Publication Date

2015

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Calvo, Ana M.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

LCSH

Biology; Microbiology; Microbiology; Aspergillus flavus; Aflatoxins

Abstract

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is an agriculturally important opportunistic plant pathogen that produces potent carcinogenic compounds called aflatoxins. We identified the rtfA gene, ortholog of rtf1 in S. cerevisiae and rtfA in A. nidulans, in A. flavus. Interestingly, rtfA has multiple cellular roles in this mycotoxin-producing fungus. In this study, we show that rtfA regulates conidiation. The rtfA deletion mutant presented smaller conidiophores with significantly reduced conidial production compared to the wild-type strain. The absence of rtfA also resulted in a significantly decreased or lack of sclerotial production under conditions that allowed abundant production of these resistance structures in the wild-type. The deletion of rtfA notably reduced the production of aflatoxin B1, indicating that rtfA is a regulator of mycotoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus. The deletion rtfA also regulates the production of several unknown secondary metabolites.

Comments

Advisors: Ana M. Calvo.||Committee members: Barrie P. Bode; Jeffery W. Cary.

Extent

54 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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