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Extensive non-coding sequence divergence between the major human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and its relatives
Alec Brown1,2, Matthew E Mead1,2, Jacob L Steenwyk1,2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Frontiers in Fungal Biology
|March 3, 2023
Summary
Differential gene regulation in non-coding regions may explain the pathogenicity of Aspergillus fumigatus, a deadly fungal pathogen. This study reveals significant sequence variation in these regions, highlighting potential virulence factors.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Genomics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Invasive aspergillosis is a severe fungal infection with high mortality rates, primarily caused by *Aspergillus fumigatus*.
- Previous genomic studies focused on protein-coding regions, overlooking the role of non-coding DNA in pathogenicity.
- Many virulence factors in *A. fumigatus* are present in closely related species, suggesting regulatory differences are key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that differential gene regulation in non-coding regions contributes to *A. fumigatus* pathogenicity.
- To compare non-coding sequences upstream of genes in *A. fumigatus* with those in related *Aspergillus* species.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomics of non-coding regions upstream of single-copy orthologous genes.
- Analysis of evolutionary rates in both coding and non-coding regions across *Aspergillus* section *Fumigati* species.
- Identification of genes with divergent non-coding region evolution in *A. fumigatus*.
Main Results:
- Non-coding regions upstream of genes exhibit extensive sequence variation and lack of homology across *Aspergillus* species.
- Identified 418 genes, including 25 known virulence genes, with non-coding regions evolving at different rates in *A. fumigatus*.
- Observed numerous insertions, deletions, and mutations in the non-coding regions of *A. fumigatus* compared to relatives.
Conclusions:
- Significant sequence variation exists in non-coding regions among closely related *Aspergillus* species with differing pathogenicity.
- Divergent evolution in non-coding regions of *A. fumigatus* points to potential regulatory mechanisms underlying its virulence.
- These findings highlight the importance of non-coding DNA in fungal pathogenesis and identify novel targets for study.
Keywords:
Aspergillus fumigatusdifferent evolutionary rateevolutionfungal genomicsnon-coding regionvirulence factorMore Related Videos
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