Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40262766›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental microbiology2025

ZfpA-Dependent Quorum Sensing Shifts in Morphology and Secondary Metabolism in Aspergillus flavus.

Benjamin Otoo, Dante G Calise, Sung Chul Park, Jin Woo Bok, Nancy P Keller, Mira Syahfriena Amir Rawa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Rme1: Unveiling a Novel Repressor in the Cellulolytic Pathway ofJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Benjamin OtooDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Dante G CaliseDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Sung Chul ParkDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Jin Woo BokDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Nancy P KellerDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4386-9473
Mira Syahfriena Amir RawaDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Funding

Mass Spectrometric Studies of Thiotemplate BiosynthesisR01AT009143 · NCCIH · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · PI NEIL L KELLEHER, NANCY P KELLER · 2016 to 2026
$4.2M
Bidirectional paracrine signaling in the establishment of invasive aspergillosisR01AI150669 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · PI KELLER, NANCY P · 2021 to 2025
$2.4M
Hatch Act Fund WIS03041NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT009143NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI150669NIH HHS 1R01AI150669-01A1NIH HHS 5R01AT009143-20
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Development of the fungal pathogen Aspergillus flavus involves the balance of asexual spores (conidia) and overwintering hardened hyphal masses (sclerotia). This balance is achieved by an oxylipin-based density-dependent mechanism regulating the switch from sclerotia to conidia as population density increases in A. flavus. Here, we show the transcription factor ZfpA, required for normal oxylipin synthesis, regulates the morphology switch. ZfpA overexpression (OE::zfpA) accelerates the shift leading to increased conidial production and reduced sclerotial production under conditions normally supporting sclerotia formation. In contrast, zfpA deletion (ΔzfpA) produces more sclerotia than wild-type control. These morphology changes are coupled with changes in tissue-specific secondary metabolites. Specifically, the production of four sclerotial metabolites (oxyasparasone A, hydroxyaflatrem, aflavinine, and kotanin) decreases in OE::zfpA whereas the hyphal metabolite aspergillic acid is upregulated in this mutant. Chemical profiling of OE::zfpA compared to a double mutant where the aspergillic acid non-ribosomal synthetase was deleted in the OE::zfpA background confirmed synthesis of known aspergillic acid pathway products as well as putative Val-derived pyrazinones involved in metal chelation. These findings offer valuable insights into the quorum sensing networks connecting fungal development and tissue-specific secondary metabolite production.

Indexed as

Aspergillus flavusFungal ProteinsQuorum SensingSecondary MetabolismTranscription FactorsGene Expression Regulation, FungalHyphaeOxylipinsSpores, FungalFungal ProteinsOxylipinsTranscription Factorsaflatoxinaspergillic acidoxylipinquorum sensingsclerotia

Identifiers

PMID40262766
PMCPMC12014256

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.