AFED, a comprehensive resource for Aspergillus flavus gene expression profiling.
Brian M Mack1, Matthew D Lebar1
1Food and Feed Safety Research, Southern Regional Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1100 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, United States.
Database : the Journal of Biological Databases and Curation
|April 18, 2025
Summary
The Aspergillus flavus expression database (AFED) provides a centralized resource for A. flavus gene expression data. This tool aids researchers in understanding aflatoxin biosynthesis and developing control strategies for this food security threat.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Aspergillus flavus is a significant fungal pathogen impacting food security through aflatoxin contamination.
- Complex regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis necessitates centralized gene expression data.
- Existing resources lack comprehensive expression data for A. flavus across diverse conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a centralized database for Aspergillus flavus gene expression data.
- To facilitate the study of A. flavus biology and aflatoxin biosynthesis regulation.
- To support the development of strategies for controlling A. flavus.
Main Methods:
- Collected and processed public RNA sequencing data from 604 A. flavus samples across 52 experiments.
- Quantified gene expression abundance using RNA sequencing data.
- Developed a web-based interface for accessing and visualizing expression profiles and co-expression networks.
Main Results:
- Created the Aspergillus flavus Expression Database (AFED) with integrated gene expression data.
- AFED allows visualization of gene expression profiles via interactive bar plots and heatmaps.
- A gene co-expression network is available for identifying co-expressed genes and their functional enrichment.
Conclusions:
- AFED serves as a valuable resource for researchers studying Aspergillus flavus.
- The database enables comprehensive analysis of gene expression across various conditions and life stages.
- AFED supports deeper understanding of aflatoxin biosynthesis and aids in developing mitigation strategies.
