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Submitted to: Genome Biology and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2015 Publication Date: 12/3/2015 Citation: Moore, G.G., Mack, B.M., Beltz, S.B. 2015. Draft genome sequences of two closely related aflatoxigenic Aspergillus species obtained from the Ivory Coast. Genome Biology and Evolution. 8(3):729-732. Interpretive Summary: We sequenced the genomes of two closely-related aflatoxigenic fungal organisms that were sampled in rainforest soil from the Ivory Coast, West Africa. These are the only two representatives of their species to have ever been sampled. Aspergillus ochraceoroseus and A. rambellii were initially considered to be the same species, but more thorough comparisons have revealed morphological and genotypic differences. Both species secrete sterigmatocystin, similar to A. nidulans, but they also secrete B-aflatoxins like A. flavus. Their genomes are smaller in size than other sequenced Aspergillus genomes, yet annotation revealed that these fungi comparable gene numbers to other sequenced Aspergilli. This is an announcement that the genomes of A. ochraceoroseus and A. rambellii have been sequenced, annotated and submitted to GenBank for further research and comparison to other aflatoxigenic fungi. Technical Abstract: The genomes of the A. ochraceoroseus and A. rambellii type strains were sequenced using a personal genome machine, followed by annotation of their genes. The genome size for A. ochraceoroseus was found to be approximately 23 Mb and contained 7,837 genes, while the A. rambellii genome was found to be about 26 Mb and contained 7,807 genes. This announcement introduces sequenced genomes for two of the only organisms of their kind sampled in the world, and could help us to further aflatoxin research and understand the evolution of aflatoxigenic fungi. |
