The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus
In filamentous fungi, homeobox proteins are conserved transcriptional regulators described to control conidiogenesis and fruiting body formation. Eight homeobox (hbx) genes are found in the genome of the aflatoxin-producing ascomycete, Aspergillus flavus. While loss-of-function of seven of the eight...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University Press
2019-01-01
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| Series: | G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.118.200870 |
| _version_ | 1831714294585098240 |
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| author | Jeffrey W. Cary Sarah Entwistle Timothy Satterlee Brian M. Mack Matthew K. Gilbert Perng K. Chang Leslie Scharfenstein Yanbin Yin Ana M. Calvo |
| author_facet | Jeffrey W. Cary Sarah Entwistle Timothy Satterlee Brian M. Mack Matthew K. Gilbert Perng K. Chang Leslie Scharfenstein Yanbin Yin Ana M. Calvo |
| author_sort | Jeffrey W. Cary |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In filamentous fungi, homeobox proteins are conserved transcriptional regulators described to control conidiogenesis and fruiting body formation. Eight homeobox (hbx) genes are found in the genome of the aflatoxin-producing ascomycete, Aspergillus flavus. While loss-of-function of seven of the eight genes had little to no effect on fungal growth and development, disruption of hbx1, resulted in aconidial colonies and lack of sclerotial production. Furthermore, the hbx1 mutant was unable to produce aflatoxins B1 and B2, cyclopiazonic acid and aflatrem. In the present study, hbx1 transcriptome analysis revealed that hbx1 has a broad effect on A. flavus gene expression, and the effect of hbx1 increases overtime, impacting more than five thousand protein-coding genes. Among the affected genes, those in the category of secondary metabolism (SM), followed by that of cellular transport, were the most affected. Specifically, regarding the effect of hbx1 on SM, we found that genes in 44 SM gene clusters where upregulated while 49 were downregulated in the absence of hbx1, including genes in the SM clusters responsible for the synthesis of asparasone, piperazine and aflavarin, all known to be associated with sclerotia. In addition, our study revealed that hbx1 affects the expression of other transcription factor genes involved in development, including the conidiation central regulatory pathway and flb genes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:57:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bcfa996e78034a6d9050303f40c19004 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2160-1836 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T23:57:17Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-bcfa996e78034a6d9050303f40c190042022-12-21T19:22:42ZengOxford University PressG3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics2160-18362019-01-019116717810.1534/g3.118.20087016The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavusJeffrey W. CarySarah EntwistleTimothy SatterleeBrian M. MackMatthew K. GilbertPerng K. ChangLeslie ScharfensteinYanbin YinAna M. CalvoIn filamentous fungi, homeobox proteins are conserved transcriptional regulators described to control conidiogenesis and fruiting body formation. Eight homeobox (hbx) genes are found in the genome of the aflatoxin-producing ascomycete, Aspergillus flavus. While loss-of-function of seven of the eight genes had little to no effect on fungal growth and development, disruption of hbx1, resulted in aconidial colonies and lack of sclerotial production. Furthermore, the hbx1 mutant was unable to produce aflatoxins B1 and B2, cyclopiazonic acid and aflatrem. In the present study, hbx1 transcriptome analysis revealed that hbx1 has a broad effect on A. flavus gene expression, and the effect of hbx1 increases overtime, impacting more than five thousand protein-coding genes. Among the affected genes, those in the category of secondary metabolism (SM), followed by that of cellular transport, were the most affected. Specifically, regarding the effect of hbx1 on SM, we found that genes in 44 SM gene clusters where upregulated while 49 were downregulated in the absence of hbx1, including genes in the SM clusters responsible for the synthesis of asparasone, piperazine and aflavarin, all known to be associated with sclerotia. In addition, our study revealed that hbx1 affects the expression of other transcription factor genes involved in development, including the conidiation central regulatory pathway and flb genes.http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.118.200870Aspergillus flavushbx1secondary metabolismfungal developmenttranscriptome |
| spellingShingle | Jeffrey W. Cary Sarah Entwistle Timothy Satterlee Brian M. Mack Matthew K. Gilbert Perng K. Chang Leslie Scharfenstein Yanbin Yin Ana M. Calvo The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics Aspergillus flavus hbx1 secondary metabolism fungal development transcriptome |
| title | The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus |
| title_full | The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus |
| title_fullStr | The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus |
| title_short | The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus Aspergillus flavus |
| title_sort | transcriptional regulator hbx1 affects the expression of thousands of genes in the aflatoxin producing fungus aspergillus flavus |
| topic | Aspergillus flavus hbx1 secondary metabolism fungal development transcriptome |
| url | http://g3journal.org/lookup/doi/10.1534/g3.118.200870 |
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