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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344305
Research Project: Eliminating Fusarium Mycotoxin Contamination of Corn by Targeting Fungal Mechanisms and Adaptations Conferring Fitness in Corn and Toxicology and Toxinology Studies of Mycotoxins

Location: Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research

Title: Arylamine n-acetyltransferases in eukaryotic microorganisms

Author
item BOUKOUVALA, SOTIRIA - Democritus University Of Thrace
item Glenn, Anthony - Tony

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2017
Publication Date: 4/24/2018
Citation: Boukouvala, S., Glenn, A.E. 2018. Arylamine n-acetyltransferases in eukaryotic microorganisms. Book Chapter. p. 255-281. In: Arylamine N-acetyltransferases in Health and Disease: From Pharmacogenetics to Drug Discovery and Diagnostics. Eds., Nicola Laurieri and Edith Sim. World Scientific Publishing, New Jersey.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Microorganisms can survive highly toxic environments through numerous xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, including arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs). NAT genes are present in bacteria, archaea, protists and fungi. In lower taxa of fungi, NAT genes are found in chytridiomycetes. In Dikarya, NAT genes are present in both basidiomycetes and ascomycetes. Soil fungi are particularly robust against highly toxic phenylamide agrochemicals converted into recalcitrant chloroanilines, which are established NAT substrates. Hence, NATs are currently being investigated relative to the ability of fungi to remediate those compounds. Ascomycetes with NATs appear to possess at least one archetypal homolog with preference for acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA. Other NAT homologs have diverged to serve specific needs of different fungi. For example, the malonyl-CoA utilizing NATs of Fusarium species pathogenic on maize and wheat are crucial for defense against host antimicrobials. The comparative investigation of fungal NATs is emerging as a promising research area relevant to agriculture and bioremediation.