| Title | The putative sensor histidine kinase VadJ coordinates development and sterigmatocystin production in Aspergillus nidulans |
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| Author | Yanxia Zhao1, Mi-Kyung Lee2, Jieyin Lim3, Heungyun Moon3, Hee-Soo Park4, Weifa Zheng1*, and Jae-Hyuk Yu3,5* |
| Address | 1Key Laboratory for Biotechnology on Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, Department of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Jiangsu 221116, P. R. China, 2Biological Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Jeongeup 56212, Republic of Korea, 3Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA, 4School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea, 5Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea |
| Bibliography | Journal of Microbiology, 59(8),746–752, 2021, |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12275-021-1055-2 |
| Key Words | velvet regulators, sensor histidine kinase, development, sterigmatocystin, VosA-VelB-activated developmental gene |
| Abstract | The VosA-VelB heterocomplex governs expression of several genes associated with fungal development and secondary metabolism. In this study, we have investigated the functions of one of the VosA-VelB-activated developmental genes vadJ in development and production of the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. The vadJ gene is predicted to encode a 957-amino acid length protein containing a highly conserved sensor histidine kinase domain. The deletion of vosA or velB resulted in decreased mRNA levels of vadJ throughout the life cycle, suggesting that VosA and VelB are necessary for proper expression of vadJ. Nullifying vadJ led to highly restricted colony growth, lowered formation of asexual spores, and about two-fold reduction in conidial viability. Conversely, the deletion of vadJ resulted in elevated production of sexual fruiting bodies and sterigmatocystin. These suggest that VadJ is necessary for proper coordination of asexual and sexual development, and sterigmatocystin production. In accordance with this idea, the deletion of vadJ led to elevated mRNA levels of the two key sexual developmental activators esdC and nsdD. In summary, the putative sensor histidine kinase VadJ represses sexual development and sterigmatocystin production, but activates asexual development in A. nidulans. |