Accumulation of ergot alkaloids during conidiophore development in Aspergillus fumigatus. 2014

Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
Genetics & Developmental Biology Program, Division of Plant & Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6108, USA.

Production of ergot alkaloids in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus is restricted to conidiating cultures. These cultures typically accumulate several pathway intermediates at concentrations comparable to that of the pathway end product. We investigated the contribution of different cell types that constitute the multicellular conidiophore of A. fumigatus to the production of ergot alkaloid pathway intermediates versus the pathway end product, fumigaclavine C. A relatively minor share (11 %) of the ergot alkaloid yield on a molar basis was secreted into the medium, whereas the remainder was associated with the conidiating colonies. Entire conidiating cultures (containing hyphae, vesicle of conidiophore, phialides of conidiophore, and conidia) accumulated higher levels of the pathway intermediate festuclavine and lower levels of the pathway end product fumigaclavine C than did isolated, abscised conidia, indicating that conidiophores and/or hyphae have a quantitatively different ergot alkaloid profile compared to that of conidia. Differences in alkaloid accumulation among cell types also were indicated by studies with conidiophore development mutants. A ∆medA mutant, in which conidiophores are numerous but develop poorly, accumulated higher levels of pathway intermediates than did the wildtype or a complemented ∆medA mutant. A ∆stuA mutant, which grows mainly as hyphae and produces very few, abnormal conidiophores, produced no detectable ergot alkaloids. The data indicated heterogeneous spatial distribution of ergot alkaloid pathway intermediates versus pathway end product in conidiating cultures of A. fumigatus. This skewed distribution may reflect differences in abundance or activity of pathway enzymes among cell types of those conidiating cultures.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D004876 Ergot Alkaloids Alkaloids originally isolated from the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea (Hypocreaceae). They include compounds that are structurally related to ergoline (ERGOLINES) and ergotamine (ERGOTAMINES). Many of the ergot alkaloids act as alpha-adrenergic antagonists. Clavine Alkaloids,Alkaloids, Clavine,Alkaloids, Ergot
D001232 Aspergillus fumigatus A species of imperfect fungi from which the antibiotic fumigatin is obtained. Its spores may cause respiratory infection in birds and mammals. Aspergillus fumigates,Neosartorya fumigata,Sartorya fumigata
D013172 Spores, Fungal Reproductive bodies produced by fungi. Conidia,Fungal Spores,Conidium,Fungal Spore,Spore, Fungal

Related Publications

Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
January 2007, Mycologia,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
August 2014, Planta medica,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
October 2014, Applied and environmental microbiology,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
June 2005, Applied and environmental microbiology,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
January 1975, Folia microbiologica,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
July 2008, Infection and immunity,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
July 1977, Indian journal of experimental biology,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
November 1972, Journal of general microbiology,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
September 2008, Eukaryotic cell,
Prashanthi Mulinti, and Natalie A Allen, and Christine M Coyle, and Fabrice N Gravelat, and Donald C Sheppard, and Daniel G Panaccione
April 2009, Journal of natural products,
Copied contents to your clipboard!