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Comparative Study on Whole Genome Sequences of Aspergillus terreus (Soil Fungus) and Diaporthe ampelina (Endophytic Fungus) with Reference to Lovastatin Production

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Abstract

Lovastatin is a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) in cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and hence used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. In a previous study, we report a tropical soil isolate, Aspergillus terreus (KM017963), which produces ample amount of lovastatin than its counterpart that are endophytic in origin. Bioinformatic analysis of whole genome sequence of A. terreus (AH007774.1), a soil isolate revealed the presence of gene cluster (AF141924.1 & AF141925.1) responsible for lovastatin production, whereas endophytic fungi including a strain of A. terreus showed no homology with the lovastatin gene cluster. The molecular study was also carried out targeting PCR amplification of the two important genes, lovE (a regulatory gene) and lovF (transcriptional regulatory factor) in genomic and c-DNA of soil and endophytic fungi. Expression of the two genes was successful in A. terreus (KM017963), whereas the same was not achieved in endophytic fungi. To further validate our above findings, in the present study, the whole genome sequencing of A. terreus and a selected endophytic fungus, Diaporthe ampelina (Phomopsis) was performed. Lovastatin gene cluster, when aligned on the consensus sequence of both genomes, the entire lovastatin gene cluster was detected in a single scaffold (1.16) of A.terreus genome. On the contrary, there was a complete absence of lovastatin gene cluster in the genome of D. ampelina (an endophyte). The probable reasons for the absence of lovastatin gene cluster in endophytic fungi are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the SERB, Govt. of India; [Grant Number-DST/SO/FNo.SERB.SR/SO/PS/046/2011]. Authors would also like to acknowledge Prof. T. S. Suryanarayanan, Director, Vivekananda Institute of Tropical Mycology (VINSTROM), A Unit of the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, Chennai 600 004, India for providing few endophytic fungi for the present research work. We also would like to thank Eurofins Genomics, India, for sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of whole genome of both fungi.

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  1. Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bangalore University, JB Campus, Bangalore, 560056, India

    S. D. Bhargavi, V. K. Praveen, M. Anil Kumar & J. Savitha

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  1. S. D. Bhargavi
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  2. V. K. Praveen
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Correspondence to J. Savitha.

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Bhargavi, S.D., Praveen, V.K., Anil Kumar, M. et al. Comparative Study on Whole Genome Sequences of Aspergillus terreus (Soil Fungus) and Diaporthe ampelina (Endophytic Fungus) with Reference to Lovastatin Production. Curr Microbiol 75, 84–91 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-017-1353-4

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