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Epigenetic modulation of secondary metabolite profiles in Aspergillus calidoustus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae through histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition by vorinostat

The Journal of Antibiotics volume 73, pages 410–413 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

The effects of epigenetic modulation on secondary metabolite biosynthesis were investigated with five Aspergillus species cultured in the presence of either the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacitidine or the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat. With Aspergillus calidoustus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae, fermentation in the presence of vorinostat (100 μM) induced significant changes in secondary metabolite profile with examples of both induction and repression. We identified putative biosynthetic gene clusters for emericellamide in A. calidoustus and ochratoxin in A. westerdijkiae. A substantial induction in production levels was observed for two secondary metabolites: the diketopiperazine alkaloid phenylahistin in A. calidoustus and the polyketide penicillic acid in A. westerdijkiae, indicating the potential of epigenetic regulation for the activation of silent fungal biosynthetic pathways.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded through a scholarship to MA from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Aspergillus strains were provided by the US Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Mohammed Aldholmi & A. Ganesan

  2. Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed Aldholmi

  3. Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK

    Barrie Wilkinson

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  1. Mohammed Aldholmi
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Correspondence to Mohammed Aldholmi.

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Epigenetic Modulation of Secondary Metabolite Profiles in Aspergillus calidoustus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae through Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibition by Vorinostat

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Aldholmi, M., Wilkinson, B. & Ganesan, A. Epigenetic modulation of secondary metabolite profiles in Aspergillus calidoustus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae through histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition by vorinostat. J Antibiot 73, 410–413 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-020-0286-5

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