand the potential role of aflK in A. flavus, its function was investigated here for the first time using gene replacement and gene complementation strategies. The aflK deletion‐mutant ΔaflK exhibited a significant decrease in sclerotial production and aflatoxin biosynthesis compared with wild‐type and the complementation strain ΔaflK::aflK . ΔaflK did not affect the ability of A. flavus to infect seeds, but downregulated aflatoxin production after seed infection. This is the first report of a relationship between aflK and sclerotial production in A. flavus, and our findings indicate that aflK regulates aflatoxin formation. Abstract : It is the first time that an Aspergillus flavus aflK deletion strain and its complementation strain are constructed and first report about the influence of aflK on both sclerotial formation and aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus .