Karahoda, Betim and Pfannenstiel, Brandon T. and Sarikaya-Bayram, Ozlem and Dong, Zhiqiang and Ho Wong, Koon and Fleming, Alastair B. and Keller, Nancy P. and Bayram, Ozgur (2023) The KdmB-EcoA-RpdA-SntB (KERS) chromatin regulatory complex controls development, secondary metabolism and pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus. Fungal Genetics and Biology, 169. p. 103836. ISSN 1096-0937

Download (5MB)

Abstract

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is a plant and human pathogen predominantly found in the soil as spores or sclerotia and is capable of producing various secondary metabolites (SM) such as the carcinogenic mycotoxin aflatoxin. Recently, we have discovered a novel nuclear chromatin binding complex (KERS) that contains the JARID1-type histone demethylase KdmB, a putative cohesion acetyl transferase EcoA, a class I type histone deacetylase RpdA and the PHD ring finger reader protein SntB in the model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we show the presence of the KERS complex in A. flavus by immunoprecipitationcoupled mass spectrometry and constructed kdmBΔ and rpdAΔ strains to study their roles in fungal development, SM production and histone post-translational modifications (HPTMs). We found that KdmB and RpdA couple the regulation of SM gene clusters with fungal light-responses and HPTMs. KdmB and RpdA have opposing roles in light-induced asexual conidiation, while both factors are positive regulators of sclerotia development through the nsdC and nsdD pathway. KdmB and RpdA are essential for the productions of aflatoxin (similar to findings for SntB) as well as cyclopiazonic acid, ditryptophenaline and leporin B through controlling the respective SM biosynthetic gene clusters. We further show that both KdmB and RpdA regulate H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 levels, while RpdA also acts on H3K14ac levels in nuclear extracts. Therefore, the chromatin modifiers KdmB and RpdA of the KERS complex are key regulators for fungal development and SM metabolism in A. flavus.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	KdmB-EcoA-RpdA-SntB; KERS; chromatin regulatory complex; controls development; secondary metabolism; pathogenicity; Aspergillus flavus;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology
Item ID:	18453
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103836
Depositing User:	Ozgur Bayram
Date Deposited:	30 Apr 2024 14:17
Journal or Publication Title:	Fungal Genetics and Biology
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads