Investigating the Impact of Flavonoids on : Insights into Cell Wall Damage and Biofilms.

, a fungus known for producing aflatoxins, poses significant threats to agriculture and global health. Flavonoids, plant-derived compounds, inhibit proliferation and mitigate aflatoxin production, although the precise molecular and physical mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated three flavonoids-apigenin, luteolin, and quercetin-applied to NRRL 3357.

Divergent corn population is composed of prolific conidium producers: Implications for saprophytic disease cycle.

The ascomycete fungus infects and contaminates corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts with toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins. Subdivision between soil and host plant populations suggests that certain strains are specialized to infect peanut, cotton, and corn despite having a broad host range. In this study, the ability of strains isolated from corn and/or soil in 11 Louisiana fields to produce conidia (field inoculum and male gamete) and sclerotia (resting bodies and female gamete) was assessed and compared with genotypic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences between whole genomes.

Genomic and metabolomic diversity within a familial population of Aspergillus flavus.

Aspergillus flavus is an agriculturally significant micro-fungus having potential to contaminate food and feed crops with toxic secondary metabolites such as aflatoxin (AF) and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Research has shown A. flavus strains can overcome heterokaryon incompatibility and undergo meiotic recombination as teleomorphs.

Microbiota of maize kernels as influenced by infection in susceptible and resistant inbreds.

Background: Nearly everything on Earth harbors a microbiome. A microbiome is a community of microbes (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) with potential to form complex networks that involve mutualistic and antagonistic interactions. Resident microbiota on/in an organism are determined by the external environment, both biotic and abiotic, and the intrinsic adaptability of each organism.

Small NRPS-like enzymes in sections and selectively form substituted pyrazinone metabolites.

fungi produce mycotoxins that are detrimental to human and animal health. Two sections of aspergilli are of particular importance to cereal food crops such as corn and barley. section species like and produce aflatoxins, while section species like and produce ochratoxin A.

Complete genome of the toxic mold Aspergillus pseudotamarii isolate NRRL 25517 reveals genomic instability of the aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster.

Fungi can synthesize a broad array of secondary metabolite chemicals. The genes underpinning their biosynthesis are typically arranged in tightly linked clusters in the genome. For example, ∼25 genes responsible for the biosynthesis of carcinogenic aflatoxins by Aspergillus section Flavi species are grouped in a ∼70 Kb cluster.

Putative Core Transcription Factors Affecting Virulence in during Infection of Maize.

is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for millions of dollars in crop losses annually and negative health impacts on crop consumers globally. strains have the potential to produce aflatoxin and other toxic secondary metabolites, which often increase during plant colonization. To mitigate the impacts of this international issue, we employ a range of strategies to directly impact fungal physiology, growth and development, thus requiring knowledge on the underlying molecular mechanisms driving these processes.

Dataset for transcriptomic profiles associated with development of sexual structures in .

Information on the transcriptomic changes that occur within sclerotia of during its sexual cycle is very limited and warrants further research. The findings will broaden our knowledge of the biology of and can provide valuable insights in the development or deployment of non-toxigenic strains as biocontrol agents against aflatoxigenic strains. This article presents transcriptomic datasets included in our research article entitled, "Development of sexual structures influences metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles in " [1], which utilized transcriptomics to identify possible genes and gene clusters associated with sexual reproduction and fertilization in .

Development of sexual structures influences metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles in Aspergillus flavus.

Sclerotium (female) fertility, the ability of a strain to produce ascocarps, influences internal morphological changes during sexual reproduction in Aspergillus flavus. Although sclerotial morphogenesis has been linked to secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis, metabolic and transcriptomic changes within A. flavus sclerotia during sexual development are not known.

Flavonoids Modulate the Accumulation of Toxins From in Maize Kernels.

is an opportunistic fungal pathogen capable of producing aflatoxins, potent carcinogenic toxins that accumulate in maize kernels after infection. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of maize resistance to growth and aflatoxin accumulation, we performed a high-throughput transcriptomic study using maize kernels infected with strain 3357. Three maize lines were evaluated: aflatoxin-contamination resistant line TZAR102, semi-resistant MI82, and susceptible line Va35.

Genetic Responses and Aflatoxin Inhibition during Co-Culture of Aflatoxigenic and Non-Aflatoxigenic .

Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic mycotoxin produced by . Non-aflatoxigenic (Non-tox) isolates are deployed in corn fields as biocontrol because they substantially reduce aflatoxin contamination via direct replacement and additionally via direct contact or touch with toxigenic (Tox) isolates and secretion of inhibitory/degradative chemicals. To understand touch inhibition, HPLC analysis and RNA sequencing examined aflatoxin production and gene expression of Non-tox isolate 17 and Tox isolate 53 mono-cultures and during their interaction in co-culture.

Chromosome-Level Aspergillus flavus Strain CA14 Genome Assembly.

We report here a chromosome-level genome assembly of the aflatoxigenic fungus strain CA14. This strain is the basis for numerous studies in fungal physiology and secondary metabolism. This full-length assembly will aid in subsequent genomics research.

Characterization of morphological changes within stromata during sexual reproduction in .

contaminates agricultural products worldwide with carcinogenic aflatoxins that pose a serious health risk to humans and animals. The fungus survives adverse environmental conditions through production of sclerotia. When fertilized by a compatible conidium of an opposite mating type, a sclerotium transforms into a stroma within which ascocarps, asci, and ascospores are formed.

Identification of a copper-transporting ATPase involved in biosynthesis of A. flavus conidial pigment.

Conidia are asexual spores and play a crucial role in fungal dissemination. Conidial pigmentation is important for tolerance against UV radiation and contributes to survival of fungi. The molecular basis of conidial pigmentation has been studied in several fungal species.

Genome Sequences of 20 Georeferenced Aspergillus flavus Isolates.

Several agricultural commodities can be infected by , a fungus that can produce the carcinogen aflatoxin. Here, we report the whole-genome sequences for 20 georeferenced isolates collected from soil and corn under field conditions. This information contributes to an understanding of population structure and dynamics in a field environment.

Development of Genomic Resources for the Powdery Mildew, .

Powdery mildews (PMs) are important plant pathogens causing widespread damage. Here, we report the first draft genome of , the causative agent of PM of flowering dogwood, . The assembled genome was 63.

The Transcriptional Regulator Hbx1 Affects the Expression of Thousands of Genes in the Aflatoxin-Producing Fungus .

In filamentous fungi, homeobox proteins are conserved transcriptional regulators described to control conidiogenesis and fruiting body formation. Eight homeobox () genes are found in the genome of the aflatoxin-producing ascomycete, While loss-of-function of seven of the eight genes had little to no effect on fungal growth and development, disruption of , resulted in aconidial colonies and lack of sclerotial production. Furthermore, the mutant was unable to produce aflatoxins B and B, cyclopiazonic acid and aflatrem.

Whole genome comparison of Aspergillus flavus L-morphotype strain NRRL 3357 (type) and S-morphotype strain AF70.

Aspergillus flavus is a saprophytic fungus that infects corn, peanuts, tree nuts and other agriculturally important crops. Once the crop is infected the fungus has the potential to secrete one or more mycotoxins, the most carcinogenic of which is aflatoxin. Aflatoxin contaminated crops are deemed unfit for human or animal consumption, which results in both food and economic losses.

Aspergillus flavus GPI-anchored protein-encoding ecm33 has a role in growth, development, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and maize infection.

Many glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) of fungi are membrane enzymes, organization components, and extracellular matrix adhesins. We analyzed eight Aspergillus flavus transcriptome sets for the GPI-AP gene family and identified AFLA_040110, AFLA_063860, and AFLA_113120 to be among the top 5 highly expressed genes of the 36 family genes analyzed. Disruption of the former two genes did not drastically affect A.

Identification and functional analysis of the aspergillic acid gene cluster in Aspergillus flavus.

Aspergillus flavus can colonize important food staples and produce aflatoxins, a group of toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites. Previous in silico analysis of the A. flavus genome revealed 56 gene clusters predicted to be involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

The Spermidine Synthase () Gene, Is Required for Normal Development, Aflatoxin Production, and Pathogenesis During Infection of Maize Kernels.

is a soil-borne saprophyte and an opportunistic pathogen of both humans and plants. This fungus not only causes disease in important food and feed crops such as maize, peanut, cottonseed, and tree nuts but also produces the toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites (SMs) known as aflatoxins. Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous polycations that influence normal growth, development, and stress responses in living organisms and have been shown to play a significant role in fungal pathogenesis.

Genome sequence of an aflatoxigenic pathogen of Argentinian peanut, Aspergillus arachidicola.

Background: Aspergillus arachidicola is an aflatoxigenic fungal species, first isolated from the leaves of a wild peanut species native to Argentina. It has since been reported in maize, Brazil nut and human sputum samples. This aflatoxigenic species is capable of secreting both B and G aflatoxins, similar to A.

Carbon Dioxide Mediates the Response to Temperature and Water Activity Levels in Aspergillus flavus during Infection of Maize Kernels.

is a saprophytic fungus that may colonize several important crops, including cotton, maize, peanuts and tree nuts. Concomitant with colonization is its potential to secrete mycotoxins, of which the most prominent is aflatoxin. Temperature, water activity (a) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) are three environmental factors shown to influence the fungus-plant interaction, which are predicted to undergo significant changes in the next century.

The Aspergillus flavus Homeobox Gene, hbx1, is Required for Development and Aflatoxin Production.

Homeobox proteins, a class of well conserved transcription factors, regulate the expression of targeted genes, especially those involved in development. In filamentous fungi, homeobox genes are required for normal conidiogenesis and fruiting body formation. In the present study, we identified eight homeobox () genes in the aflatoxin-producing ascomycete, , and determined their respective role in growth, conidiation and sclerotial production.