Open AccesspH Regulation of Sterigmatocystin and Aflatoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus spp.
Author(s) -
Nancy P. Keller,
Clint Nesbitt,
Bashir Sarr,
Timothy D. Phillips,
Gloria Burow
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
phytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.264
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1943-7684
pISSN - 0031-949X
DOI - 10.1094/phyto.1997.87.6.643
Subject(s) - sterigmatocystin , aspergillus nidulans , biology , aflatoxin , aspergillus parasiticus , aspergillus flavus , biosynthesis , biochemistry , aspergillus , strain (injury) , structural gene , mycotoxin , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , escherichia coli , anatomy , mutant
Aflatoxin (AF) and sterigmatocystin (ST) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by the same biochemical pathway found in several Aspergillus spp. The expression of the homologous ST/AF structural gene, stcU in A. nidulans and ver-1 in A. parasiticus, was affected by external pH of liquid growth media. Both stcU and ver-1 mRNAs appeared earlier and were expressed at higher levels in cultures grown in acidic media (pH 4 to 6) versus neutral (pH 7) and alkali (pH 8) media. Transcript levels correlated with ST/AF production. Visual and spectrophotometric analysis of production of the orange ST/AF intermediate, norsolorinic acid (NOR), also paralleled transcript patterns and indicated that the pH effects were operative in different nitrogen- and carbon-based solid growth media. Five- to 10-fold increases in ST, AF, and NOR were measured in cultures grown in pH 4 or 5 versus pH 8 media. An A. nidulans strain carrying a mutation resulting in constitutive activity of the pH regulatory factor, PacC, produced 10-fold less ST than did wild type. The stcU transcript was not noticeably affected by pH in this strain. The results suggest a general pattern of pH regulation of ST/AF biosynthesis that may override previously noted carbon and nitrogen effects.