Phylogenetic and morphological analysis of Aspergillus ochraceoroseus

Aspergillus ochraceoroseus produces the yellow-gold conidia and other characteristics of Aspergillus subgenus Circumdati section Circumdati. However, this species produces aflatoxin, a secondary metabolite characteristic of some members of subgenus Circumdati section Flavi and sterigmatocystin, a related secondary metabolite usually associated with subgenus Nidulantes sections Nidulantes and Versicolores, as well as members of several other genera. Our morphological data support the placement of A. ochraceoroseus in subgenus Circumdati. Sequence data from A. ochraceoroseus aflatoxin and sterigmatocystin genes aflR and nor-1/stcE, as well as 5.8S ITS and beta tubulin genes, were compared to those of aspergilli in sections Circumdati, Flavi, Nidulantes and Versicolores. In the sequence comparisons, A. ochraceoroseus was related more closely to the species in subgenus Nidulantes than to species from subgenus Circumdati.