Cryptic Aspergillus nidulans antimicrobials.

Secondary metabolite (SM) production by fungi is hypothesized to provide some fitness attribute for the producing organisms. However, most SM clusters are "silent" when fungi are grown in traditional laboratory settings, and it is difficult to ascertain any function or activity of these SM cluster products. Recently, the creation of a chromatin remodeling mutant in Aspergillus nidulans induced activation of several cryptic SM gene clusters.

Suppressor mutagenesis identifies a velvet complex remediator of Aspergillus nidulans secondary metabolism.

Fungal secondary metabolites (SM) are bioactive compounds that are important in fungal ecology and, moreover, both harmful and useful in human endeavors (e.g., as toxins and pharmaceuticals).