氧脂素对赭曲霉在大豆培养基质中合成赭曲霉毒素A的影响

【背景】赭曲霉毒素A (ochratoxin A,OTA)是曲霉属和青霉属等真菌的次级代谢产物,严重威胁农产品及食品安全,氧脂素羟基十八碳二烯酸(hydroxyoctadecaenoic acids,HODEs)被认为可能是曲霉属的群体感应信号分子,调节曲霉的生长发育和次级代谢物生成。【目的】主要研究HODEs对赭曲霉(Aspergillusochraceus)菌株AS3.4412产生OTA的影响,检测孢子密度、培养基类别以及内、外源HODEs作用下OTA产量的不同变化。【方法】分别在PDB、黄豆和黑豆培养基中进行赭曲霉的培养,采用高效液相色谱-荧光检测法测定OTA含量,采用高效液相色谱-质谱法测定氧脂素含量,根据变化规律寻找赭曲霉群体密度、氧脂素、OTA三者间的关系。【结果】低密度赭曲霉培养物(103 spores/mL)中9(S)-HODE/13(S)-HODE及OTA产量高于高密度赭曲霉(106 spores/mL);外源添加9(S)-HODE能促进OTA合成,13(S)-HODE可以抑制OTA合成;赭曲霉侵染抗氧化能力更高的黑豆产生更多的OTA。【结论】OTA的合成受到赭曲霉群体密度和氧脂素的影响,推测9(S)-HODE和13(S)-HODE是赭曲霉群体感应信号分子,并且二者在调节OTA合成中具有相反的作用。     

黄曲霉毒素生物防控菌的筛选及鉴定

筛选黄曲霉毒素生物防控菌,为黄曲霉毒素的生物防控提供支持。以花生原产地土壤为材料,采用牛津杯法筛选所需菌株。对筛选出的拮抗菌株进行抑制产毒曲霉菌株的生长、产孢、降解黄曲霉毒素实验。筛选出2株黄曲霉毒素生防细菌,编号21-1-2、17-3,经鉴定,拮抗菌21-1-2为枯草芽胞杆菌,拮抗菌17-3为地衣芽胞杆菌。分别对拮抗菌对曲霉孢子萌发的抑制、抑制黄曲霉的生长和菌丝延长以及减少黄曲霉毒素的产生、对黄曲霉毒素的分解作用等几个方面进行研究,结果表明,拮抗菌可以明显抑制产毒曲霉孢子的萌发、生长、菌丝的延长,减少黄曲霉毒素的产生以及分解黄曲霉毒素。     

黄曲霉菌主要真菌毒素次级代谢与调控的研究进展

黄曲霉菌(Aspergillus flavus)是一种腐生型好氧真菌,其次级代谢产生的黄曲霉毒素(Aflatoxin,AFT)是一种强致癌性剧毒物质。黄曲霉菌侵染农作物导致相关农产品黄曲霉毒素的污染,危及食品安全及人和动物的健康。黄曲霉菌有8条染色体,基因组大小约37 Mb,含有13 000多个功能基因,55个次级代谢基因簇,其中只明确了AFT、环匹阿尼酸(Cyclopiazonic acid,CPA)和黄曲霉震颤素(Aflatrem)3个次级代谢基因簇的特征。次级代谢基因簇的表达受不同环境条件、次级代谢调控因子、酶活性、复杂的脂氧合物转导信号及群体密度效应的调控。LaeA和VeA是抑制AFT、CPA和黄曲霉震颤素等真菌毒素生物合成的次级代谢调控因子,抑制加氧酶类(Ppo和Lox)的表达则能促进真菌毒素的合成,而其氧化产物(脂氧合物)则是真菌-寄主互作的重要信号分子。群体密度和水解酶类也影响黄曲霉菌的次级代谢,群体密度高能降低黄曲霉毒素的生成量而增加分生孢子的形成;α-淀粉酶、果胶酶、蛋白酶等酶活性的改变可以影响黄曲霉菌分生孢子萌发、菌丝生长,以及真菌毒素的次级代谢。本文系统评述了黄曲霉主要真菌毒素的次级代谢与调控的研究进展。此外,对黄曲霉次级代谢物的研究也做了进一步的评述和讨论。     

甘草药材上的污染真菌类群及其产毒素特性

对药材市场上霉变甘草样品的污染真菌进行分析,共得到4属7种真菌,包括Penicillium、Aspergillus、Fusarium、Mucor属,其中Penicillium polonicum、Aspergillus parasiticus以及P.crustosum是优势真菌。采用高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术对优势菌菌株产黄曲霉毒素及赭曲霉毒素A的特性进行检测。结果表明A.parasiticus主要产生黄曲霉毒素(AFG2、AFG1、AFB2、AFB1)和赭曲霉毒素A(OTA);而Penicillium polonicum主要产生赭曲霉毒素A(OTA)。     

黄曲霉群菌种产生黄曲霉毒素B1的调查研究

本文对来自我国20个省、市、自治区的不同基物上分离的和中国科学院微生物研究所菌种保藏室以及其他单位提供的黄曲霉群菌种,经随机选取82株进行了黄曲霉毒素B_1的测定,证明在测试的9个已知分类群中产生黄曲霉毒素B_1的菌种只限于寄生曲霉和黄曲霉,另外4株种名未定者也能产生此种毒素。在黄曲霉中产毒菌株约占30％(28.3％),其在GAN(葡萄糖硝酸铵)和大米培养基中的黄曲霉毒素B_1的最高产量分别为133,333.3和160,000.0ppb。总的来说,大体上可以反映在我国一般基物上黄曲霉产毒菌株存在的现状。在实验过程中,还对黄曲霉群菌种在GAN和大米培养基中黄曲霉毒素B_1的产量和产毒菌株数作了比较。发现在大米培养基中黄曲霉毒素B_1的产量高于GAN,而且测试的黄曲霉产毒菌株在这两种培养基中均各有不能产毒的菌株,因此,在测定产毒菌株时,若仅采用其中一种产毒培养基,往往会有漏掉产毒菌株的可能性。     

黄曲霉群菌种产生黄曲霉毒素B_1的调查研究

本文对来自我国20个省、市、自治区的不同基物上分离的和中国科学院微生物研究所菌种保藏室以及其他单位提供的黄曲霉群菌种,经随机选取82株进行了黄曲霉毒素B_1的测定,证明在测试的9个已知分类群中产生黄曲霉毒素B_1的菌种只限于寄生曲霉和黄曲霉,另外4株种名未定者也能产生此种毒素。在黄曲霉中产毒菌株约占30％(28.3％),其在GAN(葡萄糖硝酸铵)和大米培养基中的黄曲霉毒素B_1的最高产量分别为133,333.3和160,000.0ppb。总的来说,大体上可以反映在我国一般基物上黄曲霉产毒菌株存在的现状。在实验过程中,还对黄曲霉群菌种在GAN和大米培养基中黄曲霉毒素B_1的产量和产毒菌株数作了比较。发现在大米培养基中黄曲霉毒素B_1的产量高于GAN,而且测试的黄曲霉产毒菌株在这两种培养基中均各有不能产毒的菌株,因此,在测定产毒菌株时,若仅采用其中一种产毒培养基,往往会有漏掉产毒菌株的可能性。     

黄曲霉毒素生物合成径调节基因aflR

黄曲霉毒素生物合成途径调节基因在黄曲霉毒素产生过程中发挥十分重要的作用,它为绝大多数黄曲霉毒素合成相关基因的表达所必需。黄曲霉毒素生物合成途径调节基因的启动子中,含有若干真菌转录因子同源物的假定结合位点。AflR蛋白是黄曲霉毒素生物合成途径中的主要正性转录因子,它调节大多数黄曲霉毒素合成相关基因,也包括其自身基因的表达。     

黄曲霉毒素生物合成的遗传调控研究进展

黄曲霉毒素是一类具有较强毒性和致癌力的次级代谢产物,在小麦、水稻、玉米和花生等多种粮食、油料、饲料和食品中检出率均比较高。因此,黄曲霉毒素不仅给人和动物的健康造成极其严重的威胁,而且也给食品和饲料等行业造成了巨大的经济损失。黄曲霉毒素主要由黄曲霉和寄生曲霉产生。自上个世纪60年代首次发现黄曲霉毒素以来,研究者在黄曲霉毒素合成途径、降解、合成机制和致病机理等方面做了大量研究。本文主要综述近年来国内外以黄曲霉为对象的黄曲霉毒素合成的遗传调控机制研究进展。从转录调控、蛋白翻译后修饰、信号转导途径、参与生长发育和形态建成的蛋白和其他酶等方面对黄曲霉毒素合成机制展开综述,为今后进一步深入系统研究黄曲霉毒素合成机制奠定基础,同时为制定防治黄曲霉及其毒素的策略提供理论基础。     

黄曲霉毒素对费氏弧菌发光的影响

[目的]探讨黄曲霉毒素对一种发光细菌——费氏弧菌发光的抑制效应.[方法]黄曲霉毒素或产黄曲霉毒素的菌株培养液对费氏弧菌进行处理后,利用多功能酶标仪检测费氏弧菌的发光强度,研究黄曲霉毒素对费氏弧菌发光的影响.[结果]黄曲霉毒素浓度的对数值与费氏弧菌发光的抑制率呈线性关系,依据所得的回归方程可以快速准确地检测不同微生物产毒素的情况:6株不同来源的黄曲霉菌株均能够产毒素,以黄曲霉毒素含量表示的毒素量在14.94 - 46.45mg/L之间,1株米曲霉不产毒素.[结论]费氏弧菌发光强度的改变可以较准确地反映微生物产毒素的能力,尤其是微生物产黄曲霉毒素的能力,为在工农业生产中快速检测黄曲霉毒素提供了新的线索,有望发展成为一种检测黄曲霉毒素的新技术.     

曲霉属黄绿组的一个产毒新种

本文报道曲霉属黄绿组(通常称黄曲霉群)的一个产毒新种肇庆曲霉(Aspergillus zhaoqingensis sp.nov.)。该菌分离广东肇庆土壤,在形态上近于米曲霉(A.oryzae),但作为该组的关键分类特征分生孢子纹饰很不相同:本种的分生孢子明显的粗疏粗糙至具不规则的脊状突起而米曲霉则为光滑或稍粗糙。本种能产生黄曲霉毒素B_1而米曲霉则不产生。本菌亦不同于组内其它菌种。文中对与黄曲霉密切相关诸种也作了简短的讨论。     

Reciprocal oxylipin-mediated cross-talk in the Aspergillus–seed pathosystem

In Aspergilli, mycotoxin production and sporulation are governed, in part, by endogenous oxylipins (oxygenated, polyunsaturated fatty acids and metabolites derived therefrom). In Aspergillus nidulans , oxylipins are synthesized by the dioxygenase enzymes PpoA, PpoB and PpoC. Structurally similar oxylipins are synthesized in seeds via the action of lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. Previous reports have shown that exogenous application of seed oxylipins to Aspergillus cultures alters sporulation and mycotoxin production. Herein, we explored whether a plant oxylipin biosynthetic gene ( ZmLOX3 ) could substitute functionally for A. nidulans ppo genes. We engineered ZmLOX3 into wild-type A. nidulans , and into a Δ ppoAC strain that was reduced in production of oxylipins, conidia and the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin. ZmLOX3 expression increased production of conidia and sterigmatocystin in both backgrounds. We additionally explored whether A. nidulans oxylipins affect seed LOX gene expression during Aspergillus colonization. We observed that peanut seed pnlox2–3 expression was decreased when infected by A. nidulans Δ ppo mutants compared with infection by wild type. This result provides genetic evidence that fungal oxylipins are involved in plant LOX gene expression changes, leading to possible alterations in the fungal/host interaction. This report provides the first genetic evidence for reciprocal oxylipin cross-talk in the Aspergillus –seed pathosystem.     

Reciprocal oxylipin-mediated cross-talk in the Aspergillus-seed pathosystem.

In Aspergilli, mycotoxin production and sporulation are governed, in part, by endogenous oxylipins (oxygenated, polyunsaturated fatty acids and metabolites derived therefrom). In Aspergillus nidulans, oxylipins are synthesized by the dioxygenase enzymes PpoA, PpoB and PpoC. Structurally similar oxylipins are synthesized in seeds via the action of lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. Previous reports have shown that exogenous application of seed oxylipins to Aspergillus cultures alters sporulation and mycotoxin production. Herein, we explored whether a plant oxylipin biosynthetic gene (ZmLOX3) could substitute functionally for A. nidulans ppo genes. We engineered ZmLOX3 into wild-type A. nidulans, and into a DeltappoAC strain that was reduced in production of oxylipins, conidia and the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin. ZmLOX3 expression increased production of conidia and sterigmatocystin in both backgrounds. We additionally explored whether A. nidulans oxylipins affect seed LOX gene expression during Aspergillus colonization. We observed that peanut seed pnlox2-3 expression was decreased when infected by A. nidulansDeltappo mutants compared with infection by wild type. This result provides genetic evidence that fungal oxylipins are involved in plant LOX gene expression changes, leading to possible alterations in the fungal/host interaction. This report provides the first genetic evidence for reciprocal oxylipin cross-talk in the Aspergillus-seed pathosystem.     

Oxylipins as developmental and host-fungal communication signals

Pathogenic microbes and their hosts have acquired complex signalling mechanisms to appraise themselves of the environmental milieu in the ongoing battle for survival. Several recent studies have implicated oxylipins as a novel class of host-microbe signalling molecules. Oxylipins represent a vast and diverse family of secondary metabolites that originate from the oxidation or further conversion of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Among the microbial oxylipins, the fungal oxylipins are best characterized and function as hormone-like signals that modulate the timing and balance between asexual and sexual spore development in addition to toxin production. Coupled with other studies that implicate a role for fungal oxylipins in pathogenesis by Aspergillus and Candida spp., these results suggest that host and microbial oxylipins might interfere with the metabolism, perception or signalling processes of each other.     

A Caleosin-Like Protein with Peroxygenase Activity Mediates Aspergillus flavus Development,Aflatoxin Accumulation,and Seed Infection

Caleosins are a small family of calcium-binding proteins endowed with peroxygenase activity in plants. Caleosin-like genes are present in fungi; however, their functions have not been reported yet. In this work, we identify a plant caleosin-like protein in Aspergillus flavus that is highly expressed during the early stages of spore germination. A recombinant purified 32-kDa caleosin-like protein supported peroxygenase activities, including co-oxidation reactions and reduction of polyunsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides. Deletion of the caleosin gene prevented fungal development. Alternatively, silencing of the gene led to the increased accumulation of endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides and antioxidant activities but to a reduction of fungal growth and conidium formation. Two key genes of the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway, aflR and aflD, were downregulated in the strains in which A. flavus PXG (AfPXG) was silenced, leading to reduced aflatoxin B1 production in vitro. Application of caleosin/peroxygenase-derived oxylipins restored the wild-type phenotype in the strains in which AfPXG was silenced. PXG-deficient A. flavus strains were severely compromised in their capacity to infect maize seeds and to produce aflatoxin. Our results uncover a new branch of the fungal oxylipin pathway and may lead to the development of novel targets for controlling fungal disease.     

Development of Aspergillus parasiticus and formation of aflatoxin B1 under the influence of conidiogenesis affecting compounds

The influence of various inhibitors of hyphal growth, sporulation and biosynthesis of aflatoxin B₁ in Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 was studied. 6-Thioguanine, dl-ethionine, fluoroacetic acid and phenylboric acid, inhibitors of maturation of fungal conidiophores and of conidiogenesis, were added at various concentrations to malt extract agar. Lower concentrations of 6-thioguanine and dl-ethionine did not inhibit the growth of hyphae and the sporulation. Phenylboric acid reduced conidiogenesis more than hyphal growth. The yields of aflatoxin B₁ were significantly reduced. Additions of fluoroacetic acid did not greatly affect the growth of hyphae but totally inhibited the production of conidia and concurrently significantly reduced the formation of aflatoxin B₁. An interrelation between conidiogenesis and onset of secondary metabolism in A. parasiticus is evident.     

Genetic regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis: From gene to genome

Aflatoxins are notorious toxic secondary metabolites known for their impacts on human and animal health, and their effects on the marketability of key grain and nut crops. Understanding aflatoxin biosynthesis is the focus of a large and diverse research community. Concerted efforts by this community have led not only to a well-characterized biosynthetic pathway, but also to the discovery of novel regulatory mechanisms. Common to secondary metabolism is the clustering of biosynthetic genes and their regulation by pathway specific as well as global regulators. Recent data show that arrangement of secondary metabolite genes in clusters may allow for an important global regulation of secondary metabolism based on physical location along the chromosome. Available genomic and proteomic tools are now allowing us to examine aflatoxin biosynthesis more broadly and to put its regulation in context with fungal development and fungal ecology. This review covers our current understanding of the biosynthesis and regulation of aflatoxin and highlights new and emerging information garnered from structural and functional genomics. The focus of this review will be on studies in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, the two agronomically important species that produce aflatoxin. Also covered will be the important contributions gained by studies on production of the aflatoxin precursor sterigmatocystin in Aspergillus nidulans.     

Understanding the genetics of regulation of aflatoxin production and Aspergillus flavus development

Aflatoxins are polyketide-derived, toxic, and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced primarily by two fungal species, Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, on crops such as corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and treenuts. Regulatory guidelines issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prevent sale of commodities if contamination by these toxins exceeds certain levels. The biosynthesis of these toxins has been extensively studied. About 15 stable precursors have been identified. The genes involved in encoding the proteins required for the oxidative and regulatory steps in the biosynthesis are clustered in a 70 kb portion of chromosome 3 in the A. flavus genome. With the characterization of the gene cluster, new insights into the cellular processes that govern the genes involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis have been revealed, but the signaling processes that turn on aflatoxin biosynthesis during fungal contamination of crops are still not well understood. New molecular technologies, such as gene microarray analyses, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and chromatin immunoprecipitation are being used to understand how physiological stress, environmental and soil conditions, receptivity of the plant, and fungal virulence lead to episodic outbreaks of aflatoxin contamination in certain commercially important crops. With this fundamental understanding, we will be better able to design improved non-aflatoxigenic biocompetitive Aspergillus strains and develop inhibitors of aflatoxin production (native to affected crops or otherwise) amenable to agricultural application for enhancing host-resistance against fungal invasion or toxin production. Comparisons of aflatoxin-producing species with other fungal species that retain some of the genes required for aflatoxin formation is expected to provide insight into the evolution of the aflatoxin gene cluster, and its role in fungal physiology. Therefore, information on how and why the fungus makes the toxin will be valuable for developing an effective and lasting strategy for control of aflatoxin contamination.