Regulation of Sporogenesis in Aspergillus

曲霉孢子发生的调控

• 批准号: 0950850
• 负责人: Jaehyuk Yu
• 金额: $ 40.5万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-04-01 至 2014-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0950850&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Regulation; Sporogenesis; Aspergillus

PI: Yu, JaehyukProposal #: 0950850Title: Regulation of sporogenesis in Aspergillus Fungi are of great importance to humankind as pathogens, environmental recyclers, industrial producers, and agricultural aids. A large number of fungi produce spores as the main means of dissemination and survival. Spores are also the primary agent for infecting hosts for many pathogenic fungi. Moreover, in some fungi spore formation is intimately related with production of toxic secondary metabolites called mycotoxins that cause adverse health effects to humans, animals and plants. Despite its fundamental importance in both basic and applied aspects, the mechanism underlying spore formation in molds is largely unknown. This project investigates functions of two newly identified velvet genes that play a key role in regulating sporulation and production of mycotoxins in molds. These two velvet genes are hypothesized to control expression of other genes associated with spore and toxin formation via binding to DNA and acting as transcriptional regulators. This project employs recently developed genetic and molecular tools that facilitate the understanding of gene function in fungi. Expected results include better understanding the functions of these novel regulators, identification of groups of genes that are controlled by the two genes, and defining the genetic networks regulating spore formation and toxin production in molds. Understanding the mechanisms governing sporulation and secondary metabolism in molds will provide new insights into controlling both beneficial and detrimental activities of other industrially, medically, and agriculturally important fungi. In broader impacts, this project will provide opportunities to promote excellence in science education and rigorous training of graduate and undergraduate students in the disciplines of microbiology, genetics and genomics.

PI: Yu， JaehyukProposal #: 0950850题目：Aspergillus孢子发生的调控真菌作为病原体、环境回收者、工业生产者和农业助剂对人类具有重要意义。大量真菌产生孢子作为传播和生存的主要手段。孢子也是许多致病真菌感染宿主的主要媒介。此外，在一些真菌中，孢子的形成与被称为真菌毒素的有毒次生代谢物的产生密切相关，后者对人类、动物和植物的健康造成不利影响。尽管它在基础和应用方面都很重要，但孢子在霉菌中形成的机制在很大程度上是未知的。本项目研究了两个新发现的丝绒基因的功能，这些基因在调节霉菌的孢子形成和真菌毒素的产生中起关键作用。假设这两个丝绒基因通过与DNA结合并作为转录调节因子来控制与孢子和毒素形成相关的其他基因的表达。该项目采用了最近开发的遗传和分子工具，以促进对真菌基因功能的理解。预期的结果包括更好地理解这些新调节因子的功能，鉴定由这两个基因控制的基因群，以及定义调节霉菌孢子形成和毒素产生的遗传网络。了解霉菌孢子形成和次生代谢的控制机制将为控制其他工业、医学和农业上重要真菌的有益和有害活动提供新的见解。从更广泛的影响来看，该项目将提供机会，促进科学教育的卓越发展，并严格培训微生物学、遗传学和基因组学学科的研究生和本科生。