Characterizing the role of Zn cluster family transcription factor ZcfA in governing development in two Aspergillus species

PLoS One. 2020 Feb 4;15(2):e0228643. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228643. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Filamentous fungi reproduce asexually or sexually, and the processes of asexual and sexual development are tightly regulated by a variety of transcription factors. In this study, we characterized a Zn2Cys6 transcription factor in two Aspergillus species, A. nidulans (AN5859) and A. flavus (AFLA_046870). AN5859 encodes a Zn2Cys6 transcription factor, called ZcfA. In A. nidulans, ΔzcfA mutants exhibit decreased fungal growth, a reduction in cleistothecia production, and increased asexual reproduction. Overexpression of zcfA results in increased conidial production, suggesting that ZcfA is required for proper asexual and sexual development in A. nidulans. In conidia, deletion of zcfA causes decreased trehalose levels and decreased spore viability but increased thermal sensitivity. In A. flavus, the deletion of the zcfA homolog AFLA_046870 causes increased conidial production but decreased sclerotia production; these effects are similar to those of zcfA deletion in A. nidulans development. Overall, these results demonstrate that ZcfA is essential for maintaining a balance between asexual and sexual development and that some roles of ZcfA are conserved in Aspergillus spp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus flavus / growth & development
  • Aspergillus flavus / physiology*
  • Aspergillus nidulans / growth & development
  • Aspergillus nidulans / physiology*
  • Fungal Proteins / physiology
  • Metalloproteins / physiology
  • Reproduction
  • Reproduction, Asexual
  • Species Specificity
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Zinc

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Metalloproteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Zinc

Grants and funding

HSP is supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIP: No. 2016010945). MKL is supported by the KRIBB Research Initiative Program (KGM5231921). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.