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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176427
Title: FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS STUDIES FOR IDENTIFYING GENES INVOLVED IN AFLATOXIN FORMATION IN ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS

Author
item YU, JIUJIANG
item WILKINSON, JEFFERY
item KIM, H. STANLEY - TIGR, ROCKVILLE, MD
item NIERMAN, WILLIAM - TIGR, ROCKVILLE, MD
item PAYNE, GARY - NC STATE UNIV, RALEIGH
item BENNETT, JOAN - TULANE UNIV, NOLA
item Kim, Jong Heon
item CAMPBELL, BRUCE
item Bhatnagar, Deepak
item CLEVELAND, THOMAS

Submitted to: Fungal Genetics Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2005
Publication Date: 3/30/2005
Citation: Yu, J., Wilkinson, J.R., Kim, H., Nierman, W.C., Payne, G.A., Bennett, J.W., Kim, J.H., Campbell, B.C., Bhatnagar, D., Cleveland, T.E. 2005. Functional genomics studies for identifying genes involved in aflatoxin formation in Aspergillus flavus. 23rd Fungal Genetic Conference and 2nd Aspergillus Meeting, Asilomar Conference Center, March 13-20, 2005, Pacific Grove, CA. p. 203.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Because aflatoxins are toxic and extremely carcinogenic to animals, they pose a serious risk to human health. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms that control or regulate aflatoxin production, identification of genes (gene profiling) using A. flavus expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and microarrays is currently being performed. Sequencing and annotation of A. flavus ESTs from a normalized A. flavus cDNA library identified 7,218 unique EST sequences. Genes that are putatively involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis, regulation and signal transduction, fungal virulence or pathogenicity, stress response or antioxidation, and fungal development were identified from these ESTs. Gene profiling using microarrays has thus far identified hundreds of genes that are highly expressed under aflatoxin-producing conditions. Further investigations on the functions of these genes are underway. This research is expected to provide information for developing new strategies for control of aflatoxin contamination of agricultural commodities.