Linking secondary metabolites to gene clusters through genome sequencing of six diverse Aspergillus species

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1715954115
• Publication Date: 2018-01-09T17:14:26Z
• Authors: Inge Kjærbølling; Tammi C. Vesth; Jens C. Frisvad; Jane L. Nybo; Sebastian Theobald; Alan Kuo; Paul Bowyer; Yudai Matsuda; Stephen Mondo; Ellen K. Lyhne; Martin E. Kogle; Alicia Clum; Anna Lipzen; Asaf Salamov; Chew Yee Ngan; Chris Daum; Jennifer Chiniquy; Kerrie Barry; Kurt LaButti; Sajeet Haridas; Blake A. Simmons; Jon K. Magnuson; Uffe H. Mortensen; Thomas O. Larsen; Igor V. Grigoriev; Scott E. Baker; Mikael R. Andersen
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 570; Evolution; Fumigatus; 610; Secondary Metabolism; comparative genomics; Microbiology; Indole Alkaloids; Evolution, Molecular; 03 medical and health sciences; Rare Diseases; Aflatoxins; Allergens/genetics; Genetics; 2.2 Factors relating to the physical environment; Aflatoxins/biosynthesis; Phylogeny; Flavonoids; secondary metabolism; Genome; Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Whole Genome Sequencing; Terpenes; Comparative genomics; Human Genome; Molecular; fumigatus; Indole Alkaloids/metabolism; Biological Sciences; Allergens; DNA Methylation; Secondary Metabolism/genetics; Terpenes/metabolism; Infectious Diseases; Emerging Infectious Diseases; Fungal; Aspergillus; Multigene Family; Flavonoids/biosynthesis; Aspergillus/genetics; Secondary metabolism; Genome, Fungal; Infection; Biotechnology

Significance

The genus of Aspergillus holds fungi relevant to plant and human pathology, food biotechnology, enzyme production, model organisms, and a selection of extremophiles. Here we present six whole-genome sequences that represent unexplored branches of the Aspergillus genus. The comparison of these genomes with previous genomes, coupled with extensive chemical analysis, has allowed us to identify genes for toxins, antibiotics, and anticancer compounds, as well as show that Aspergillus novofumigatus is potentially as pathogenic as Aspergillus fumigatus , and has an even more diverse set of secreted bioactive compounds. The findings are of interest to industrial biotechnology and basic research, as well as medical and clinical research.