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Yang K, Luo Y, Sun T, Qiu H, Geng Q, Li Y, Liu M, Keller NP, Song F, Tian J. Nitric oxide-mediated regulation of Aspergillus flavus asexual development by targeting TCA cycle and mitochondrial function. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134385. [PMID: 38678711 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule with diverse roles in various organisms. However, its role in the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus flavus remains unclear. This study investigates the potential of NO, mediated by metabolites from A. oryzae (AO), as an antifungal strategy against A. flavus. We demonstrated that AO metabolites effectively suppressed A. flavus asexual development, a critical stage in its lifecycle. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that AO metabolites induced NO synthesis genes, leading to increased intracellular NO levels. Reducing intracellular NO content rescued A. flavus spores from germination inhibition caused by AO metabolites. Furthermore, exogenous NO treatment and dysfunction of flavohemoglobin Fhb1, a key NO detoxification enzyme, significantly impaired A. flavus asexual development. RNA-sequencing and metabolomic analyses revealed significant metabolic disruptions within tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle upon AO treatment. NO treatment significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and ATP generation. Additionally, aberrant metabolic flux within the TCA cycle was observed upon NO treatment. Further analysis revealed that NO induced S-nitrosylation of five key TCA cycle enzymes. Genetic analysis demonstrated that the S-nitrosylated Aconitase Acon and one subunit of succinate dehydrogenase Sdh2 played crucial roles in A. flavus development by regulating ATP production. This study highlights the potential of NO as a novel antifungal strategy to control A. flavus by compromising its mitochondrial function and energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunlong Yang
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China.
| | - Yue Luo
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Tongzheng Sun
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Han Qiu
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Qingru Geng
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Yongxin Li
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Man Liu
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, USA; Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA
| | - Fengqin Song
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China.
| | - Jun Tian
- JSNU-UWEC Joint Laboratory of Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China.
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Wu X, Zhang T, Zhang K, Zhang R, Shi M, Gu C, Shi T, Lu L, Xue F, Xu Q, Zhang C. The forced activation of asexual conidiation in Aspergillus niger simplifies bioproduction. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2024; 9:277-284. [PMID: 38496318 PMCID: PMC10942867 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus niger is an efficient cell factory for organic acids production, particularly l-malic acid, through genetic manipulation. However, the traditional method of collecting A. niger spores for inoculation is labor-intensive and resource-consuming. In our study, we used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to replace the promoter of brlA, a key gene in Aspergillus conidiation, with a xylose-inducible promoter xylP in l-malic acid-producing A. niger strain RG0095, generating strain brlAxylP. When induced with xylose in submerged liquid culture, brlAxylP exhibited significant upregulation of conidiation-related genes. This induction allowed us to easily collect an abundance of brlAxylP spores (>7.1 × 106/mL) in liquid xylose medium. Significantly, the submerged conidiation approach preserves the substantial potential of A. niger as a foundational cellular platform for the biosynthesis of organic acids, including but not limited to l-malic acid. In summary, our study offers a simplified submerged conidiation strategy to streamline the preparation stage and reduce labor and material costs for industrial organic acid production using Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Wu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Man Shi
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chenlei Gu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Tianqiong Shi
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ling Lu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Feng Xue
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Qing Xu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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3
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Suzawa T, Iwama R, Fukuda R, Horiuchi H. Phosphatidylcholine levels regulate hyphal elongation and differentiation in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11729. [PMID: 38778216 PMCID: PMC11111764 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62580-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms that differentiate into diverse cellular forms. Recent research demonstrated that phospholipid homeostasis is crucial for the morphogenesis of filamentous fungi. However, phospholipids involved in the morphological regulation are yet to be systematically analyzed. In this study, we artificially controlled the amount of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a primary membrane lipid in many eukaryotes, in a filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae, by deleting the genes involved in PC synthesis or by repressing their expression. Under the condition where only a small amount of PC was synthesized, A. oryzae hardly formed aerial hyphae, the basic structures for asexual development. In contrast, hyphae were formed on the surface or in the interior of agar media (we collectively called substrate hyphae) under the same conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that supplying sufficient choline to the media led to the formation of aerial hyphae from the substrate hyphae. We suggested that acyl chains in PC were shorter in the substrate hyphae than in the aerial hyphae by utilizing the strain in which intracellular PC levels were controlled. Our findings suggested that the PC levels regulate hyphal elongation and differentiation processes in A. oryzae and that phospholipid composition varied depending on the hyphal types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuki Suzawa
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Ryo Iwama
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Ryouichi Fukuda
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Horiuchi
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
- Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
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Huang Y, Jia L, Chen F. Effects of MrwetA on Sexual Reproduction and Secondary Metabolism of Monascus ruber M7 Based on Transcriptome Analysis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:338. [PMID: 38786694 PMCID: PMC11122622 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
wetA, one of the conidiation center regulatory genes in many filamentous fungi, plays an important role in promoting asexual spores (conidia) maturation. Our recent research has found that knocking out or overexpressing MrwetA (a homolog of wetA) in Monascus ruber M7 does not affect the development of its asexual spores like other fungi, but both repress the development of its sexual spores (ascospores). However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the function of MrwetA on sexual reproduction and secondary metabolism in M. ruber M7 was confirmed by a complementary experiment. Moreover, the regulatory roles of MrwetA in modulating the expression of genes involved in sexual reproduction, meiosis, and biosynthesis of Monascus pigment and citrinin were analyzed based on the transcriptional data. These results not only contribute to clarifying the regulation of the reproduction and secondary metabolism of Monascus spp., but also to enriching the regulation molecular mechanism of reproduction in filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyun Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lili Jia
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Fusheng Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Chen X, Moran Torres JP, Jan Vonk P, Damen JMA, Reiding KR, Dijksterhuis J, Lugones LG, Wösten HAB. The pleiotropic phenotype of FlbA of Aspergillus niger is explained in part by the activity of seven of its downstream-regulated transcription factors. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 172:103894. [PMID: 38657897 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Inactivation of flbA in Aspergillus niger results in thinner cell walls, increased cell lysis, abolished sporulation, and an increased secretome complexity. A total of 36 transcription factor (TF) genes are differentially expressed in ΔflbA. Here, seven of these genes (abaA, aslA, aslB, azf1, htfA, nosA, and srbA) were inactivated. Inactivation of each of these genes affected sporulation and, with the exception of abaA, cell wall integrity and protein secretion. The impact on secretion was strongest in the case of ΔaslA and ΔaslB that showed increased pepsin, cellulase, and amylase activity. Biomass was reduced of agar cultures of ΔabaA, ΔaslA, ΔnosA, and ΔsrbA, while biomass was higher in liquid shaken cultures of ΔaslA and ΔaslB. The ΔaslA and ΔhtfA strains showed increased resistance to H2O2, while ΔaslB was more sensitive to this reactive oxygen species. Together, inactivation of the seven TF genes impacted biomass formation, sporulation, protein secretion, and stress resistance, and thereby these genes explain at least part of the pleiotropic phenotype of ΔflbA of A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Chen
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Juan P Moran Torres
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Peter Jan Vonk
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - J Mirjam A Damen
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Karli R Reiding
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Luis G Lugones
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Han A B Wösten
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Ainousah BE, Ibrahim SRM, Alzain AA, Mohamed SGA, Hussein HGA, Ashour A, Abdallah HM, Mohamed GA. Exploring the potential of Aspergillus wentii: secondary metabolites and biological properties. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:216. [PMID: 38619638 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03934-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Fungi are of considerable importance due to their capacity to biosynthesize various secondary metabolites with bioactive properties that draw high attention in new drug discovery with beneficial uses for improving human well-being and life quality. Aspergillus genus members are widespread and cosmopolitan species with varying economic significance in the fields of industry, medicine, and agriculture. Its species are renowned for their biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, characterized by both potent biological activity and structural novelty, making them a substantial reservoir for the development of new pharmaceuticals. The current work aimed at focusing on one species of this genus, Aspergillus wentii Wehmer, including its reported secondary metabolites in the period from 1951 to November 2023. A total of 97 compounds, including nitro-compounds, terpenoids, anthraquinones, xanthones, benzamides, and glucans. A summary of their bioactivities, as well as their biosynthesis was highlighted. Additionally, the reported applications of this fungus and its enzymes have been discussed. This review offers a useful reference that can direct future research into this fungus and its active metabolites, as well as their possible pharmacological and biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayan E Ainousah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, 21955, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin R M Ibrahim
- Preparatory Year Program, Department of Chemistry, Batterjee Medical College, 21442, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
| | - Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Gezira, Sudan
| | - Shaimaa G A Mohamed
- Faculty of Dentistry, British University, El Sherouk City, Suez Desert Road, Cairo, 11837, Egypt
| | - Hazem G A Hussein
- Preparatory Year Program, Batterjee Medical College, 21442, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Ashour
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, 11942, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Hossam M Abdallah
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
| | - Gamal A Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Shankar J, Thakur R, Clemons KV, Stevens DA. Interplay of Cytokines and Chemokines in Aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:251. [PMID: 38667922 PMCID: PMC11051073 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by various species of Aspergillus, most notably A. fumigatus. This fungus causes a spectrum of diseases, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and invasive aspergillosis. The clinical manifestations and severity of aspergillosis can vary depending on individual immune status and the specific species of Aspergillus involved. The recognition of Aspergillus involves pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as glucan, galactomannan, mannose, and conidial surface proteins. These are recognized by the pathogen recognition receptors present on immune cells such as Toll-like receptors (TLR-1,2,3,4, etc.) and C-type lectins (Dectin-1 and Dectin-2). We discuss the roles of cytokines and pathogen recognition in aspergillosis from both the perspective of human and experimental infection. Several cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in the immune response to Aspergillus infection, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), CCR4, CCR17, and other interleukins. For example, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by Th2 and Th9 cell-type immunity and involves interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-10. In contrast, it has been observed that invasive aspergillosis involves Th1 and Th17 cell-type immunity via IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-17. These cytokines activate various immune cells and stimulate the production of other immune molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species, which aid in the clearance of the fungal pathogen. Moreover, they help to initiate and coordinate the immune response, recruit immune cells to the site of infection, and promote clearance of the fungus. Insight into the host response from both human and animal studies may aid in understanding the immune response in aspergillosis, possibly leading to harnessing the power of cytokines or cytokine (receptor) antagonists and transforming them into precise immunotherapeutic strategies. This could advance personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India;
| | - Karl V. Clemons
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David A. Stevens
- California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA 95128, USA; (K.V.C.); (D.A.S.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Sun Z, Wu Y, Long S, Feng S, Jia X, Hu Y, Ma M, Liu J, Zeng B. Aspergillus oryzae as a Cell Factory: Research and Applications in Industrial Production. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:248. [PMID: 38667919 PMCID: PMC11051239 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus oryzae, a biosafe strain widely utilized in bioproduction and fermentation technology, exhibits a robust hydrolytic enzyme secretion system. Therefore, it is frequently employed as a cell factory for industrial enzyme production. Moreover, A. oryzae has the ability to synthesize various secondary metabolites, such as kojic acid and L-malic acid. Nevertheless, the complex secretion system and protein expression regulation mechanism of A. oryzae pose challenges for expressing numerous heterologous products. By leveraging synthetic biology and novel genetic engineering techniques, A. oryzae has emerged as an ideal candidate for constructing cell factories. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest advancements in the application of A. oryzae-based cell factories in industrial production. These studies suggest that metabolic engineering and optimization of protein expression regulation are key elements in realizing the widespread industrial application of A. oryzae cell factories. It is anticipated that this review will pave the way for more effective approaches and research avenues in the future implementation of A. oryzae cell factories in industrial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeao Sun
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (Z.S.); (S.F.)
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Yijian Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Shihua Long
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Sai Feng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (Z.S.); (S.F.)
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Xiao Jia
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Yan Hu
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Maomao Ma
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Jingxin Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Bin Zeng
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (Y.W.); (S.L.); (X.J.); (Y.H.); (M.M.)
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Atanasoff-Kardjalieff AK, Berger H, Steinert K, Janevska S, Ponts N, Humpf HU, Kalinina S, Studt-Reinhold L. Incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z counteracts gene silencing mediated by H3K27 trimethylation in Fusarium fujikuroi. Epigenetics Chromatin 2024; 17:7. [PMID: 38509556 PMCID: PMC10953111 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-024-00532-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fusarium fujikuroi is a pathogen of rice causing diverse disease symptoms such as 'bakanae' or stunting, most likely due to the production of various natural products (NPs) during infection. Fusaria have the genetic potential to synthesize a plethora of these compounds with often diverse bioactivity. The capability to synthesize NPs exceeds the number of those being produced by far, implying a gene regulatory network decisive to induce production. One such regulatory layer is the chromatin structure and chromatin-based modifications associated with it. One prominent example is the exchange of histones against histone variants such as the H2A variant H2A.Z. Though H2A.Z already is well studied in several model organisms, its regulatory functions are not well understood. Here, we used F. fujikuroi as a model to explore the role of the prominent histone variant FfH2A.Z in gene expression within euchromatin and facultative heterochromatin. RESULTS Through the combination of diverse '-omics' methods, we show the global distribution of FfH2A.Z and analyze putative crosstalks between the histone variant and two prominent histone marks, i.e., H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, important for active gene transcription and silencing, respectively. We demonstrate that, if FfH2A.Z is positioned at the + 1-nucleosome, it poises chromatin for gene transcription, also within facultative heterochromatin. Lastly, functional characterization of FfH2A.Z overexpression and depletion mutants revealed that FfH2A.Z is important for wild type-like fungal development and secondary metabolism. CONCLUSION In this study, we show that the histone variant FfH2A.Z is a mark of positive gene transcription and acts independently of the chromatin state most likely through the stabilization of the + 1-nucleosome. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FfH2A.Z depletion does not influence the establishment of both H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, thus indicating no crosstalk between FfH2A.Z and both histone marks. These results highlight the manifold functions of the histone variant FfH2A.Z in the phytopathogen F. fujikuroi, which are distinct regarding gene transcription and crosstalk with the two prominent histone marks H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, as proposed for other model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Atanasoff-Kardjalieff
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln an der Donau, 3430, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln an der Donau, 3430, Austria
| | - Katharina Steinert
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Slavica Janevska
- (Epi-)Genetic Regulation of Fungal Virulence, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Nadia Ponts
- INRAE, UR1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), Villenave d'Ornon, 33882, France
| | - Hans-Ulrich Humpf
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Svetlana Kalinina
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Lena Studt-Reinhold
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln an der Donau, 3430, Austria.
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10
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Son YE, Park HS. SscA is required for fungal development, aflatoxin production, and pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 413:110607. [PMID: 38308877 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Fungal spores are specialized dormant cells that act as primary reproductive biological particles and exhibit strong viability under extremely harsh conditions. They contaminate a variety of crops and foods, causing severe health hazards to humans and animals. Previous studies demonstrated that a spore-specific transcription factor SscA plays pivotal roles in the conidiogenesis of the model organism Aspergillus nidulans. In this study, we investigated the biological and genetic functions of SscA in the aflatoxin-producing fungus A. flavus. Deletion of sscA showed reduced conidia formation, lost long-term viability, and exhibited more sensitivity to thermal, oxidative, and radiative stresses. The sscA-deficient strain showed increased aflatoxin B1 production in conidia as well as mycelia. Importantly, the absence of sscA affected fungal pathogenicity on crops. Further transcriptomic and phenotypic studies suggested that SscA coordinates conidial wall structures. Overall, SscA is important for conidial formation, maturation and dormancy, mycotoxin production, and pathogenicity in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Jiang W, Guo M, Yu J, Fan C, Yang M, Pang X. Variations of the fungal microbiome in Corydalis Rhizoma with different collection areas, processing methods, and storage conditions. Food Res Int 2024; 180:114045. [PMID: 38395573 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Corydalis Rhizoma (CR, Yanhusuo in Chinese) has been widely used as an analgesic in herbal medicine and functional food. Cases of fungal and mycotoxin contamination in CR have been reported. In this study, the composition and diversity of fungal microbiome in CR samples from four herbal markets and two processing methods were investigated by DNA metabarcoding. Variations of the fungal microbiome in CR during cold and conventional storage were monitored. Results showed that Aspergillus was the dominant genus and saprotroph was the dominant trophic mode. Six potential toxigenic fungi, namely, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus ostianus, Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium oxalicum, and Trichothecium roseum, were detected. Differences in fungal composition and diversity among various groups based on collection areas and processing methods were also observed. Moreover, the relative abundance of dominant genera in CR samples stored at different temperatures was significantly different and changed with storage time. This study is the first to reveal the influence of collection areas, processing methods, and storage conditions on the fungal microbiome in CR, which was expected to provide a basis for control strategies of fungal contamination in the industrial chain of CR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Jiang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mengyue Guo
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jingsheng Yu
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chune Fan
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Meihua Yang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaohui Pang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
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12
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Son YE, Park HS. Coordination of two regulators SscA and VosA in Aspergillus nidulans conidia. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 171:103877. [PMID: 38447800 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Airborne fungal spores are a major cause of fungal diseases in humans, animals, and plants as well as contamination of foods. Previous studies found a variety of regulators including VosA, VelB, WetA, and SscA for sporogenesis and the long-term viability in Aspergillus nidulans. To gain a mechanistic understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms in asexual spores, here, we focused on the relationship between VosA and SscA using comparative transcriptomic analysis and phenotypic studies. The ΔsscA ΔvosA double-mutant conidia have lower spore viability and stress tolerance compared to the ΔsscA or ΔvosA single mutant conidia. Deletion of sscA or vosA affects chitin levels and mRNA levels of chitin biosynthetic genes in conidia. In addition, SscA and VosA are required for the dormant state of conidia and conidial germination by modulating the mRNA levels of the cytoskeleton and development-associated genes. Overall, these results suggest that SscA and VosA play interdependent roles in governing spore maturation, dormancy, and germination in A. nidulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Zhang TT, Xu X, Lv M. Measurement and prediction of the Aspergillus niger spore detachment from a vesicle unit subjected to air-blowing. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168714. [PMID: 38007138 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Detachment of fungal spores from growing colonies results in human exposure. Thus far, the distribution of the binding forces of the spores in a fungal unit is unknown, so that precise prediction of the spores detachment is quite challenging. This investigation used centrifugal separation to measure the binding forces of the spores. Aspergillus niger (A. niger) colonies on a culture plate were placed in a centrifuge, the detached spores were counted, and this number was used to obtain the distribution of binding forces. Next, the air-blowing of an A. niger unit was modeled by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A spore was judged to be detached if the air-imposed drag force was greater than the binding force. For model validation, the predicted spore detachment ratios were compared with the ratios measured in a wind tunnel test. The results revealed that the binding forces of the spores obeyed the log-normal distribution. The binding forces of the distal spores from colonies with a growth age of 66 h ranged from 0 nN to 4.0 nN and had a mean of 0.65 nN. The CFD modeling predicted the detachment ratios of the distal spores with good accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Tim Zhang
- Tianjin Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; School of Civil Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Xinzi Xu
- Tianjin Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengqiang Lv
- Tianjin Laboratory of Indoor Air Environmental Quality Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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14
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Ijadpanahsaravi M, Snoek LB, Teertstra WR, Wösten HAB. The impact of inter- and intra-species spore density on germination of the food spoilage fungus Aspergillus niger. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 410:110495. [PMID: 37980813 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Aspergilli can be used to produce food but can spoil it as well. Both food production and spoilage are initiated by germination of the conidia of these fungi that have been introduced by inoculation and contamination, respectively. Germination of these spores includes activation, swelling, establishment of cell polarity, and formation of a germ tube. So far, only quantitative single-species germination studies of fungal spores have been performed. Here, spore germination of the food spoilage fungus Aspergillus niger was studied quantitatively in mono-culture or when mixed with other food-relevant aspergilli (Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus clavatus, and Aspergillus oryzae). In the presence of the germination inducing amino acids proline or alanine, but not in the case of the lowly inducing amino acid arginine, the incidence of swelling and germ tube formation was reduced when 35,000 extra conidia of Aspergillus niger were added to wells containing 5000 of these spores. Adding 35,000 spores of one of the other aspergilli also did not have an effect on germination in the presence of arginine, but the germination inhibition was stronger when compared to the extra A. niger spores in the case of alanine. A similar effect was obtained with proline. Together, results show that the germination of A. niger conidia is impacted by the density of its own spores and that of other aspergilli under favorable nutritional conditions. These results increase our understanding of food spoilage by fungi and can be used to optimize food production with fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ijadpanahsaravi
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - L Basten Snoek
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Wieke R Teertstra
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Han A B Wösten
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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15
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Pan J, Yang X, Hu C, Fu T, Zhang X, Liu Z, Wang Y, Zhang F, He X, Yu JH. Functional, transcriptomic, and lipidomic studies of the choC gene encoding a phospholipid methyltransferase in Aspergillus fumigatus. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0216823. [PMID: 38009944 PMCID: PMC10783049 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02168-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This study explored the phospholipid metabolic pathway in A. fumigatus and its relationship with fungal growth, metabolism, and pathogenicity. ChoC, based on its critical roles in many aspects of the fungus and relatively conserved characteristics in filamentous fungi with low similarity with mammalian ones, can be a novel target of new antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Pan
- Institute for Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Cuiting Hu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tongtong Fu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuyan Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zijun Liu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute for Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Fengyu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoyuan He
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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16
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Cleere MM, Novodvorska M, Geib E, Whittaker J, Dalton H, Salih N, Hewitt S, Kokolski M, Brock M, Dyer PS. New colours for old in the blue-cheese fungus Penicillium roqueforti. NPJ Sci Food 2024; 8:3. [PMID: 38191473 PMCID: PMC10774375 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-023-00244-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Penicillium roqueforti is used worldwide in the production of blue-veined cheese. The blue-green colour derives from pigmented spores formed by fungal growth. Using a combination of bioinformatics, targeted gene deletions, and heterologous gene expression we discovered that pigment formation was due to a DHN-melanin biosynthesis pathway. Systematic deletion of pathway genes altered the arising spore colour, yielding white to yellow-green to red-pink-brown phenotypes, demonstrating the potential to generate new coloured strains. There was no consistent impact on mycophenolic acid production as a result of pathway interruption although levels of roquefortine C were altered in some deletants. Importantly, levels of methyl-ketones associated with blue-cheese flavour were not impacted. UV-induced colour mutants, allowed in food production, were then generated. A range of colours were obtained and certain phenotypes were successfully mapped to pathway gene mutations. Selected colour mutants were subsequently used in cheese production and generated expected new colourations with no elevated mycotoxins, offering the exciting prospect of use in future cheese manufacture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Cleere
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center; Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY10031, USA
| | - Michaela Novodvorska
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Geib
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Whittaker
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Dalton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Nadhira Salih
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Sarah Hewitt
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Kokolski
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Brock
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Paul S Dyer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
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17
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Ding X, Liu W, Liu K, Gao X, Liu Y. The Deletion of LeuRS Revealed Its Important Roles in Osmotic Stress Tolerance, Amino Acid and Sugar Metabolism, and the Reproduction Process of Aspergillus montevidensis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:36. [PMID: 38248946 PMCID: PMC10820851 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus montevidensis is an important domesticated fungus that has been applied to produce many traditional fermented foods under high osmotic conditions. However, the detailed mechanisms of tolerance to osmotic stress remain largely unknown. Here, we construct a target-deleted strain (ΔLeuRS) of A. montevidensis and found that the ΔLeuRS mutants grew slowly and suppressed the development of the cleistothecium compared to the wide-type strains (WT) under salt-stressed and non-stressed conditions. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (p < 0.001) governed by LeuRS were involved in salt tolerance, ABC transporter, amino acid metabolism, sugar metabolism, and the reproduction process. The ΔLeuRS strains compared to WT strains under short- and long-term salinity stress especially altered accumulation levels of metabolites, such as amino acids and derivatives, carbohydrates, organic acids, and fatty acids. This study provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of salinity tolerance and lays a foundation for flavor improvement of foods fermented with A. montevidensis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kaihui Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, China (Y.L.)
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18
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Studt-Reinhold L, Atanasoff-Kardjalieff AK, Berger H, Petersen C, Bachleitner S, Sulyok M, Fischle A, Humpf HU, Kalinina S, Søndergaard TE. H3K27me3 is vital for fungal development and secondary metabolite gene silencing, and substitutes for the loss of H3K9me3 in the plant pathogen Fusarium proliferatum. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011075. [PMID: 38166117 PMCID: PMC10786395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Facultative heterochromatin marked by histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) is an important regulatory layer involved in secondary metabolite (SM) gene silencing and crucial for fungal development in the genus Fusarium. While this histone mark is essential in some (e.g., the rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi), it appears dispensable in other fusaria. Here, we show that deletion of FpKMT6 is detrimental but not lethal in the plant pathogen Fusarium proliferatum, a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC). Loss of FpKmt6 results in aberrant growth, and expression of a large set of previously H3K27me3-silenced genes is accompanied by increased H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac) and an altered H3K36me3 pattern. Next, H3K9me3 patterns are affected in Δfpkmt6, indicating crosstalk between both heterochromatic marks that became even more obvious in a strain deleted for FpKMT1 encoding the H3K9-specific histone methyltransferase. In Δfpkmt1, all H3K9me3 marks present in the wild-type strain are replaced by H3K27me3, a finding that may explain the subtle phenotype of the Δfpkmt1 strain which stands in marked contrast to other filamentous fungi. A large proportion of SM-encoding genes is allocated with H3K27me3 in the wild-type strain and loss of H3K27me3 results in elevated expression of 49% of them. Interestingly, genes involved in the biosynthesis of the phytohormones gibberellins (GA) are among the most upregulated genes in Δfpkmt6. Although several FFSC members harbor GA biosynthetic genes, its production is largely restricted to F. fujikuroi, possibly outlining the distinct lifestyles of these notorious plant pathogens. We show that H3K27me3 is involved in GA gene silencing in F. proliferatum and at least one additional FFSC member, and thus, may serve as a regulatory layer for gene silencing under non-favoring conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Studt-Reinhold
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Anna K. Atanasoff-Kardjalieff
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Celine Petersen
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Simone Bachleitner
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Alica Fischle
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Humpf
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
| | - Svetlana Kalinina
- University of Münster, Institute of Food Chemistry, Münster, Germany
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19
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Lu S, Deng H, Lin Y, Huang M, You H, Zhang Y, Zhuang W, Lu G, Yun Y. A Network of Sporogenesis-Responsive Genes Regulates the Growth, Asexual Sporogenesis, Pathogenesis and Fusaric Acid Production of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 10:1. [PMID: 38276017 PMCID: PMC10820103 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The conidia produced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), the causative agent of Fusarium Wilt of Banana (FWB), play central roles in the disease cycle, as the pathogen lacks a sexual reproduction process. Until now, the molecular regulation network of asexual sporogenesis has not been clearly understood in Foc. Herein, we identified and functionally characterized thirteen (13) putative sporulation-responsive genes in Foc, namely FocmedA(a), FocmedA(b), abaA-L, FocflbA, FocflbB, FocflbC, FocflbD, FocstuA, FocveA, FocvelB, wetA-L, FocfluG and Foclae1. We demonstrated that FocmedA(a), abaA-L, wetA-L, FocflbA, FocflbD, FocstuA, FocveA and Foclae1 mediate conidiophore formation, whereas FocmedA(a) and abaA-L are important for phialide formation and conidiophore formation. The expression level of abaA-L was significantly decreased in the ΔFocmedA(a) mutant, and yeast one-hybrid and ChIP-qPCR analyses further confirmed that FocMedA(a) could bind to the promoter of abaA-L during micro- and macroconidiation. Moreover, the transcript abundance of the wetA-L gene was significantly reduced in the ΔabaA-L mutant, and it not only was found to function as an activator of micro- and macroconidium formation but also served as a repressor of chlamydospore production. In addition, the deletions of FocflbB, FocflbC, FocstuA and Foclae1 resulted in increased chlamydosporulation, whereas FocflbD and FocvelB gene deletions reduced chlamydosporulation. Furthermore, FocflbC, FocflbD, Foclae1 and FocmedA(a) were found to be important regulators for pathogenicity and fusaric acid synthesis in Foc. The present study therefore advances our understanding of the regulation pathways of the asexual development and functional interdependence of sporulation-responsive genes in Foc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songmao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
- Fujian Institute of Tropical Crops, Zhangzhou 363001, China
| | - Huobing Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Yaqi Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Meimei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Haixia You
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Weijian Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, Oil Crops Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Guodong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
| | - Yingzi Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350001, China; (S.L.); (H.D.); (Y.L.); (M.H.); (H.Y.); (Y.Z.); (W.Z.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Monitoring and Integrated Management of Crop Pests, Fuzhou 350001, China
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20
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Seekles SJ, van den Brule T, Punt M, Dijksterhuis J, Arentshorst M, Ijadpanahsaravi M, Roseboom W, Meuken G, Ongenae V, Zwerus J, Ohm RA, Kramer G, Wösten HAB, de Winde JH, Ram AFJ. Compatible solutes determine the heat resistance of conidia. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2023; 10:21. [PMID: 37957766 PMCID: PMC10644514 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-023-00168-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asexually developed fungal spores (conidia) are key for the massive proliferation and dispersal of filamentous fungi. Germination of conidia and subsequent formation of a mycelium network give rise to many societal problems related to human and animal fungal diseases, post-harvest food spoilage, loss of harvest caused by plant-pathogenic fungi and moulding of buildings. Conidia are highly stress resistant compared to the vegetative mycelium and therefore even more difficult to tackle. RESULTS In this study, complementary approaches are used to show that accumulation of mannitol and trehalose as the main compatible solutes during spore maturation is a key factor for heat resistance of conidia. Compatible solute concentrations increase during conidia maturation, correlating with increased heat resistance of mature conidia. This maturation only occurs when conidia are attached to the conidiophore. Moreover, conidia of a mutant Aspergillus niger strain, constructed by deleting genes involved in mannitol and trehalose synthesis and consequently containing low concentrations of these compatible solutes, exhibit a sixteen orders of magnitude more sensitive heat shock phenotype compared to wild-type conidia. Cultivation at elevated temperature results in adaptation of conidia with increased heat resistance. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed two putative heat shock proteins to be upregulated under these conditions. However, conidia of knock-out strains lacking these putative heat shock proteins did not show a reduced heat resistance. CONCLUSIONS Heat stress resistance of fungal conidia is mainly determined by the compatible solute composition established during conidia maturation. To prevent heat resistant fungal spore contaminants, food processing protocols should consider environmental conditions stimulating compatible solute accumulation and potentially use compatible solute biosynthesis as a novel food preservation target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J Seekles
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Tom van den Brule
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Punt
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Arentshorst
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maryam Ijadpanahsaravi
- Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Winfried Roseboom
- Mass Spectrometry of Biomolecules, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gwendolin Meuken
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Véronique Ongenae
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jordy Zwerus
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Robin A Ohm
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gertjan Kramer
- Mass Spectrometry of Biomolecules, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Han A B Wösten
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes H de Winde
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Arthur F J Ram
- TiFN, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Microbial Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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21
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Son YE, Yu JH, Park HS. The novel spore-specific regulator SscA controls Aspergillus conidiogenesis. mBio 2023; 14:e0184023. [PMID: 37707170 PMCID: PMC10653911 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01840-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Filamentous fungi produce myriads of asexual spores, which are the main reproductive particles that act as infectious or allergenic agents. Although the serial of asexual sporogenesis is coordinated by various genetic regulators, there remain uncharacterized transcription factors in Aspergillus. To understand the underlying mechanism of spore formation, integrity, and viability, we have performed comparative transcriptomic analyses on three Aspergillus species and found a spore-specific transcription factor, SscA. SscA has a major role in conidial formation, maturation and dormancy, and germination in Aspergillus nidulans. Functional studies indicate that SscA coordinates conidial wall integrity, amino acid production, and secondary metabolism in A. nidulans conidia. Furthermore, the roles of SscA are conserved in other Aspergillus species. Our findings that the SscA has broad functions in Aspergillus conidia will help to understand the conidiogenesis of Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
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22
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Bai N, Xie M, Liu Q, Zhu Y, Yang X, Zhang KQ, Yang J. AoMedA has a complex regulatory relationship with AoBrlA, AoAbaA, and AoWetA in conidiation, trap formation, and secondary metabolism in the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0098323. [PMID: 37655869 PMCID: PMC10537773 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00983-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The asexual sporulation of filamentous fungi is an important mechanism for their reproduction, survival, and pathogenicity. In Aspergillus and several filamentous fungi, BrlA, AbaA, and WetA are the key elements of a central regulatory pathway controlling conidiation, and MedA is a developmental modifier that regulates temporal expression of central regulatory genes; however, their roles are largely unknown in nematode-trapping (NT) fungi. Arthrobotrys oligospora is a representative NT fungus, which can capture nematodes by producing adhesive networks (traps). Here, we characterized the function of AoMedA and three central developmental regulators (AoBrlA, AoAbaA, and AoWetA) in A. oligospora by gene disruption, phenotypic comparison, and multi-omics analyses, as these regulators are required for conidiation and play divergent roles in mycelial development, trap formation, lipid droplet accumulation, vacuole assembly, and secondary metabolism. A combined analysis of phenotypic traits and transcriptome showed that AoMedA and AoWetA are involved in the regulation of peroxisome, endocytosis, and autophagy. Moreover, yeast one-hybrid analysis showed that AoBrlA can regulate AoMedA, AoAbaA, and AoWetA, whereas AoMedA and AoAbaA can regulate AoWetA. Our results highlight the important roles of AoMedA, AoBrlA, AoAbaA, and AoWetA in conidiation, mycelia development, trap formation, and pathogenicity of A. oligospora and provide a basis for elucidating the relationship between conidiation and trap formation of NT fungi. IMPORTANCE Conidiation is the most common reproductive mode for many filamentous fungi and plays an essential role in the pathogenicity of fungal pathogens. Nematode-trapping (NT) fungi are a special group of filamentous fungi owing to their innate abilities to capture and digest nematodes by producing traps (trapping devices). Sporulation plays an important role in the growth and reproduction of NT fungi, and conidia are the basic components of biocontrol reagents for controlling diseases caused by plant-parasitic nematodes. Arthrobotrys oligospora is a well-known NT fungus and is a routinely used model fungus for probing the interaction between fungi and nematodes. In this study, the functions of four key regulators (AoMedA, AoBrlA, AoAbaA, and AoWetA) involved in conidiation were characterized in A. oligospora. A complex interaction between AoMedA and three central regulators was noted; these regulators are required for conidiation and trap formation and play a pleiotropic role in multiple intracellular activities. Our study first revealed the role of AoMedA and three central regulators in conidiation, trap formation, and pathogenicity of A. oligospora, which contributed to elucidating the regulatory mechanism of conidiation in NT fungi and helped in developing effective reagents for biocontrol of nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Bai
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Meihua Xie
- School of Resource, Environment and Chemistry, Chuxiong Normal University, Chuxiong, China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Yingmei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xuewei Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Ke-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Jinkui Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources & Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
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23
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Vieira L, Filipe D, Amaral D, Magalhães R, Martins N, Ferreira M, Ozorio R, Salgado J, Belo I, Oliva-Teles A, Peres H. Solid-State Fermentation as Green Technology to Improve the Use of Plant Feedstuffs as Ingredients in Diets for European Sea Bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax) Juveniles. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2692. [PMID: 37684956 PMCID: PMC10486719 DOI: 10.3390/ani13172692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the utilization by juvenile European sea bass of a SSFed PF mixture with Aspergillus niger CECT 2088. A 22-day digestibility and a 50-day growth trial were performed testing four diets, including 20 or 40% of an unfermented or SSFed PF mixture (rapeseed, soybean, rice bran, and sunflower seed meals, 25% each). SSF of the PF added cellulase and β-glucosidase activity to the diets. Mycotoxin contamination was not detected in any of the experimental diets except for residual levels of zearalenone and deoxynivalenol (100 and 600 times lower than that established by the European Commission Recommendation-2006/576/EC). In diets including 20% PF, SSF did not affect growth but increased apparent digestibility coefficients of protein and energy, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio. On the contrary, in diets including 40% PF, SSF decreased growth performance, feed intake, feed and protein efficiency, and diet digestibility. SSF decreased the intestinal amylase activity in the 40% SSFed diet, while total alkaline proteases decreased in the 20% and 40% SSFed diets. Hepatic amino acid catabolic enzyme activity was not modulated by SSF, and plasma total protein, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were similar among dietary treatments. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of moderate levels of the SSFed PF, up to 20%, improves the overall feed utilization efficiency without negatively impacting European sea bass growth performance. The replacement of PF with the SSFed PF mixture may contribute to reducing the environmental footprint of aquaculture production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lúcia Vieira
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo Filipe
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo Amaral
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Magalhães
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nicole Martins
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Ferreira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Ozorio
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - José Salgado
- Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering Group “BiotecnIA”, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Vigo, Campus Ourense, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Isabel Belo
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS—Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS—Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, 4704-553 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Aires Oliva-Teles
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helena Peres
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR-UP), 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
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24
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Barashkova AS, Ryazantsev DY, Zhuravleva AS, Sharoyko VV, Rogozhin EA. Recombinant Fusion Protein Containing Plant Nigellothionin Regulates the Growth of Food-Spoiling Fungus ( Aspergillus niger). Foods 2023; 12:3002. [PMID: 37628001 PMCID: PMC10453017 DOI: 10.3390/foods12163002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to obtain a recombinant chimeric protein named trx-NsW2 via theheterologous expression of the multifunctional antimicrobial peptide nigellothionin from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds in the Escherichia coli system. The protein was purified using a combination of Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC. Based on the HPLC calibration, the total yield of the protein was calculated to be 650 mg/L of bacterial culture. The fungistatic activity of trx-NsW2 against the food-spoiling fungus Aspergillus niger was demonstrated as itinhibited the maturation of conidiawithout affecting conidial germination or fungal growth. In contrast to mature nigellothionin NsW2, the fusion protein showeda low level of cytotoxicity towards both normal and tumor cell lines at concentrationsof up to 100-200 µM. Interestingly, at lower concentrations, it even stimulated cytokinesis. These findings are of critical importance for applying chimeric antimicrobial proteins obtained via microbiological synthesis in applied science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Barashkova
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117937, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
- All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection, Pushkin 196608, Russia
| | - Dmitry Yu. Ryazantsev
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117937, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
| | | | - Vladimir V. Sharoyko
- Department of General and Bioorganic Chemistry, Pavlov First Saint-Petersburg State Medical University, Saint-Petersburg 197022, Russia;
| | - Eugene A. Rogozhin
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117937, Russia; (A.S.B.); (D.Y.R.)
- All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection, Pushkin 196608, Russia
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25
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Nagy L, Vonk P, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm R, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu X, Nan S, Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu H, Yang X, Merényi Z. Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Stud Mycol 2023; 104:1-85. [PMID: 37351542 PMCID: PMC10282164 DOI: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Fruiting bodies (sporocarps, sporophores or basidiomata) of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) are among the most complex structures produced by fungi. Unlike vegetative hyphae, fruiting bodies grow determinately and follow a genetically encoded developmental program that orchestrates their growth, tissue differentiation and sexual sporulation. In spite of more than a century of research, our understanding of the molecular details of fruiting body morphogenesis is still limited and a general synthesis on the genetics of this complex process is lacking. In this paper, we aim at a comprehensive identification of conserved genes related to fruiting body morphogenesis and distil novel functional hypotheses for functionally poorly characterised ones. As a result of this analysis, we report 921 conserved developmentally expressed gene families, only a few dozens of which have previously been reported to be involved in fruiting body development. Based on literature data, conserved expression patterns and functional annotations, we provide hypotheses on the potential role of these gene families in fruiting body development, yielding the most complete description of molecular processes in fruiting body morphogenesis to date. We discuss genes related to the initiation of fruiting, differentiation, growth, cell surface and cell wall, defence, transcriptional regulation as well as signal transduction. Based on these data we derive a general model of fruiting body development, which includes an early, proliferative phase that is mostly concerned with laying out the mushroom body plan (via cell division and differentiation), and a second phase of growth via cell expansion as well as meiotic events and sporulation. Altogether, our discussions cover 1 480 genes of Coprinopsis cinerea, and their orthologs in Agaricus bisporus, Cyclocybe aegerita, Armillaria ostoyae, Auriculariopsis ampla, Laccaria bicolor, Lentinula edodes, Lentinus tigrinus, Mycena kentingensis, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Schizophyllum commune, providing functional hypotheses for ~10 % of genes in the genomes of these species. Although experimental evidence for the role of these genes will need to be established in the future, our data provide a roadmap for guiding functional analyses of fruiting related genes in the Agaricomycetes. We anticipate that the gene compendium presented here, combined with developments in functional genomics approaches will contribute to uncovering the genetic bases of one of the most spectacular multicellular developmental processes in fungi. Citation: Nagy LG, Vonk PJ, Künzler M, Földi C, Virágh M, Ohm RA, Hennicke F, Bálint B, Csernetics Á, Hegedüs B, Hou Z, Liu XB, Nan S, M. Pareek M, Sahu N, Szathmári B, Varga T, Wu W, Yang X, Merényi Z (2023). Lessons on fruiting body morphogenesis from genomes and transcriptomes of Agaricomycetes. Studies in Mycology 104: 1-85. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.01.
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Affiliation(s)
- L.G. Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - P.J. Vonk
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - M. Künzler
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - C. Földi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - M. Virágh
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - R.A. Ohm
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - F. Hennicke
- Project Group Genetics and Genomics of Fungi, Chair Evolution of Plants and Fungi, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany;
| | - B. Bálint
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Á. Csernetics
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Hegedüs
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - Z. Hou
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X.B. Liu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - S. Nan
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - M. Pareek
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - N. Sahu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - B. Szathmári
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - T. Varga
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - H. Wu
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
| | - X. Yang
- Institute of Applied Mycology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Z. Merényi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Center, Szeged, 6726, Hungary;
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26
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Lyu J, Torchia C, Post H, Moran Torres JP, Altelaar AFM, de Cock H, Wösten HAB. The α-(1,3)-glucan synthase gene agsE impacts the secretome of Aspergillus niger. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2023:10.1007/s10482-023-01853-w. [PMID: 37316742 PMCID: PMC10371888 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-023-01853-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus niger is widely used as a cell factory for the industrial production of enzymes. Previously, it was shown that deletion of α-1-3 glucan synthase genes results in smaller micro-colonies in liquid cultures of Aspergillus nidulans. Also, it has been shown that small wild-type Aspergillus niger micro-colonies secrete more protein than large mirco-colonies. We here assessed whether deletion of the agsC or agsE α-1-3 glucan synthase genes results in smaller A. niger micro-colonies and whether this is accompanied by a change in protein secretion. Biomass formation was not affected in the deletion strains but pH of the culture medium had changed from 5.2 in the case of the wild-type to 4.6 and 6.4 for ΔagsC and ΔagsE, respectively. The diameter of the ΔagsC micro-colonies was not affected in liquid cultures. In contrast, diameter of the ΔagsE micro-colonies was reduced from 3304 ± 338 µm to 1229 ± 113 µm. Moreover, the ΔagsE secretome was affected with 54 and 36 unique proteins with a predicted signal peptide in the culture medium of MA234.1 and the ΔagsE, respectively. Results show that these strains have complementary cellulase activity and thus may have complementary activity on plant biomass degradation. Together, α-1-3 glucan synthesis (in)directly impacts protein secretion in A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Lyu
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Costanza Torchia
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Juan P Moran Torres
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - A F Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans de Cock
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Han A B Wösten
- Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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27
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Son YE, Yu JH, Park HS. Regulators of the Asexual Life Cycle of Aspergillus nidulans. Cells 2023; 12:1544. [PMID: 37296664 PMCID: PMC10253035 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus, one of the most abundant airborne fungi, is classified into hundreds of species that affect humans, animals, and plants. Among these, Aspergillus nidulans, as a key model organism, has been extensively studied to understand the mechanisms governing growth and development, physiology, and gene regulation in fungi. A. nidulans primarily reproduces by forming millions of asexual spores known as conidia. The asexual life cycle of A. nidulans can be simply divided into growth and asexual development (conidiation). After a certain period of vegetative growth, some vegetative cells (hyphae) develop into specialized asexual structures called conidiophores. Each A. nidulans conidiophore is composed of a foot cell, stalk, vesicle, metulae, phialides, and 12,000 conidia. This vegetative-to-developmental transition requires the activity of various regulators including FLB proteins, BrlA, and AbaA. Asymmetric repetitive mitotic cell division of phialides results in the formation of immature conidia. Subsequent conidial maturation requires multiple regulators such as WetA, VosA, and VelB. Matured conidia maintain cellular integrity and long-term viability against various stresses and desiccation. Under appropriate conditions, the resting conidia germinate and form new colonies, and this process is governed by a myriad of regulators, such as CreA and SocA. To date, a plethora of regulators for each asexual developmental stage have been identified and investigated. This review summarizes our current understanding of the regulators of conidial formation, maturation, dormancy, and germination in A. nidulans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Eun Son
- Major in Food Biomaterials, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- Major in Food Biomaterials, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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Li K, Zheng J, Yu L, Wang B, Pan L. Exploration of the Strategy for Improving the Expression of Heterologous Sweet Protein Monellin in Aspergillus niger. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9050528. [PMID: 37233239 DOI: 10.3390/jof9050528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus niger is a primary cell factory for food-grade protein (enzyme) production due to its strong protein secretion capacity and unique safety characteristics. The bottleneck issue for the current A. niger expression system is the difference in expression yield of heterologous proteins of non-fungal origin compared to those of fungal origin, which is about three orders of magnitude. The sweet protein monellin, derived from West African plants, has the potential to become a food-grade sweetener due to its high sweetness and the benefit of not containing sugar itself, but it is extremely difficult to establish a research model for heterologous expression in A. niger, owing to extremely low expression, a small molecular weight, and being undetectable with conventional protein electrophoresis. HiBiT-Tag was fused with low-expressing monellin in this work to create a research model for heterologous protein expression in A. niger at ultra-low levels. We increased monellin expression by increasing the monellin copy number, fusing monellin with the endogenous highly expressed glycosylase glaA, and eliminating extracellular protease degradation, among other strategies. In addition, we investigated the effects of overexpression of molecular chaperones, inhibiting the ERAD pathway, and enhancing the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine, and diglycerides in the biomembrane system. Using medium optimization, we finally obtained 0.284 mg/L of monellin in the supernatant of the shake flask. This is the first time recombinant monellin has been expressed in A. niger, with the goal of investigating ways to improve the secretory expression of heterologous proteins at ultra-low levels, which can serve as a model for the expression of other heterologous proteins in A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Junwei Zheng
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Leyi Yu
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Pan
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Thai HD, Do LTBX, Nguyen XT, Vu TX, Tran HTT, Nguyen HQ, Tran VT. A newly constructed Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system based on the hisB auxotrophic marker for genetic manipulation in Aspergillus niger. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:183. [PMID: 37032362 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03530-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is widely exploited as an industrial workhorse for producing enzymes and organic acids. So far, different genetic tools, including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategies, have been developed for the engineering of A. niger. However, these tools usually require a suitable method for gene transfer into the fungal genome, like protoplast-mediated transformation (PMT) or Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). Compared to PMT, ATMT is considered more advantageous because fungal spores can be used directly for genetic transformation instead of protoplasts. Although ATMT has been applied in many filamentous fungi, it remains less effective in A. niger. In the present study, we deleted the hisB gene and established an ATMT system for A. niger based on the histidine auxotrophic mechanism. Our results revealed that the ATMT system could achieve 300 transformants per 107 fungal spores under optimal transformation conditions. The ATMT efficiency in this work is 5 - 60 times higher than those of the previous ATMT studies in A. niger. The ATMT system was successfully applied to express the DsRed fluorescent protein-encoding gene from the Discosoma coral in A. niger. Furthermore, we showed that the ATMT system was efficient for gene targeting in A. niger. The deletion efficiency of the laeA regulatory gene using hisB as a selectable marker could reach 68 - 85% in A. niger strains. The ATMT system constructed in our work represents a promising genetic tool for heterologous expression and gene targeting in the industrially important fungus A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanh-Dung Thai
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
- Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Loc Thi Binh Xuan Do
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Xuan Thi Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Tao Xuan Vu
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
- Center for Experimental Biology, National Center for Technological Progress, Ministry of Science and Technology, C6 Thanh Xuan Bac, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Huyen Thi Thanh Tran
- Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Huy Quang Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
- Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Van-Tuan Tran
- National Key Laboratory of Enzyme and Protein Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
- Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
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Wang SY, Herrera-Balandrano DD, Shi XC, Chen X, Liu FQ, Laborda P. Occurrence of aflatoxins in water and decontamination strategies: A review. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 232:119703. [PMID: 36758357 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aflatoxins are highly carcinogenic metabolites produced by some Aspergillus species and are the most prevalent mycotoxins. Although aflatoxins are commonly synthesized during fungal colonization in preharvest maize, cereals, and nuts, they can be transported by rainfall to surface water and are a common toxin found in wastewater from some food industries. Here, the occurrence of aflatoxins in bodies of water is reviewed for the first time, along with the decontamination methods. Aflatoxins have been detected in surface, wastewater and drinking water, including tap and bottled water. The specific sources of water contamination remain unclear, which is an important gap that must be addressed in future research. Two main kinds of decontamination methods have been reported, including degradation and adsorption. The best degradation rates were observed using gamma and UV irradiations, oxidoreductases and ozone, while the best adsorption abilities were observed with minerals, polyvinyl alcohol, durian peel and activated carbon. Synthetic polymers could be used as membranes in pipes to remove aflatoxins in water flows. Although most decontamination methods were screened using AFB1, the other commonly found aflatoxins were not used in the screenings. Overall, the occurrence of aflatoxins in water could be a significant emerging public health concern largely ignored by local and international legislation. Numerous advances have been reported for the decontamination of aflatoxins in water; however, there is still a long way to go to put them into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Yan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | | | - Xin-Chi Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Feng-Quan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210014, China.
| | - Pedro Laborda
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
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Heterogeneity in Spore Aggregation and Germination Results in Different Sized, Cooperative Microcolonies in an Aspergillus niger Culture. mBio 2023; 14:e0087022. [PMID: 36629410 PMCID: PMC9973262 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00870-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungus Aspergillus niger is among the most abundant fungi in the world and is widely used as a cell factory for protein and metabolite production. This fungus forms asexual spores called conidia that are used for dispersal. Notably, part of the spores and germlings aggregate in an aqueous environment. The aggregated conidia/germlings give rise to large microcolonies, while the nonaggregated spores/germlings result in small microcolonies. Here, it is shown that small microcolonies release a larger variety and quantity of secreted proteins compared to large microcolonies. Yet, the secretome of large microcolonies has complementary cellulase activity with that of the small microcolonies. Also, large microcolonies are more resistant to heat and oxidative stress compared to small microcolonies, which is partly explained by the presence of nongerminated spores in the core of the large microcolonies. Together, it is proposed that heterogeneity in germination and aggregation has evolved to form a population of different sized A. niger microcolonies, thereby increasing stress survival and producing a meta-secretome more optimally suited to degrade complex substrates. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus niger can form microcolonies of different size due to partial aggregation of spores and germlings. So far, this heterogeneity was considered a negative trait by the industry. We here, however, show that heterogeneity in size within a population of microcolonies is beneficial for food degradation and stress survival. This functional heterogeneity is not only of interest for the industry to make blends of enzymes (e.g., for biofuel or bioplastic production) but could also play a role in nature for effective nutrient cycling and survival of the fungus.
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32
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Sleinus D, Sinka M, Korjakins A, Obuka V, Nikolajeva V, Brencis R, Savicka E. Properties of Sound Absorption Composite Materials Developed Using Flax Fiber, Sphagnum Moss, Vermiculite, and Sapropel. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:1060. [PMID: 36770067 PMCID: PMC9920241 DOI: 10.3390/ma16031060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
To address the need to reduce consumption and pollution in the industrial sector, composite materials were created using a new type of raw materials-organic lake sediments (sapropel) as a binder; sphagnum moss, flax fiber, and vermiculite as a filler. The main application of these composite materials is for sound absorption and moisture buffering, but since they contain bio-based binders and fillers, they also work as carbon storage. Within the framework of this work, a total of 100 samples of composite materials were created. Fungicides-a biocide quaternary ammonium compound and its natural substitute montmorillonite mineral material were also added to the materials to improve microbiological stability. The mechanical sound absorption and microbiological properties of materials were investigated and compared to similar environmentally friendly materials, such as hemp-lime concrete (FHL), hemp magnesium oxychloride composite (MOC), and hemp magnesium phosphate cement (MPC). The results showed that sound absorption and mechanical and microbial properties of the created composite materials are sufficient for their intended use, with flax fiber and vermiculite composites showing more stable mechanical, sound absorbing, and microbiological stability properties than materials containing flax fiber and moss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daira Sleinus
- Institute of Polymer Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, 3/7 Paula Valdena Street, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
| | - Maris Sinka
- 3D Concrete Printing Laboratory, Institute of Materials and Structures, Riga Technical University, 1 Paula Valdena Street, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
| | - Aleksandrs Korjakins
- Department of Building Materials and Products, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Riga Technical University, 6A Kipsalas Street, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
| | - Vaira Obuka
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Street, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
| | - Vizma Nikolajeva
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Street, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
| | - Raitis Brencis
- Scientific Laboratory of Building Materials, Department of Architecture and Building, Latvia University of Life Science and Technologies, 19 Akademijas Street, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Estere Savicka
- Zaiga Gaile Office, 13/IV Marijas Street, LV-1050 Riga, Latvia
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Lunn K, Frøslev T, Rhodes M, Taylor L, Oliveira HFM, Gresty CEA, Clare EL. Non-target effects of agri-environmental schemes on solitary bees and fungi in the United Kingdom. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022; 112:734-744. [PMID: 36082699 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485322000414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Agri-environmental schemes (AES) are used to enhance pollinator diversity on agricultural farms within the UK. Though the impacts of these schemes on archetypal pollinator species such as the bumblebee (Bombus) and honeybee (Apis) are well-studied, the effects on non-target bee species like solitary bees, in the same environment, are generally lacking. One goal of AES is to alter floral provision and taxonomic composition of plant communities to provide better forage for pollinators, however, this may potentially impact other ecological communities such as fungal diversity associated with plant-bee communities. Fungi are integral in these bee communities as they can impact bee species both beneficially and detrimentally. We test the hypothesis that alteration of the environment through provision of novel plant communities has non-target effects on the fungi associated with solitary bee communities. We analyse fungal diversity and ecological networks formed between fungi and solitary bees present on 15 agricultural farms in the UK using samples from brood cells. The farms were allocated to two categories, low and high management, which differ in the number of agri-environmental measures implemented. Using internal transcribed spacer metabarcoding, we identified 456 fungal taxa that interact with solitary bees. Of these, 202 (approximately 44%) could be assigned to functional groups, the majority being pathotrophic and saprotrophic species. A large proportion was Ascosphaeraceae, a family of bee-specialist fungi. We considered the connectance, nestedness, modularity, nestedness overlap and decreasing fill, linkage density and fungal generality of the farms' bee-fungi ecological networks. We found no difference in the structure of bee-fungi ecological networks between low and high management farms, suggesting floral provision by AES has no significant impact on interactions between these two taxonomic groups. However, bee emergence was lower on the low management farms compared to high management, suggesting some limited non-target effects of AES. This study characterizes the fungal community associated with solitary bees and provides evidence that floral provision through AES does not impact fungal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Lunn
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Tobias Frøslev
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Madeleine Rhodes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Leah Taylor
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | | | - Elizabeth L Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
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Zhuang Z, Pan X, Zhang M, Liu Y, Huang C, Li Y, Hao L, Wang S. Set2 family regulates mycotoxin metabolism and virulence via H3K36 methylation in pathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus. Virulence 2022; 13:1358-1378. [PMID: 35943142 PMCID: PMC9364737 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2101218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus infects various crops with aflatoxins, and leads to aspergillosis opportunistically. Though H3K36 methylation plays an important role in fungal toxin metabolism and virulence, no data about the biological function of H3K36 methylation in A. flavus virulence has been reported. Our study showed that the Set2 histone methyltransferase family, AshA and SetB, involves in morphogenesis and mycotoxin anabolism by regulating related transcriptional factors, and they are important for fungal virulence to crops and animals. Western-blotting and double deletion analysis revealed that AshA mainly regulates H3K36me2, whereas SetB is mainly responsible for H3K36me3 in the nucleus. By construction of domain deletion A. flavus strain and point mutation strains by homologous recombination, the study revealed that SET domain is indispensable in mycotoxin anabolism and virulence of A. flavus, and N455 and V457 in it are the key amino acid residues. ChIP analysis inferred that the methyltransferase family controls fungal reproduction and regulates the production of AFB1 by directly regulating the production of the transcriptional factor genes, including wetA, steA, aflR and amylase, through H3K36 trimethylation in their chromatin fragments, based on which this study proposed that, by H3K36 trimethylation, this methyltransferase family controls AFB1 anabolism through transcriptional level and substrate utilization level. This study illuminates the epigenetic mechanism of the Set2 family in regulating fungal virulence and mycotoxin production, and provides new targets for controlling the virulence of the fungus A. flavus.
AUTHOR SUMMARY
The methylation of H3K36 plays an important role in the fungal secondary metabolism and virulence, but no data about the regulatory mechanism of H3K36 methylation in the virulence of A. flavus have been reported. Our study revealed that, in the histone methyltransferase Set2 family, AshA mainly catalyzes H3K36me2, and involves in the methylation of H3K36me1, and SetB mainly catalyzes H3K36me3 and H3K36me1. Through domain deletion and point mutation analysis, this study also revealed that the SET domain was critical for the normal biological function of the Set2 family and that N455 and V457 in the domain were critical for AshA. By ChIP-seq and ChIP-qPCR analysis, H3K36 was found to be trimethylation modified in the promotors and ORF positions of wetA, steA, aflR and the amylase gene (AFLA_084340), and further qRT-PCR results showed that these methylation modifications regulate the expression levels of these genes. According to the results of ChIP-seq analysis, we proposed that, by H3K36 trimethylation, this methyltransferase family controls the metabolism of mycotoxin through transcriptional level and substrate utilization level. All the results from this study showed that Set2 family is essential for fungal secondary metabolism and virulence, which lays a theoretical groundwork in the early prevention and treatment of A. flavus pollution, and also provides an effective strategy to fight against other pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhong Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaohua Pan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Propagated Sensation along Meridian, Fujian Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mengjuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yaju Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuanzhong Huang
- Immuno-Oncology Laboratory of Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ling Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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Kunitake E, Uchida R, Asano K, Kanamaru K, Kimura M, Kimura T, Kobayashi T. cAMP signaling factors regulate carbon catabolite repression of hemicellulase genes in Aspergillus nidulans. AMB Express 2022; 12:126. [PMID: 36183035 PMCID: PMC9526778 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-022-01467-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) enables preferential utilization of easily metabolizable carbon sources, implying the presence of mechanisms to ensure discriminatory gene repression depending on the ambient carbon sources. However, the mechanisms for such hierarchical repression are not precisely understood. In this report, we examined how deletion of pkaA and ganB, which encode cAMP signaling factors, and creA, which encodes a well-characterized repressor of CCR, affects CCR of hemicellulase genes in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. β-Xylanase production increased not only in ΔcreA but also in ΔpkaA and ΔganB, with the highest level observed in their double deletants, irrespective of the presence or absence of d-glucose. Expression of the β-xylanase genes in the presence of d-glucose was de-repressed in all the deletion mutants, with significantly higher tolerance against d-glucose repression in ΔpkaA and ΔganB than in ΔcreA. In the presence of galactomannan and d-glucose, partial de-repression of β-mannanase production was detected in ΔcreA, but not in ΔpkaA and ΔganB. The double deletion of creA/pkaA and creA/ganB led to earlier production. Release from d-glucose repression of the β-mannanase genes was partial in the single deletants, while nearly full de-repression was observed in ΔcreAΔpkaA and ΔcreAΔganB. The contribution of PkaA and GanB to CCR by d-xylose of the β-mannanase genes was very minor compared to that of CreA. Consequently, the present study revealed that cAMP signaling plays a major role in CCR of hemicellulase gene expression in a manner that is clearly independent from CreA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emi Kunitake
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-Cho, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan.
| | - Ryota Uchida
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Keisuke Asano
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Kyoko Kanamaru
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan.,Department of Biological Chemistry, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-Cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
| | - Makoto Kimura
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kimura
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-Cho, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Kobayashi
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
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Cortesão M, Holland G, Schütze T, Laue M, Moeller R, Meyer V. Colony growth and biofilm formation of Aspergillus niger under simulated microgravity. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:975763. [PMID: 36212831 PMCID: PMC9539656 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.975763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The biotechnology- and medicine-relevant fungus Aspergillus niger is a common colonizer of indoor habitats such as the International Space Station (ISS). Being able to colonize and biodegrade a wide range of surfaces, A. niger can ultimately impact human health and habitat safety. Surface contamination relies on two key-features of the fungal colony: the fungal spores, and the vegetative mycelium, also known as biofilm. Aboard the ISS, microorganisms and astronauts are shielded from extreme temperatures and radiation, but are inevitably affected by spaceflight microgravity. Knowing how microgravity affects A. niger colony growth, in particular regarding the vegetative mycelium (biofilm) and spore production, will help prevent and control fungal contaminations in indoor habitats on Earth and in space. Because fungal colonies grown on agar can be considered analogs for surface contamination, we investigated A. niger colony growth on agar in normal gravity (Ground) and simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions by fast-clinorotation. Three strains were included: a wild-type strain, a pigmentation mutant (ΔfwnA), and a hyperbranching mutant (ΔracA). Our study presents never before seen scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of A. niger colonies that reveal a complex ultrastructure and biofilm architecture, and provide insights into fungal colony development, both on ground and in simulated microgravity. Results show that simulated microgravity affects colony growth in a strain-dependent manner, leading to thicker biofilms (vegetative mycelium) and increased spore production. We suggest that the Rho GTPase RacA might play a role in A. niger’s adaptation to simulated microgravity, as deletion of ΔracA leads to changes in biofilm thickness, spore production and total biomass. We also propose that FwnA-mediated melanin production plays a role in A. niger’s microgravity response, as ΔfwnA mutant colonies grown under SMG conditions showed increased colony area and spore production. Taken together, our study shows that simulated microgravity does not inhibit A. niger growth, but rather indicates a potential increase in surface-colonization. Further studies addressing fungal growth and surface contaminations in spaceflight should be conducted, not only to reduce the risk of negatively impacting human health and spacecraft material safety, but also to positively utilize fungal-based biotechnology to acquire needed resources in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cortesão
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Marta Cortesão,
| | - Gudrun Holland
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy (ZBS 4), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tabea Schütze
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Laue
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy (ZBS 4), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
| | - Vera Meyer
- Chair of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Cho HJ, Son SH, Chen W, Son YE, Lee I, Yu JH, Park HS. Regulation of Conidiogenesis in Aspergillus flavus. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182796. [PMID: 36139369 PMCID: PMC9497164 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is a representative fungal species in the Aspergillus section Flavi and has been used as a model system to gain insights into fungal development and toxin production. A. flavus has several adverse effects on humans, including the production of the most carcinogenic mycotoxin aflatoxins and causing aspergillosis in immune-compromised patients. In addition, A. flavus infection of crops results in economic losses due to yield loss and aflatoxin contamination. A. flavus is a saprophytic fungus that disperses in the ecosystem mainly by producing asexual spores (conidia), which also provide long-term survival in the harsh environmental conditions. Conidia are composed of the rodlet layer, cell wall, and melanin and are produced from an asexual specialized structure called the conidiophore. The production of conidiophores is tightly regulated by various regulators, including the central regulatory cascade composed of BrlA-AbaA-WetA, the fungi-specific velvet regulators, upstream regulators, and developmental repressors. In this review, we summarize the findings of a series of recent studies related to asexual development in A. flavus and provide insights for a better understanding of other fungal species in the section Flavi.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Jin Cho
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Sung-Hun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Wanping Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ye-Eun Son
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Inhyung Lee
- Department of Bio and Fermentation Convergence Technology, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Korea
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Hee-Soo Park
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Department of Integrative Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-950-5751
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Chen T, Chen Z, Li Y, Zeng B, Zhang Z. A Novel Major Facilitator Superfamily Transporter Gene Aokap4 near the Kojic Acid Gene Cluster Is Involved in Growth and Kojic Acid Production in Aspergillus oryzae. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080885. [PMID: 36012873 PMCID: PMC9410421 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Kojic acid is an important secondary metabolite of industrial importance produced by Aspergillus oryzae. The kojic acid gene cluster plays an essential role in kojic acid production, and harbors kojA, kojR and kojT. The deletion of kojT, encoding a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter, did not completely abolish kojic acid production, implying that other transporters are required for the transport of kojic acid. The aim of this study is to look for the transporters involved in kojic acid production. Here, Aokap4 encoding a novel MFS transporter was identified, which was adjacent to kojT in the kojic acid gene cluster. The deletion of Aokap4 contributed to the hyphal growth, conidial production and biomass of A. oryzae. Moreover, Aokap4 is required for heat- and cell-wall-stress tolerance but not oxidative and osmotic stress. The disruption of Aokap4 impaired kojic acid production with the reduced expression of kojA, kojR and kojT. Furthermore, when kojT was deleted in the Aokap4-disrupted strain, the yield of kojic acid declined to the same level as that of the kojT-deletion mutant, whereas the production of kojic acid was recovered when kojT was overexpressed in the Aokap4 knockout strain, suggesting that kojT acts downstream of Aokap4. AoKap4 was the second identified MSF transporter involved in kojic acid production after kojT was found a decade ago. This study contributes to a better understanding of the biological roles of the MFS transporter and lays a foundation for future studies on kojic acid synthesis in A. oryzae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Chen
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
| | - Ziming Chen
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
| | - Yuzhen Li
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
| | - Bin Zeng
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
- Correspondence: (B.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China
- Correspondence: (B.Z.); (Z.Z.)
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Transcriptional Stages of Conidia Germination and Associated Genes in Aspergillus flavus: An Essential Role for Redox Genes. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14080560. [PMID: 36006223 PMCID: PMC9412981 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14080560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aflatoxin is a threatening mycotoxin primarily present in the agricultural environment, especially in food and feedstuff, and poses significant global health risks. Aflatoxins are produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus. Conidia germination is the first step for A. flavus development. In this study, the transcriptome of A. flavus conidia was analyzed at three different stages of conidia germination, which were characterized by two different microscopes. Dormant conidia grew isotropically with the cell size increasing up to 5 h of after being inoculated in a liquid medium. Conidia changed towards polarized growth from 5 to 10 h of germination, during which germ tubes formed. Moreover, transcriptome analyses revealed that a larger number of genes changed in the isotropic growth stages compared to polarized growth, with 1910 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) up-regulated and 969 DEGs down-regulated in isotropic growth. GO and KEGG pathway analyses and pathway enrichment demonstrated that, in the isotropic growth stage, the top three pathways were translation, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. The ribosome was a key pathway in translation, as RPS28e, RPL53 and RPL36e were the top three DEGs. For polarized growth stage, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were the top three most active pathways. POX1 from alpha-linolenic acid metabolism was a DEG in lipid metabolism as well. Genes related to the antioxidant system were crucial for conidia germination. Furthermore, RT-PCR results showed the same trends as the transcriptome for redox genes, and essential oils have a significant inhibitory effect on germination rate and redox gene expression. Therefore, redox genes play an important role during germination, and the disruption of redox genes is involved in the mechanism of action of coumalic acid and geraniol against A. flavus spore germination.
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Disruption of Aokap6 near the kojic acid gene cluster affects the growth and kojic acid production in Aspergillus oryzae. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:175. [PMID: 35922587 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03361-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
The kojic acid gene cluster of Aspergillus oryzae plays a key role in kojic acid synthesis. Although the kojic acid gene cluster has been found in 2010, there is little information on the function of the genes located near the kojic acid gene cluster of A. oryzae and whether these genes affect the kojic acid gene cluster containing kojA, kojR and kojT. Here, Aokap6 near the kojic acid gene cluster of A. oryzae was identified and characterized. The Aokap6 disrupted mutants were constructed by the CRISPR/Cas9 system, which exhibited increased mycelium growth and conidial formation. Disruption of Aokap6 enhanced the tolerance to cell wall, oxidative and heat stress but not osmotic stress. Deletion of Aokap6 repressed kojic acid production, together with the reduced expression of kojA, kojR and kojT. Meanwhile, knockout of kojA, kojR and kojT led to the declined expression of Aokap6, indicating that Aokap6 is required for kojic acid production in coordination with kojA, kojR and kojT. Furthermore, overexpression of kojA, kojR and kojT had no effects on the transcript level of Aokap6, and overexpression of kojA in Aokap6 deletion strain could rescue the reduced yield of kojic acid, suggesting that Aokap6 is involved in kojic acid synthesis acting upstream of kojA. These findings provide new insight for the further understanding of kojic acid gene cluster and kojic acid production in A. oryzae.
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Aspergillus Hydrophobins: Physicochemical Properties, Biochemical Properties, and Functions in Solid Polymer Degradation. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081498. [PMID: 35893556 PMCID: PMC9394342 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrophobins are small amphipathic proteins conserved in filamentous fungi. In this review, the properties and functions of Aspergillus hydrophobins are comprehensively discussed on the basis of recent findings. Multiple Aspergillus hydrophobins have been identified and categorized in conventional class I and two non-conventional classes. Some Aspergillus hydrophobins can be purified in a water phase without organic solvents. Class I hydrophobins of Aspergilli self-assemble to form amphipathic membranes. At the air–liquid interface, RolA of Aspergillus oryzae self-assembles via four stages, and its self-assembled films consist of two layers, a rodlet membrane facing air and rod-like structures facing liquid. The self-assembly depends mainly on hydrophobin conformation and solution pH. Cys4–Cys5 and Cys7–Cys8 loops, disulfide bonds, and conserved Cys residues of RodA-like hydrophobins are necessary for self-assembly at the interface and for adsorption to solid surfaces. AfRodA helps Aspergillus fumigatus to evade recognition by the host immune system. RodA-like hydrophobins recruit cutinases to promote the hydrolysis of aliphatic polyesters. This mechanism appears to be conserved in Aspergillus and other filamentous fungi, and may be beneficial for their growth. Aspergilli produce various small secreted proteins (SSPs) including hydrophobins, hydrophobic surface–binding proteins, and effector proteins. Aspergilli may use a wide variety of SSPs to decompose solid polymers.
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Novel Treatment Approach for Aspergilloses by Targeting Germination. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080758. [PMID: 35893126 PMCID: PMC9331470 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Germination of conidia is an essential process within the Aspergillus life cycle and plays a major role during the infection of hosts. Conidia are able to avoid detection by the majority of leukocytes when dormant. Germination can cause severe health problems, specifically in immunocompromised people. Aspergillosis is most often caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) and affects neutropenic patients, as well as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). These patients are often unable to effectively detect and clear the conidia or hyphae and can develop chronic non-invasive and/or invasive infections or allergic inflammatory responses. Current treatments with (tri)azoles can be very effective to combat a variety of fungal infections. However, resistance against current azoles has emerged and has been increasing since 1998. As a consequence, patients infected with resistant A. fumigatus have a reported mortality rate of 88% to 100%. Especially with the growing number of patients that harbor azole-resistant Aspergilli, novel antifungals could provide an alternative. Aspergilloses differ in defining characteristics, but germination of conidia is one of the few common denominators. By specifically targeting conidial germination with novel antifungals, early intervention might be possible. In this review, we propose several morphotypes to disrupt conidial germination, as well as potential targets. Hopefully, new antifungals against such targets could contribute to disturbing the ability of Aspergilli to germinate and grow, resulting in a decreased fungal burden on patients.
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Ijadpanahsaravi M, Teertstra WR, Wösten HAB. Inter- and intra-species heterogeneity in germination of Aspergillus conidia. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2022; 115:1151-1164. [PMID: 35857156 PMCID: PMC9363317 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-022-01762-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Aspergilli are among the most abundant fungi worldwide. They degrade organic material and can be pathogens of plants and animals. Aspergilli spread by forming high numbers of conidia. Germination of these stress resistant asexual spores is characterized by a swelling and a germ tube stage. Here, we show that conidia of Aspergillusniger,Aspergillusoryzae,Aspergillusclavatus, Aspergillusnidulans and Aspergillusterreus show different swelling and germ tube formation dynamics in pure water or in water supplemented with (in)organic nutrients. Apart from inter-species heterogeneity, intra-species heterogeneity was observed within spore populations of the aspergilli except for A.terreus. Sub-populations of conidia differing in size and/or contrast showed different swelling and germ tube formation dynamics. Together, data imply that aspergilli differ in their competitive potential depending on the substrate. Moreover, results suggest that intra-species heterogeneity provides a bet hedging mechanism to optimize survival of aspergilli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ijadpanahsaravi
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wieke R. Teertstra
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Han A. B. Wösten
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Li C, Xu D, Hu M, Zhang Q, Xia Y, Jin K. MaNCP1, a C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein, Governs the Conidiation Pattern Shift through Regulating the Reductive Pathway for Nitric Oxide Synthesis in the Filamentous Fungus Metarhizium acridum. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0053822. [PMID: 35536030 PMCID: PMC9241723 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00538-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asexual sporulation is the most common reproduction mode of fungi. Most filamentous fungi have two conidiation patterns, normal conidiation and microcycle conidiation, which may be regulated by nutritional conditions. Nitrogen source can affect the fungal conidiation pattern, but the regulatory mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we report a C2H2 zinc finger protein, MaNCP1, which has typical transcription factor characteristics and is screened from the subtractive library regulated by nitrate in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum. MaNCP1 and its N-terminal play critical roles in the conidiation pattern shift. Further study shows that MaNCP1 interacts with MaNmrA, which also contributes to the conidiation pattern shift and is involved in the reductive pathway of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Intriguingly, the conidiation pattern of the MaNCP1-disruption strain (ΔMaNCP1) can be restored to microcycle conidiation when grown on the microcycle conidiation medium, SYA, supplemented with NO donor or overexpressing MaNmrA in ΔMaNCP1. Here, we reveal that MaNCP1 governs the conidiation pattern shift through regulating the reductive synthesis of NO by physically targeting MaNmrA in M. acridum. This work provides new mechanistic insights into how changes in nitrogen utilization are linked to the regulation of fungal morphological changes. IMPORTANCE Fungal conidia play important roles in the response to environmental stimuli and evasion of the host immune system. The nitrogen source is one of the main factors affecting shifts in fungal conidiation patterns, but the regulatory mechanism involved is not fully understood. In this work, we report that the C2H2 zinc finger protein, MaNCP1, governs the conidiation pattern shift in M. acridum by targeting the MaNmrA gene, thereby altering the regulation of the reductive pathway for NO synthesis. This work provides further insights into how the nutritional environment can regulate the morphogenesis of filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaochuang Li
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dingxiang Xu
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meiwen Hu
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qipei Zhang
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuxian Xia
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kai Jin
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies Under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
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Li LX, Yu LY, Wang B, Pan L. Impact of overexpressing NADH kinase on glucoamylase production in Aspergillus niger. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 49:6602362. [PMID: 35665816 PMCID: PMC9338884 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Glucoamylase has a wide range of applications in the production of glucose, antibiotics, amino acids, and other fermentation industries. Fungal glucoamylase, in particular, has attracted much attention because of its wide application in different industries, among which Aspergillus niger is the most popular strain producing glucoamylase. The low availability of NADPH was found to be one of the limiting factors for the overproduction of glucoamylase. In this study, 3 NADH kinases (AN03, AN14, and AN17) and malic enzyme (maeA) were overexpressed in aconidial A. niger by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, significantly increasing the size of the NADPH pool, resulting in the activity of glucoamylase was improved by about 70%, 50%, 90%, and 70%, respectively; the total secreted protein was increased by about 25%, 22%, 52%, and 26%, respectively. Furthermore, the combination of the mitochondrial NADH kinase (AN17) and the malic enzyme (maeA) increased glucoamylase activity by a further 19%. This study provided an effective strategy for enhancing glucoamylase production of A. niger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Xiang Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Le-Yi Yu
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Pan
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Numerical Simulation of Aspergillus Niger Spore Deposition in Nasal Cavities of a Population in Northwest China. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13060911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: As common pathogens in the human respiratory tract, fungal-spore-related health risks have been challenging to evaluate properly. This paper presents numerical simulations of particle deposition of Aspergillus niger spores in human nasal cavities. Methods: 30 healthy adults (including 60 nasal chambers) who lived in northwest China were recruited to conduct a nasal cavity numerical simulation using computational fluid dynamics–discrete phase model (CFD-DPM). The deposition rate in each anatomic area and its influencing variables, such as body position and respiratory flow rate, were analyzed. Results: (1) Under a resting condition, only about 5.57% ± 1.51% Aspergillus niger spores were deposited in the nasal cavity, while most of them escaped from the nasopharynx, and 0.31% ± 0.20% spores entered the maxillary sinus; (2) under an exercising condition, spores deposited in the nasal cavity were about 2.09 times as many as that in the resting state; (3) in a lying position, the A. niger spores deposited evenly on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity and the sinus when compared with a standing position. However, the deposition rate in each anatomic area did not change significantly.
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47
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Long N, Zhong G. The C-22 sterol desaturase Erg5 is responsible for ergosterol biosynthesis and conidiation in Aspergillus fumigatus. J Microbiol 2022; 60:620-626. [DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1564-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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48
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Shankar J. Insight into the metabolic changes during germination of Aspergillus niger conidia using nLC-qTOF. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Li X, Liu D, Yao J. Aerosolization of fungal spores in indoor environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153003. [PMID: 35031366 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fungi in indoor environments can cause adverse health effects through inhalation and epidermal exposure. The risk of fungal exposure originates from the aerosolization of fungal spores. However, spore aerosolization is still not well understood. This paper provides a review of indoor fungal contamination, especially the aerosolization of fungal spores. We attempted to summarize what is known today and to identify what more information is needed to predict the aerosolization of fungal spores. This paper first reviews fungal contamination in indoor environments and HVAC systems. The detachment of fungal spores from colonies and the spore aerosolization principle are then summarized. Based on the above discussion, prediction methods for spore aerosolization are discussed. This review further clarifies the current situation and future efforts required to accurately predict spore aerosolization. This information is useful for forecasting and controlling the aerosolization of fungal spores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Li
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China.
| | - Dan Liu
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Jian Yao
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
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Gao J, Song C, Zhang J, Hu Y, Shao Y. Mrada3 is required for sexual reproduction and secondary metabolite production in industrial fungi Monascus strain. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:591-606. [PMID: 35451171 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Monascus spp. are valuable industrial fungi for producing beneficial compounds. Since sporulation is often coupled with the production of secondary metabolites, the current study was performed to investigate how Mrada3 regulated asexual and sexual development and the production of edible pigments and mycotoxin. METHODS AND RESULTS The functional characteristics of Mrada3 were identified by gene deletion and overexpression in Monascus ruber M7 (the wild-type, WT). The results revealed that the ΔMrada3 strain aborted sexual development, but it produced many more conidia than WT. RNA-Seq data showed the deletion of Mrada3 altered the expression levels of partial genes involved in sexual and asexual development. In addition, the deletion of Mrada3 also resulted in slower growth, lower pigment production, and increased citrinin yield at the late period. For the Mrada3-overexpressed strain, the number of ascospores and pigment content were significantly higher than those of WT, but citrinin was slightly lower than that of WT. CONCLUSIONS The Mrada3 gene plays a vital role in the sporulation development and secondary metabolism of Monascus species. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Mrada3 is first identified as an essential regulator for sexual development in Monascus species, enriching the regulatory knowledge of sexual development in filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cuina Song
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditionally Fermented Foods, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yifan Hu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanchun Shao
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditionally Fermented Foods, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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