Journal Article

A comparative genomics study of 23 Aspergillus species from section Flavi

Lipzen, Anna, Wiebenga, Ad, Frisvad, Jens C., de Vries, Ronald P., Mäkelä, Miia R., Petersen, Thomas Isbrandt, Nybo, Jane L., He, Guifen, Salamov, Asaf, Kjærbølling, Inge, Kuo, Alan, Haridas, Sajeet, LaButti, Kurt, Kogle, Martin E., Lubbers, Ronnie J. M., Machida, Masayuki, Andersen, Mikael R., Baker, Scott E., Henrissat, Bernard, Mondo, Stephen, Simmons, Blake A., Theobald, Sebastian, Kun, Roland S., Clum, Alicia, Chovatia, Mansi, Daum, Chris, Pangilinan, Jasmyn, Riley, Robert, Vesth, Tammi, Magnuson, Jon K., Kildgaard, Sara, Mortensen, Uffe H., Barry, Kerrie, Larsen, Thomas O., Lyhne, Ellen K., Grigoriev, Igor V., Sato, Atsushi

2020

Overview

Section Flavi encompasses both harmful and beneficial Aspergillus species, such as Aspergillus oryzae , used in food fermentation and enzyme production, and Aspergillus flavus , food spoiler and mycotoxin producer. Here, we sequence 19 genomes spanning section Flavi and compare 31 fungal genomes including 23 Flavi species. We reassess their phylogenetic relationships and show that the closest relative of A. oryzae is not A. flavus , but A. minisclerotigenes or A. aflatoxiformans and identify high genome diversity, especially in sub-telomeric regions. We predict abundant CAZymes (598 per species) and prolific secondary metabolite gene clusters (73 per species) in section Flavi . However, the observed phenotypes (growth characteristics, polysaccharide degradation) do not necessarily correlate with inferences made from the predicted CAZyme content. Our work, including genomic analyses, phenotypic assays, and identification of secondary metabolites, highlights the genetic and metabolic diversity within section Flavi . Aspergillus fungi classified within the section Flavi include harmful and beneficial species. Here, Kjærbølling et al. analyse the genomes of 23 Flavi species, showing high genetic diversity and potential for synthesis of over 13,700 CAZymes and 1600 secondary metabolites.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 38/23 / 38/91 / 45/90 / 631/326/193/2541 / 631/326/2522 / 631/61/252 / 631/92/613 / Aspergillus / Aspergillus flavus - classification / Aspergillus flavus - enzymology / Aspergillus flavus - genetics / Aspergillus oryzae - classification / Aspergillus oryzae - enzymology / Aspergillus oryzae - genetics / BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES / Biodegradation / Bioreactors / Carbohydrate Metabolism - genetics / CAZyme / Comparative Genomics / Crops, Agricultural - microbiology / DNA, Fungal - genetics / Fermentation / Fermented food / Fermented Foods / Food / Fungal Proteins - genetics / Fungal Proteins - metabolism / Fungi / Gene clusters / Genetic diversity / Genome, Fungal - genetics / Genomes / Genomic analysis / Genomics / Humanities and Social Sciences / Life Sciences / Metabolic Networks and Pathways - genetics / Metabolites / miyakamide / multidisciplinary / Multigene Family / Mycotoxins / Phenotype / Phenotypes / Phylogeny / Plant Diseases - prevention & control / Polysaccharides / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Secondary Metabolism - genetics / Secondary Metabolism aflatoxin / Secondary metabolites / Section Flavi / Species / Species diversity