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The sexual spore pigment asperthecin is required for normal ascospore production and protection from UV light in Aspergillus nidulans
- Source :
- Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021.
-
Abstract
- Many fungi develop both asexual and sexual spores that serve as propagules for dissemination and/or recombination of genetic traits. Asexual spores are often heavily pigmented and this pigmentation provides protection from UV light. However, little is known about any purpose pigmentation that may serve for sexual spores. The model Ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans produces both green pigmented asexual spores (conidia) and red pigmented sexual spores (ascospores). Here we find that the previously characterized red pigment, asperthecin, is the A. nidulans ascospore pigment. The asperthecin biosynthetic gene cluster is composed of three genes: aptA, aptB, and aptC, where deletion of either aptA (encoding a polyketide synthase) or aptB (encoding a thioesterase) yields small, mishappen hyaline ascospores; while deletion of aptC (encoding a monooxygenase) yields morphologically normal but purple ascospores. ∆aptA and ∆aptB but not ∆aptC or wild type ascospores are extremely sensitive to UV light. We find that two historical ascospore color mutants, clA6 and clB1, possess mutations in aptA and aptB sequences, respectively.
- Subjects :
- Ultraviolet Rays
Mutant
Ascospore
Anthraquinones
Bioengineering
Polyketide
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Aspergillus nidulans
Article
Microbiology
Conidium
Fungal Proteins
Pigment
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Gene cluster
UV protection
Gene
biology
Pigmentation
fungi
Fungi
Spores, Fungal
Cleistothecia
biology.organism_classification
Spore
visual_art
visual_art.visual_art_medium
Biotechnology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14765535 and 13675435
- Volume :
- 48
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....214e1e284cff87d4f86cb7fdceceb92d