The Trichocomataceae: Ascomycetes with <i>Aspergillus, Paecilomyces</i>, and <i>Penicillium</i> imperfect states

Malloch, David; Cain, R. F.

doi:10.1139/b72-335

Cited by 126 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The food safety community is familiar with the name Neosartorya while the medical community is familiar with the name Aspergillus because A. fumigatus is the most important filamentous ascomycetous opportunistic human pathogen. The genus Neosartorya is more than 40 y old (Malloch and Cain 1972) and discovery of the sexual state of this species, Neosartorya fumigata, has been widely reported (O'Gorman et al 2009). In our opinion, the medical mycology community is well organized with a strong history of continuing education, so Neosartorya will be accepted, particularly in light of the sound scientific basis for its usage.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspergillus, its sexual states and the new International Code of Nomenclature

Pitt

Taylor

2014

Mycologia

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The newly adopted International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN) demands that dimorphic fungi, in particular those with both sexual and asexual names, now bear a single name. Although priority is no longer associated with the mode of reproduction, the ICN requires justification for choosing an asexual name over an existing sexual one. The phylogenetic approach that made dual nomenclature for fungi obsolete can be used to help choose names for large groups of fungi that are best known by asexual names. Here we apply this approach to one of the largest and most diverse asexual genera, the genus Aspergillus. We find that existing sexual names may be given to well supported clades of fungi with distinct phenotypes, which include sexual morphology as well as physiological attributes associated with xerophily, thermophily and mycotoxin production. One group of species important to food production and food safety, Aspergillus subgen. Circumdati, lacks a well supported clade; here we propose that the name Aspergillus be retained for this group. Recognizing that nomenclature has economic and social implications, particularly for old, important genera, we discuss the consequences of various scenarios to implement the new ''one name for one fungus'' article in the ICN, showing that our approach requires the fewest appeals to the ICN while retaining the name Aspergillus for many of the most economically and socially important species.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspergillus, its sexual states and the new International Code of Nomenclature

Pitt

Taylor

2014

Mycologia

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“…Its most efficient mode of dissemination is the production of airborne conidia. In addition, A. flavus produces resistant structures called sclerotia, which allow this fungus to survive adverse environmental conditions for long periods of time (1)(2)(3). This opportunistic pathogen produces a wide range of secondary metabolites, including aflatoxins (AFs).…”

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confidence: 99%

Transcriptome Analysis of Aspergillus flavus Reveals veA -Dependent Regulation of Secondary Metabolite Gene Clusters, Including the Novel Aflavarin Cluster

et al. 2015

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eThe global regulatory veA gene governs development and secondary metabolism in numerous fungal species, including Aspergillus flavus. This is especially relevant since A. flavus infects crops of agricultural importance worldwide, contaminating them with potent mycotoxins. The most well-known are aflatoxins, which are cytotoxic and carcinogenic polyketide compounds. The production of aflatoxins and the expression of genes implicated in the production of these mycotoxins are veA dependent. The genes responsible for the synthesis of aflatoxins are clustered, a signature common for genes involved in fungal secondary metabolism. Studies of the A. flavus genome revealed many gene clusters possibly connected to the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Many of these metabolites are still unknown, or the association between a known metabolite and a particular gene cluster has not yet been established. In the present transcriptome study, we show that veA is necessary for the expression of a large number of genes. Twenty-eight out of the predicted 56 secondary metabolite gene clusters include at least one gene that is differentially expressed depending on presence or absence of veA. One of the clusters under the influence of veA is cluster 39. The absence of veA results in a downregulation of the five genes found within this cluster. Interestingly, our results indicate that the cluster is expressed mainly in sclerotia. Chemical analysis of sclerotial extracts revealed that cluster 39 is responsible for the production of aflavarin.A spergillus flavus is a saprophytic filamentous fungus that is also able to colonize economically important crops such as peanuts, cotton, maize, and other oil seed crops during preharvest or storage. Its most efficient mode of dissemination is the production of airborne conidia. In addition, A. flavus produces resistant structures called sclerotia, which allow this fungus to survive adverse environmental conditions for long periods of time (1-3). This opportunistic pathogen produces a wide range of secondary metabolites, including aflatoxins (AFs). Among them, AFB1 is the most mutagenic and carcinogenic natural compound known (4-8). Ingestion of food products contaminated with AFs has been associated with hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, immunosuppression, and liver cancer (6, 9). AF contamination also results in a negative impact on the economy in developed countries. In the United States alone A. flavus causes more than a billion dollar in losses per year due to contaminated crops (10). In addition to AFs, A. flavus is known to produce other mycotoxins, including cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), a suppressor of the calcium-dependent ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and aflatrem, a tremogenic mycotoxin causative of neurological disorders (11,12).Studies of the A. flavus genome have revealed many gene clusters possibly connected to the synthesis of other secondary metabolites. Specifically, 55 different clusters were predicted based on the presence of genes encoding polyketide synthases (PKSs), non...

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“…N. fischeri has also been documented as an invasive opportunistic pathogen (4,24). However, unlike A. fumigatus, N. fischeri has a known sexual cycle and thus may reproduce by both asexual and sexual means (14,26). Close relationships between predominantly asexual and readily sexually recombining species such as these are common among fungi (1,2,5,19,23,37).…”

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confidence: 99%

DNA Sequence Characterization and Molecular Evolution of MAT1 and MAT2 Mating-Type Loci of the Self-Compatible Ascomycete Mold Neosartorya fischeri

2007

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Degenerate PCR and chromosome-walking approaches were used to identify mating-type (MAT) genes and flanking regions from the homothallic (sexually self-fertile) euascomycete fungus Neosartorya fischeri, a close relative of the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Both putative alpha-and high-mobilitygroup-domain MAT genes were found within the same genome, providing a functional explanation for selffertility. However, unlike those in many homothallic euascomycetes (Pezizomycotina), the genes were not found adjacent to each other and were termed MAT1 and MAT2 to recognize the presence of distinct loci. Complete copies of putative APN1 (DNA lyase) and SLA2 (cytoskeleton assembly control) genes were found bordering the MAT1 locus. Partial copies of APN1 and SLA2 were also found bordering the MAT2 locus, but these copies bore the genetic hallmarks of pseudogenes. Genome comparisons revealed synteny over at least 23,300 bp between the N. fischeri MAT1 region and the A. fumigatus MAT locus region, but no such long-range conservation in the N. fischeri MAT2 region was evident. The sequence upstream of MAT2 contained numerous candidate transposase genes. These results demonstrate a novel means involving the segmental translocation of a chromosomal region by which the ability to undergo self-fertilization may be acquired. The results are also discussed in relation to their significance in indicating that heterothallism may be ancestral within the Aspergillus section Fumigati.

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The Trichocomataceae: Ascomycetes with Aspergillus, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium imperfect states

Cited by 126 publications

References 7 publications

Aspergillus, its sexual states and the new International Code of Nomenclature

Aspergillus, its sexual states and the new International Code of Nomenclature

Transcriptome Analysis of Aspergillus flavus Reveals veA -Dependent Regulation of Secondary Metabolite Gene Clusters, Including the Novel Aflavarin Cluster

DNA Sequence Characterization and Molecular Evolution of MAT1 and MAT2 Mating-Type Loci of the Self-Compatible Ascomycete Mold Neosartorya fischeri

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