MpkB MAP kinase pathway is required for sexual development, but not for mycotoxin production, in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus flavus

Author:

Jong-Hwa Kim, Sang-Cheol Jun, Bohan Zhu, Kap-Hoon Han

Author address:

Woukosuk University, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wanju, Jeonbuk, South Korea

Full conference title:

15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 2020

Date: 20 June 2020

Abstract:

In eukaryotic systems, MAP kinase pathways play important roles in regulating stress responses as well as growth and development. MpkB MAP kinase in a filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has been known to coordinate sexual development and secondary metabolism, including sterigmatocystin (ST) production. In this study, however, the results of the ST production analysis of wild type and mpkB deletion mutants showed that the mutation did not affect the ST production and ST related gene expression. Furthermore, ST production of ΔmpkB, ΔmkkB, and ΔmpkBΔmkkB mutants in the veA+ background was similar with wild type. Also, MpkB constitutive activation or inactivation mutants showed no significant effect on the ST production. Interestingly, ST production of mpkB and mkkB mutants was remarkably delayed in the veA1 background, suggesting that the ST production is affected primarily by the veA gene. Similarly, in Aspergillus flavus, MpkB ortholog AflmpkB mutant couldn’t produce any sclerotia, but it produced aflatoxin B1 normally. Taken together, the mpkB gene alone does not affect mycotoxin production such as ST in A. nidulans or aflatoxin B1 in A. flavus, indicating that the signaling of MpkB MAP kinase and mycotoxin production were governed by independent pathways.

Link to conference website:

Link Conference abstract: 

ECFG 15

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