Light-Regulated Gene Expression Patterns During Conidial Formation in Aspergillus oryzae

With the effect of light on the conidial formation of Aspergillus oryzae now being known, the molecular mechanism of its light response has become a research hotspot. However, the light-regulated genes investigated in earlier studies do not clearly explain the light response patterns of related genes at the transcriptional level. This study employed RNA sequencing technology to preliminarily identify the light-regulated genes among the genes related to conidia production and photoreception in A. oryzae GDMCC 3.31. Subsequently, the effects of light dose on the light-regulated genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. We identified a total of six genes (tcsA, catA, gld1, Aowc-1, abaA, and AofphA) as light-regulated genes. The expression pattern of abaA was dependent on the light spectrum and light dose. When the light dose was maintained at a high level, the abaA gene served as a red-green light-regulated gene. Otherwise, the abaA gene showed no response to light. The phytochrome-like gene AofphA was regulated by red and blue light with a biphasic response under varying light doses, suggesting the existence of a light dose threshold. These findings provide new targets for the photoresponse molecular mechanisms in A. oryzae.