Skip to main content
Log in

Molecular cloning and characterization of the global regulator LaeA in Penicillium citrinum

  • Original Research Paper
  • Published:
Biotechnology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have cloned and analysed a laeA gene (Pci-laeA) that may control mevastatin biosynthesis in Penicillium citrinum. The full-length Pci-laeA sequence is 1,340 bp with an ORF of 1,284 bp encoding 427 amino acids. It shows 95% identity with LaeA from P. chrysogenum. The predicted molecular mass of Pci-LaeA is 48.72 kDa with an estimated theoretical isoelectric point of 6.96. Pci-LaeA has a conserved S-adenosylmethionine binding site and a potential MlcR (a pathway specific regulator in mevastatin biosynthesis) binding site.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abe Y, Suzuki T, Ono C, Iwamoto K, Hosobuchi M (2002) Molecular cloning and characterization of an ML-236B (compactin) biosynthetic gene cluster in Penicillium citrinum. Mol Genet Genomics 267:636–646

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baba S, Kinoshita H, Hosobuchi M, Nihira T (2009) MlcR, a zinc cluster activator protein, is able to bind to a single (A/T)CGG site of cognate asymmetric motifs in the ML-236B (compactin) biosynthetic gene cluster. Mol Genet Genomics 281:627–634

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bok JW, Keller NP (2004) LaeA, a regulator of secondary metabolism in Aspergillus spp. Eukaryot Cell 3:527–535

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bok JW, Balajee SA, Marr KA, Andes D, Nielsen KF, Frisvad JC, Keller NP (2005) LaeA, a regulator of morphogenetic fungal virulence factors. Eukaryot Cell 4:1574–1582

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bok JW, Hoffmeister D, Maggio-Hall LA, Murillo R, Glasner JD, Keller NP (2006) Genomic mining for Aspergillus natural products. Chem Biol 13:31–37

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouhired S, Weber M, Kempf-Sontag A, Keller NP, Hoffmeister D (2007) Accurate prediction of the Aspergillus nidulans terrequinone gene cluster boundaries using the transcriptional regulator LaeA. Fungal Genet Biol 44:1134–1145

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Endo A, Kuroda M, Tanzawa K (1976) Competitive inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase by ML-236A and ML-236B fungal metabolites, having hypocholesterolemic activity. FEBS Lett 72:323–326

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes M, Keller NP, Adams TH (1998) Sequence-specific binding by Aspergillus nidulans AflR, a C-6 zinc cluster protein regulating mycotoxin biosynthesis. Mol Microbiol 28:1355–1365

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamahata A, Takata Y, Gomi T, Fujioka M (1996) Probing the S-adenosylmethionine-binding site of rat guanidinoacetate methyltransferase. J Biochem 317:141–145

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kale SP, Milde L, Trapp MK, Frisvad JC, Keller NP, J.W. Bok (2008) Requirement of LaeA for secondary metabolism and sclerotial production in Aspergillus flavus. Fungal Genet Biol 45: 1422 − 1429

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller NP, Turner G, Bennett JW (2005) Fungal secondary metabolism—from biochemistry to genomics. Nat Rev Microbiol 3:937–947

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosalkova K, Garcia-Estrada C, Ullan RV, Godio RP, Feltrer R (2008) The global regulator LaeA controls penicillin biosynthesis, pigmentation and sporulation, but not roquefortine C synthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum. Biochimie 91:214–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y-G, Whittier RF (1995) Thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR: automatable amplification and sequencing of insert end fragments from P1 and YAC clones for chromosome walking. Genomics 25:674–681

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park JW, Lee JK, Kwon TJ, Yi DH, Kim YJ (2003) Bioconversion of compactin into pravastatin by Streptomyces sp. Biotechnol Lett 25:1827–1831

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perrin RM, Fedorova ND, Bok JW, Cramer RA, Wortman JR (2007) Transcriptional regulation of chemical diversity in Aspergillus fumigatus by LaeA. PLoS Pathog 3:508–517

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zerikly M, Challis GL (2009) Strategies for the discovery of new natural products by genome mining. Chembiochem 10:625–633

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the grants of Chongqing Key Program of Science and Technology Development (CSTC2009AB1029). We would like to thank Dr Mandy Reid and Dr Guojian Liao for critical reading of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chang-Hua Hu.

Additional information

Purpose of work: We have studied LaeA, a novel global regulator of secondary metabolism, which has been discovered in filamentous ascomycetes for its possible involvement in merastatin biosynthesis in Penicillium citrinum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xing, W., Deng, C. & Hu, CH. Molecular cloning and characterization of the global regulator LaeA in Penicillium citrinum . Biotechnol Lett 32, 1733–1737 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0375-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0375-9

Keywords

Navigation