The sulfur metabolism regulator MetR is a global regulator controlling phytochrome-dependent light responses in Aspergillus nidulans

Fungi are a prospective resource of bioactive compounds, but conventional methods of drug discovery are not effective enough to fully explore their metabolic potential. This study aimed to develop an easily attainable method to elicit the metabolic potential of fungi using Aspergillus nidulans laeA as a transcription regulation tool. In this study, functional analysis of Aspergillus nidulans laeA (AnLaeA) and Aspergillus sp. Z5 laeA (Az5LaeA) was done in the fungus Aspergillus sp. Z5. Heterologous AnLaeA-and native Az5LaeA-overexpression exhibited similar phenotypic effects and caused an increase in production of a bioactive compound diorcinol in Aspergillus sp. Z5, which proved the conserved function of this global regulator. In particular, heteroexpression of AnLaeA showed a significant impact on the expression of velvet complex genes, diorcinol synthesis-related genes, and different transcription factors (TFs). Moreover, heteroexpression of AnLaeA influenced the whole genome gene expression of Aspergillus sp. Z5 and triggered the upregulation of many genes. Overall, these findings suggest that heteroexpression of AnLaeA in fungi serves as a simple and easy method to explore their metabolic potential. In relation to this, AnLaeA was overexpressed in the fungus Penicillium sp. LC1-4, which resulted in increased production of quinolactacin A.

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Regulatory mutations affecting sulfur metabolism induce environmental stress response in Aspergillus nidulans

Fungal Genetics and Biology ◽

10.1016/j.fgb.2014.02.001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 65 ◽

pp. 37-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Marzena Sieńko ◽

Renata Natorff ◽

Marek Skoneczny ◽

Joanna Kruszewska ◽

Andrzej Paszewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Response ◽

Environmental Stress ◽

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Sulfur Metabolism ◽

Environmental Stress Response ◽

Regulatory Mutations

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The Aspergillus nidulans metZ gene encodes a transcription factor involved in regulation of sulfur metabolism in this fungus and other Eurotiales

Current Genetics ◽

10.1007/s00294-014-0459-5 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 115-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Sebastian Piłsyk ◽

Renata Natorff ◽

Marzena Sieńko ◽

Marek Skoneczny ◽

Andrzej Paszewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Sulfur Metabolism

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GENETIC AND ACCUMULATION STUDIES IN SULFITE-REQUIRING MUTANTS OFASPERGILLUS NIDULANS

Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology ◽

10.1139/g70-107 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 831-840 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

R. A. Gravel ◽

E. Käfer ◽

A. Niklewicz-Borkenhagen ◽

P. Zambryski

Keyword(s):

Linkage Group ◽

Genetic Mapping ◽

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Sulfur Metabolism ◽

The Other ◽

Group Viii ◽

Sulfate Transport ◽

New Genes ◽

Ofaspergillus Nidulans ◽

Induced Mutants

Using complementation tests and genetic mapping, mutants of two new genes, sE (sulfite less) and sF (thiosulfateless) were identified among 145 nitroso-guanidine-induced mutants of the sulfur metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. Most of the other mutants (134) turned out to be alleles of the four established 'sulfite' genes, sA - sD. The new genes were found to be unlinked to any other s-gene; sE was mapped in linkage group VIII distal to cha and sF in VII. Mapping of several mutants allelic to one or the other of the closely linked sA or sC genes showed that these loci are two cistrons 1.1 cMo units apart.Results from studies using radioactive sulfate as a substrate for the different mutants showed35S-accumulation profiles by electrophoresis consistent with the assignment of the five sulfite genes to the following steps: sB(3), sulfate transport; sC(12), sulfurylation of ATP to produce APS; sD(50 or 205), phosphorylation of APS to PAPS; and sA(6) and sE(15), PAPS reduction to sulfite. Although the last two genes appear to control the same step, their35S-accumulation profiles are distinct. In addition, it was found that mutants of all previously established genes, including sA, are epistatic to sE(15) when single and double mutants are tested for resistance on selenate medium.

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Deletion of a global regulator LaeB leads to the discovery of novel polyketides in Aspergillus nidulans

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry ◽

10.1039/c8ob01326h ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (27) ◽

pp. 4973-4976 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Haizhou Lin ◽

Haining Lyu ◽

Shuang Zhou ◽

Jingwen Yu ◽

Nancy P. Keller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Global Regulator

By disruption of LaeB, a global regulator recently characterized in Aspergillus nidulans, eight cryptic compounds in the mutant were identified, including seven polyketides and one NRPS-like product.

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A p53-like transcription factor similar to Ndt80 controls the response to nutrient stress in the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus nidulans

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.2-72.v1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 72 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Margaret E Katz ◽

Kathryn Braunberger ◽

Gauncai Yi ◽

Sarah Cooper ◽

Heather M Nonhebel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Transcriptional Profiling ◽

Nutrient Stress ◽

Nutrient Sensing ◽

Carbon Limitation ◽

Nutrient Depletion ◽

Null Mutant ◽

Global Regulator ◽

Extracellular Proteases ◽

Number Of Genes

TheAspergillus nidulans xprGgene encodes a putative transcriptional activator that is a member of the Ndt80 family in the p53-like superfamily of proteins. Previous studies have shown that XprG controls the production of extracellular proteases in response to starvation. We undertook transcriptional profiling to investigate whether XprG has a wider role as a global regulator of the carbon nutrient stress response. Our microarray data showed that the expression of a large number of genes, including genes involved in secondary metabolism, development, high-affinity glucose uptake and autolysis, were altered in anxprGΔnull mutant. Many of these genes are known to be regulated in response to carbon starvation. We confirmed that sterigmatocystin and penicillin production is reduced inxprG-mutants. The loss of fungal mass and secretion of pigments that accompanies fungal autolysis in response to nutrient depletion was accelerated in anxprG1gain-of-function mutant and decreased or absent in anxprG-mutant. The results support the hypothesis that XprG plays a major role in the response to carbon limitation and that nutrient sensing may represent one of the ancestral roles for the p53-like superfamily. Disruption of the AN6015 gene, which encodes a second Ndt80-like protein, showed that it is required for sexual reproduction inA. nidulans.

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Internalization of the Aspergillus nidulans AstA Transporter into Mitochondria Depends on Growth Conditions, and Affects ATP Levels and Sulfite Oxidase Activity

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21207727 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (20) ◽

pp. 7727

Author(s):

Sebastian Piłsyk ◽

Adam Mieczkowski ◽

Maciej P. Golan ◽

Agata Wawrzyniak ◽

Joanna S. Kruszewska

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Nidulans ◽

Oxidase Activity ◽

Energy State ◽

Sulfur Metabolism ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Sulfite Oxidase ◽

Gene Encoding ◽

Atp Levels ◽

Asta Gene ◽

Overexpressing Strain

The astA gene encoding an alternative sulfate transporter was originally cloned from the genome of the Japanese Aspergillus nidulans isolate as a suppressor of sulfate permease-deficient strains. Expression of the astA gene is under the control of the sulfur metabolite repression system. The encoded protein transports sulfate across the cell membrane. In this study we show that AstA, having orthologs in numerous pathogenic or endophytic fungi, has a second function and, depending on growth conditions, can be translocated into mitochondria. This effect is especially pronounced when an astA-overexpressing strain grows on solid medium at 37 °C. AstA is also recruited to the mitochondria in the presence of mitochondria-affecting compounds such as menadione or antimycin A, which are also detrimental to the growth of the astA-overexpressing strain. Disruption of the Hsp70–Porin1 mitochondrial import system either by methylene blue, an Hsp70 inhibitor, or by deletion of the porin1-encoding gene abolishes AstA translocation into the mitochondria. Furthermore, we observed altered ATP levels and sulfite oxidase activity in the astA-overexpressing strain in a manner dependent on sulfur sources. The presented data indicate that AstA is also involved in the mitochondrial sulfur metabolism in some fungi, and thereby indirectly manages redox potential and energy state.

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