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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176755
Title: ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS GENOME SEQUENCE: INITIAL ANALYSIS

Author
item PAYNE, GARY - NC STATE UNIV RALEIGH
item PRITCHARD, B - NC STATE UNIV RALEIGH
item Yu, Jiujiang
item NIERMAN, WILLIAM - TIGR ROCKVILLE MD
item DEAN, R - NC STATE UNIV RALEIGH
item Bhatnagar, Deepak
item Cleveland, Thomas

Submitted to: Fungal Genetics Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2005
Publication Date: 3/30/2005
Citation: Payne, G.A., Pritchard, B.L., Yu, J., Nierman, W.C., Dean, R.A., Bhatnagar, D., Cleveland, T.E. 2005. Aspergillus flavus genome sequence: Initial analysis. 23rd Fungal Genetic Conference and 2nd Aspergillus Meeting, Asilomar Conference Center, March 13-20, 2005, Pacific Grove, CA. p. 96.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Aspergillus flavus is a widely distributed filamentous fungus that normally occurs as a saprophyte in the soil or on decaying organic matter. It is pathogenic to plants, insects, and animals and produces aflatoxin, one of the most toxic and carcinogenic naturally occurring compounds. A. flavus is also the second leading cause of aspergillosis in humans. A whole genome sequencing project funded by the USDA/NRI and USDA/ARS, and conducted at TIGR, is nearing completion. Preliminary studies of the 33.1 Mb draft sequence, which consists of 17 scaffolds representing 2995 contigs, indicate that the genome contains approximately 13,800 genes. Thus the A. flavus genome appears to be larger than either A. nidulans or A. fumigatus. Aspergillus species are of interest in part because of the large range of clinically and industrially important secondary metabolites they synthesize. An initial scan of the A. flavus genome for proteins involved in the production of these secondary metabolites revealed the presence of 24 putative polyketide synthases and 25 putative non-ribosomal peptide synthases. Manual annotation and analysis of the genome is being coordinated through North Carolina State University and will be made available at www.Aspergillusflavus.org.