scholarly journals Identification of Two Aflatrem Biosynthesis Gene Loci in Aspergillus flavus and Metabolic Engineering of Penicillium paxilli To Elucidate Their Function

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (23) ◽  
pp. 7469-7481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Nicholson ◽  
Albert Koulman ◽  
Brendon J. Monahan ◽  
Beth L. Pritchard ◽  
Gary A. Payne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Soil Fungus ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Functional Homolog ◽  
Biosynthesis Gene ◽  
Penicillium Paxilli ◽  
Diterpene Biosynthesis

ABSTRACT Aflatrem is a potent tremorgenic toxin produced by the soil fungus Aspergillus flavus, and a member of a structurally diverse group of fungal secondary metabolites known as indole-diterpenes. Gene clusters for indole-diterpene biosynthesis have recently been described in several species of filamentous fungi. A search of Aspergillus complete genome sequence data identified putative aflatrem gene clusters in the genomes of A. flavus and Aspergillus oryzae. In both species the genes for aflatrem biosynthesis cluster at two discrete loci; the first, ATM1, is telomere proximal on chromosome 5 and contains a cluster of three genes, atmG, atmC, and atmM, and the second, ATM2, is telomere distal on chromosome 7 and contains five genes, atmD, atmQ, atmB, atmA, and atmP. Reverse transcriptase PCR in A. flavus demonstrated that aflatrem biosynthesis transcript levels increased with the onset of aflatrem production. Transfer of atmP and atmQ into Penicillium paxilli paxP and paxQ deletion mutants, known to accumulate paxilline intermediates paspaline and 13-desoxypaxilline, respectively, showed that AtmP is a functional homolog of PaxP and that AtmQ utilizes 13-desoxypaxilline as a substrate to synthesize aflatrem pathway-specific intermediates, paspalicine and paspalinine. We propose a scheme for aflatrem biosynthesis in A. flavus based on these reconstitution experiments in P. paxilli and identification of putative intermediates in wild-type cultures of A. flavus.

scholarly journals Indole-Diterpene Gene Cluster from Aspergillus flavus

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 6875-6883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuguang Zhang ◽  
Brendon J. Monahan ◽  
Jan S. Tkacz ◽  
Barry Scott
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Soil Fungus ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence Similarity ◽  
Degenerate Primers ◽  
Functional Homolog ◽  
Penicillium Paxilli ◽  
Diterpene Biosynthesis ◽  
Tremorgenic Mycotoxin

ABSTRACT Aflatrem is a potent tremorgenic mycotoxin produced by the soil fungus Aspergillus flavus and is a member of a large structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites known as indole-diterpenes. By using degenerate primers for conserved domains of fungal geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases, we cloned two genes, atmG and ggsA (an apparent pseudogene), from A. flavus. Adjacent to atmG are two other genes, atmC and atmM. These three genes have 64 to 70% amino acid sequence similarity and conserved synteny with a cluster of orthologous genes, paxG, paxC, and paxM, from Penicillium paxilli which are required for indole-diterpene biosynthesis. atmG, atmC, and atmM are coordinately expressed, with transcript levels dramatically increasing at the onset of aflatrem biosynthesis. A genomic copy of atmM can complement a paxM deletion mutant of P. paxilli, demonstrating that atmM is a functional homolog of paxM. Thus, atmG, atmC, and atmM are necessary, but not sufficient, for aflatrem biosynthesis by A. flavus. This provides the first genetic evidence for the biosynthetic pathway of aflatrem in A. flavus.

scholarly journals The Serratia marcescens Siderophore Serratiochelin Is Necessary for Full Virulence during Bloodstream Infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danelle R. Weakland ◽  
Sara N. Smith ◽  
Bailey Bell ◽  
Ashootosh Tripathi ◽  
Harry L. T. Mobley
Keyword(s):  
Serratia Marcescens ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Serratia Plymuthica ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cas Assay ◽  
Essential Nutrient

ABSTRACT Serratia marcescens is a bacterium frequently found in the environment, but over the last several decades it has evolved into a concerning clinical pathogen, causing fatal bacteremia. To establish such infections, pathogens require specific nutrients; one very limited but essential nutrient is iron. We sought to characterize the iron acquisition systems in S. marcescens isolate UMH9, which was recovered from a clinical bloodstream infection. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we identified two predicted siderophore gene clusters (cbs and sch) that were regulated by iron. Mutants were constructed to delete each iron acquisition locus individually and in conjunction, generating both single and double mutants for the putative siderophore systems. Mutants lacking the sch gene cluster lost their iron-chelating ability as quantified by the chrome azurol S (CAS) assay, whereas the cbs mutant retained wild-type activity. Mass spectrometry-based analysis identified the chelating siderophore to be serratiochelin, a siderophore previously identified in Serratia plymuthica. Serratiochelin-producing mutants also displayed a decreased growth rate under iron-limited conditions created by dipyridyl added to LB medium. Additionally, mutants lacking serratiochelin were significantly outcompeted during cochallenge with wild-type UMH9 in the kidneys and spleen after inoculation via the tail vein in a bacteremia mouse model. This result was further confirmed by an independent challenge, suggesting that serratiochelin is required for full S. marcescens pathogenesis in the bloodstream. Nine other clinical isolates have at least 90% protein identity to the UMH9 serratiochelin system; therefore, our results are broadly applicable to emerging clinical isolates of S. marcescens causing bacteremia.

scholarly journals Identification ofvib-1, a Locus Involved in Vegetative Incompatibility Mediated byhet-cinNeurospora crassa

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 162 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qijun Xiang ◽  
N Louise Glass
Keyword(s):  
Acid Phosphatase ◽  
Recognition System ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Vegetative Incompatibility ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Self Recognition ◽  
Allelic Differences ◽  
Native Gel ◽  
Type Strains

AbstractA non-self-recognition system called vegetative incompatibility is ubiquitous in filamentous fungi and is genetically regulated by het loci. Different fungal individuals are unable to form viable heterokaryons if they differ in allelic specificity at a het locus. To identify components of vegetative incompatibility mediated by allelic differences at the het-c locus of Neurospora crassa, we isolated mutants that suppressed phenotypic aspects of het-c vegetative incompatibility. Three deletion mutants were identified; the deletions overlapped each other in an ORF named vib-1 (vegetative incompatibility blocked). Mutations in vib-1 fully relieved growth inhibition and repression of conidiation conferred by het-c vegetative incompatibility and significantly reduced hyphal compartmentation and death rates. The vib-1 mutants displayed a profuse conidiation pattern, suggesting that VIB-1 is a regulator of conidiation. VIB-1 shares a region of similarity to PHOG, a possible phosphate nonrepressible acid phosphatase in Aspergillus nidulans. Native gel analysis of wild-type strains and vib-1 mutants indicated that vib-1 is not the structural gene for nonrepressible acid phosphatase, but rather may regulate nonrepressible acid phosphatase activity.

scholarly journals Isolation of a gene required for programmed initiation of development by Aspergillus nidulans.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3827-3833 ◽  
Author(s):  
T H Adams ◽  
W A Hide ◽  
L N Yager ◽  
B N Lee
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Aspergillus Nidulans ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Nutrient Deprivation ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Microbial Development ◽  
Type Strains ◽  
Posttranscriptional Level

In contrast to many other cases in microbial development, Aspergillus nidulans conidiophore production initiates primarily as a programmed part of the life cycle rather than as a response to nutrient deprivation. Mutations in the acoD locus result in "fluffy" colonies that appear to grow faster than the wild type and proliferate as undifferentiated masses of vegetative cells. We show that unlike wild-type strains, acoD deletion mutants are unable to make conidiophores under optimal growth conditions but can be induced to conidiate when growth is nutritionally limited. The requirement for acoD in conidiophore development occurs prior to activation of brlA, a primary regulator of development. The acoD transcript is present both in vegetative hyphae prior to developmental induction and in developing cultures. However, the effects of acoD mutations are detectable only after developmental induction. We propose that acoD activity is primarily controlled at the posttranscriptional level and that it is required to direct developmentally specific changes that bring about growth inhibition and activation of brlA expression to result in conidiophore development.

scholarly journals Blocks in the pseudouridimycin pathway unlock hidden metabolites in the Streptomyces producer strain

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Iorio ◽  
Sahar Davatgarbenam ◽  
Stefania Serina ◽  
Paolo Criscenzo ◽  
Mitja M. Zdouc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Bacterial Rna ◽  
Soil Isolate ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Polymerase Inhibitor

AbstractWe report a metabolomic analysis of Streptomyces sp. ID38640, a soil isolate that produces the bacterial RNA polymerase inhibitor pseudouridimycin. The analysis was performed on the wild type, on three newly constructed and seven previously reported mutant strains disabled in different genes required for pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. The results indicate that Streptomyces sp. ID38640 is able to produce, in addition to lydicamycins and deferroxiamines, as previously reported, also the lassopeptide ulleungdin, the non-ribosomal peptide antipain and the osmoprotectant ectoine. The corresponding biosynthetic gene clusters were readily identified in the strain genome. We also detected the known compound pyridindolol, for which we propose a previously unreported biosynthetic gene cluster, as well as three families of unknown metabolites. Remarkably, the levels of most metabolites varied strongly in the different mutant strains, an observation that enabled detection of metabolites unnoticed in the wild type. Systematic investigation of the accumulated metabolites in the ten different pum mutants identified shed further light on pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. We also show that several Streptomyces strains, able to produce pseudouridimycin, have distinct genetic relationship and metabolic profile with ID38640.

scholarly journals Polysaccharides and virulence of Burkholderia pseudomallei

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1005-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sarkar-Tyson ◽  
J. E. Thwaite ◽  
S. V. Harding ◽  
S. J. Smither ◽  
P. C. F. Oyston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkholderia Pseudomallei ◽  
Capsular Polysaccharide ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Type I ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Time To Death ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Type Iv ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Delayed Time

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an infectious disease of humans and animals. Gene clusters which encode capsular polysaccharide (type I O-PS) and LPS (type II O-PS), both of which play roles in virulence, have previously been identified. Here, the identification of two further putative clusters, type III O-PS and type IV O-PS, is reported. Mice challenged with type III O-PS or type IV O-PS mutants showed increased mean times to death (7.8 and 11.6 days) compared to those challenged with wild-type B. pseudomallei (3 days). To investigate the possible roles of polysaccharides in protection, mice were immunized with killed cells of wild-type B. pseudomallei or killed cells of B. pseudomallei with mutations in the O antigen, capsular polysaccharide, type III O-PS or type IV O-PS gene clusters. Immunization with all polysaccharide mutant strains resulted in delayed time to death compared to the naïve controls, following challenge with wild-type B. pseudomallei strain K96243. However, immunization with killed polysaccharide mutant strains conferred different degrees of protection, demonstrating the immunological importance of the polysaccharide clusters on the surface of B. pseudomallei.

An atlas of bacterial secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene clusters

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Wei ◽  
Ao‐Qi Du ◽  
Zhen‐Yi Zhou ◽  
Cong Lai ◽  
Wen‐Chao Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolite ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Biosynthesis Gene ◽  
Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis

scholarly journals Genomic and Functional Analysis of the IncP-9 Naphthalene-Catabolic Plasmid NAH7 and Its Transposon Tn4655 Suggests Catabolic Gene Spread by a Tyrosine Recombinase

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (11) ◽  
pp. 4057-4067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Sota ◽  
Hirokazu Yano ◽  
Akira Ono ◽  
Ryo Miyazaki ◽  
Hidenori Ishii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Catabolic Gene ◽  
Genetic Determinants ◽  
Tyrosine Recombinase ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Recombination System ◽  
Catabolic Plasmid ◽  
Transmissible Plasmid ◽  
Catabolic Plasmids

ABSTRACT The naphthalene-catabolic (nah) genes on the incompatibility group P-9 (IncP-9) self-transmissible plasmid NAH7 from Pseudomonas putida G7 are some of the most extensively characterized genetic determinants for bacterial aerobic catabolism of aromatic hydrocarbons. In contrast to the detailed studies of its catabolic cascade and enzymatic functions, the biological characteristics of plasmid NAH7 have remained unclear. Our sequence determination in this study together with the previously deposited sequences revealed the entire structure of NAH7 (82,232 bp). Comparison of NAH7 with two other completely sequenced IncP-9 catabolic plasmids, pDTG1 and pWW0, revealed that the three plasmids share very high nucleotide similarities in a 39-kb region encoding the basic plasmid functions (the IncP-9 backbone). The backbone of NAH7 is phylogenetically more related to that of pDTG1 than that of pWW0. These three plasmids carry their catabolic gene clusters at different positions on the IncP-9 backbone. All of the NAH7-specified nah genes are located on a class II transposon, Tn4655. Our analysis of the Tn4655-encoded site-specific recombination system revealed that (i) a novel tyrosine recombinase, TnpI, catalyzed both the intra- and intermolecular recombination between two copies of the attI site, (ii) the functional attI site was located within a 119-bp segment, and (iii) the site-specific strand exchange occurred within a 30-bp segment in the 41-bp CORE site. Our results and the sequence data of other naphthalene-catabolic plasmids, pDTG1 and pND6-1, suggest a potential role of the TnpI-attI recombination system in the establishment of these catabolic plasmids.

scholarly journals Magnitude of Voriconazole Resistance in Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Aspergillus flavus and Investigation into the Role of Multidrug Efflux Pumps

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raees A. Paul ◽  
Shivaprakash M. Rudramurthy ◽  
Manpreet Dhaliwal ◽  
Pankaj Singh ◽  
Anup K. Ghosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Efflux Pumps ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Multidrug Efflux ◽  
Environmental Isolates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multidrug Efflux Pumps

ABSTRACT The magnitude of azole resistance in Aspergillus flavus and its underlying mechanism is obscure. We evaluated the frequency of azole resistance in a collection of clinical (n = 121) and environmental isolates (n = 68) of A. flavus by the broth microdilution method. Six (5%) clinical isolates displayed voriconazole MIC greater than the epidemiological cutoff value. Two of these isolates with non-wild-type MIC were isolated from same patient and were genetically distinct, which was confirmed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. Mutations associated with azole resistance were not present in the lanosterol 14-α demethylase coding genes (cyp51A, cyp51B, and cyp51C). Basal and voriconazole-induced expression of cyp51A homologs and various efflux pump genes was analyzed in three each of non-wild-type and wild-type isolates. All of the efflux pump genes screened showed low basal expression irrespective of the azole susceptibility of the isolate. However, the non-wild-type isolates demonstrated heterogeneous overexpression of many efflux pumps and the target enzyme coding genes in response to induction with voriconazole (1 μg/ml). The most distinctive observation was approximately 8- to 9-fold voriconazole-induced overexpression of an ortholog of the Candida albicans ATP binding cassette (ABC) multidrug efflux transporter, Cdr1, in two non-wild-type isolates compared to those in the reference strain A. flavus ATCC 204304 and other wild-type strains. Although the dominant marker of azole resistance in A. flavus is still elusive, the current study proposes the possible role of multidrug efflux pumps, especially that of Cdr1B overexpression, in contributing azole resistance in A. flavus.

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