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Conduct comparative genomics of Aspergillus flavus and A. oryzae genomes for obtaining genetic information that will be used to identify genes potentially involved in field survival of A. flavus and in its ability to invade crops and produce aflatoxins.
Approach: The genome of Aspergillus oryzae, an important industrial fungus used in the production of oriental fermented foods, such as soy sauce, miso and sake, has been sequenced. A comparison of A. oryzae genome sequences with sequences for other Aspergilli (A. fumigatus and A. nidulans) reveals that the A. oryzae genome is significantly larger. There is specific expansion of genes for secretory hydrolytic enzymes, amino acid metabolisms and amino acid and sugar uptake transporters, supporting the contention that A. oryzae is one of the ideal microorganisms for industrial fermentation. A. oryzae is a close relative of A. flavus, which invades crops and produces aflatoxins. We will compare the genomic sequences of these two fungi and report on the comparative analysis of the secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes and gene clusters. We will also examine other comparative aspects of these clusters, including chromosonal locations, cross-species cluster integrity, inter- and intra-species relatedness of specific genes and the likelihood of inter-specific and even, maybe, inter-kingdom horizontal gene transfer.