Pre-termination in aflR of Aspergillus sojae inhibits aflatoxin biosynthesis (original) (raw)

Abstract.

The aflR gene product is the main transcriptional regulator of aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus. Although A. sojae strains do not produce aflatoxins, they do have an aflR homologue. When compared with the aflR of A. parasiticus, the A. sojae gene contains two mutations: an HAHA motif and a premature stop codon_._ To investigate the functionality of the A. sojae aflR gene product, we used a GAL4 one-hybrid system in yeast. The transcription-activating activity of AflR from A. sojae was 15% of that from A. parasiticus. The introduction of an additional aflR from A. sojae into an A. parasiticus strain did not affect aflatoxin productivity. A hybrid aflR comprising the amino-terminal region of A. sojae aflR and the carboxy-terminal region of A. parasiticus aflR suppressed the effect associated with pre-termination of the A. sojae AflR. We conclude that the premature stop codon of the A. sojae aflR is the key to its functionality and leads to prevention of aflatoxin biosynthesis through loss of the transcription of aflatoxin biosynthesis-related genes.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Research and Development Division, Kikkoman Corporation, 399 Noda, Noda-City, Chiba 278–0037, Japan, , , , ,
   K. Matsushima & K. Abe
2. Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124, USA, , , , ,
   P.-K. Chang, J. Yu, D. Bhatnagar & T. Cleveland

Authors

1. K. Matsushima
2. P.-K. Chang
3. J. Yu
4. K. Abe
5. D. Bhatnagar
6. T. Cleveland

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Received revision: 30 December 2000

Electronic Publication

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Matsushima, .K., Chang, .PK., Yu, .J. et al. Pre-termination in aflR of Aspergillus sojae inhibits aflatoxin biosynthesis.Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 55, 585–589 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002530100607

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• Received: 03 November 2000
• Accepted: 05 January 2000
• Issue date: May 2001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002530100607

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