Heterochromatin influences the secondary metabolite profile in the plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum

Ref ID: 18487

Author:

Yazmid Reyes-Dominguez,
Stefan Boedi,
Michael Sulyok,
Gerlinde Wiesenberger,
Norbert Stoppacher,
Rudolf Krska,
Joseph Strauss

Author address:

Fungal Genetics and Genomics Unit, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural
Resources and Life Science Vienna,
Health and Environment Department, Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH - 
AIT, University and Rese

Full conference title:

11 th European Conference on Fungal Genetics

Abstract:

Chromatin modifications and heterochromatic marks have been shown to be involved in the regulation of
secondary metabolism gene clusters in the fungal model system Aspergillus nidulans. We examine here the role of
HEP1, the heterochromatin protein homolog of Fusarium graminearum, for the production of secondary
metabolites. Deletion of Hep1 in a PH8208;1 background strongly influences expression of genes required for the
production of aurofusarin and the main tricothecene metabolite DON. In the Hep1 deletion strains AUR genes are
highly up8208;regulated and aurofusarin production is greatly enhanced suggesting a repressive role for
heterochromatin on gene expression of this cluster. Unexpectedly, gene expression and metabolites are lower for
the trichothecene cluster suggesting a positive function of Hep1 for DON biosynthesis. However, analysis of
histone modifications in chromatin of AUR and DON gene promoters reveals that in both gene clusters the
H3K9me3 heterochromatic mark is strongly reduced in the Hep1 deletion strain. This, and the finding that a DON8208;
cluster flanking gene is up8208;regulated, suggests that the DON biosynthetic cluster is repressed by HEP1 directly and
indirectly. Results from this study point to a conserved mode of secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis regulation
in fungi by chromatin modifications and the formation of facultative heterochromatin.

Abstract Number: PR3.46

Conference Year: 2012

Link to conference website: http://www.ecfg.info/images/Abstract_Book_Electronic.pdf

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