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PMID: 12208999 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review

Relationship between secondary metabolism and fungal development.

Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR ·Vol. 66 ·No. 3 ·2002-09-00 ·Pages 447-59, table of contents

Calvo AM, Wilson RA, Bok JW, Keller NP

Abstract

Filamentous fungi are unique organisms-rivaled only by actinomycetes and plants-in producing a wide range of natural products called secondary metabolites. These compounds are very diverse in structure and perform functions that are not always known. However, most secondary metabolites are produced after the fungus has completed its initial growth phase and is beginning a stage of development represented by the formation of spores. In this review, we describe secondary metabolites produced by fungi that act as sporogenic factors to influence fungal development, are required for spore viability, or are produced at a time in the life cycle that coincides with development. We describe environmental and genetic factors that can influence the production of secondary metabolites. In the case of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, we review the only described work that genetically links the sporulation of this fungus to the production of the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin through a shared G-protein signaling pathway.

MeSH Terms
Aflatoxins/biosynthesis Aspergillus/metabolism Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism Fungal Proteins/genetics,metabolism Fungi/metabolism,physiology Hydrogen-Ion Concentration Mycotoxins/metabolism Signal Transduction Spores, Fungal/metabolism Sterigmatocystin/biosynthesis Transcription Factors/genetics,metabolism
Chemicals
Aflatoxins AreA protein, Aspergillus nidulans Fungal Proteins Mycotoxins PacC protein, Aspergillus Transcription Factors Sterigmatocystin Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Calvo Ana M
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA.
Wilson Richard A
Bok Jin Woo
Keller Nancy P
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Article Info
Journal
Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR
Abbr.
Microbiol Mol Biol Rev
ISSN
1092-2172
DOI
10.1128/MMBR.66.3.447-459.2002
Published
2002-09-00
Pages
447-59, table of contents
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
9706653
PMCID
PMC120793
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/MMBR.66.3.447-459.2002 PMC Full Text View journal details
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