Updates from the Nancy Keller lab at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fungal genetics, genomics, and secondary metabolism. 🍄 Managed by grad students
Madison, WI
Joined August 2020
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Our latest review summarizing every characterized BGC and their elucidated products in Aspergillus fumigatus has now been published! Open access. We hope this is a helpful resource to the fumigatus community 😁
@MDPIOpenAccess
mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/4/266
ALT Timeline of BGC characterization in Aspergillus fumigatus. Yellow dots indicate secondary metabolites linked to BGCs and the years when their linkages were identified.
In addition to summarizing the field, we included some novel analyses that give insight into the untapped biosynthetic potential within the fumigatus species complex (hint, it's a lot). There's still much work we must do as a community!
ALT Never before documented BGCs identified in this study. The heatmap shows the presence (red) or absence (cream) of all novel/unknown gene cluster families found in the A. fumigatus isolates.
ALT The BGCs of previously characterized secondary metabolism-producing genes in different isolates of A. fumigatus. The heatmap shows the presence (blue) or absence (cream) of various secondary metabolite GCFs across 264 A. fumigatus isolates. BGCs without compound names represent those that were previously documented genetically but never characterized metabolically.
We are excited to share our latest paper led by @dianiluciano on the role of the histone demethylase KdmB in Penicillium expansum. Here, we show that KdmB mediates virulence and secondary metabolite production in the apple host.
sciencedirect.com/science/ar…
This is a back-to-back publication with @BayramLAB which shows similar findings on the conservation of the KERS chromatin regulatory complex in Aspergillus flavus
sciencedirect.com/science/ar…
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Check out this podcast featuring our former lab member, Dr. Luciano-Rosario @dianiluciano !
A recent podcast featuring @dianiluciano explores the impact of storage bins in #postharvest diseases caused by #fungi! Where do your spores come from? 🍄
open.spotify.com/episode/4D7…
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ASM wrote a press release on our paper. Check it out here 😁-->
asm.org/Press-Releases/2023/…
We are proud to present our newest paper, “LaeA-regulated fungal traits mediate bacterial community assembly” 🧀🍄. This work was in collaboration with @ORNL, @LupoLabs, and @MTDrott. Available now at: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128…
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We are proud to present our newest paper, “LaeA-regulated fungal traits mediate bacterial community assembly” 🧀🍄. This work was in collaboration with @ORNL, @LupoLabs, and @MTDrott. Available now at: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128…
It’s all in the title! The transcription factor ZfpA protects A. fumigatus from two major fungal killers: neutrophils and antifungals. See how zebrafish 🐟 and human neutrophils make a dynamic duo in our brand-new publication with @TJSchoen and the Huttenlocher Lab.
⚠️ Supplemental movies of neutrophils vs. ZfpA mutants are not for the faint of heart ⚠️
#zebrafish #neutrophils #Aspergillus
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We are so proud of our 2nd year graduate student Nayanna Mercado-Soto (@Nay_MMS) who received the very prestigious NSF GRFP fellowship 🍾🎉. Woohoo Nayanna! Very much deserved
Mycotoxin contamination concerns!
Our collaborative review paper summarizes the genetic regulation of mycotoxin biosynthesis, which helps to explain and develop control approaches to inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis in a more efficient way!
doi.org/10.3390/jof9010021
What are the roles of hydrophobin proteins in the blue mold fungus Penicillium expansum?
We generated a total KO mutant 🧬of hydrophobin-encoding genes and discovered an interesting trade-off in which the fungus is less capable of aerial dispersal
but had a competitive advantage in its apple host 🍎🍏.
Ft. @dianiluciano, Justin Eagan, @aryal_niraj3, @Hull_Lab
#apples #tradeoff #mycotoxins #Penicillium
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128…
(1/2) What are the roles of hydrophobin proteins in the blue mold fungus Penicillium expansum?
We generated a total KO mutant 🧬of hydrophobin-encoding genes and discovered an interesting trade-off in which the fungus is less capable of aerial dispersal
How do you ‘promote’ gene expression? Led by a collaboration with the Yin lab, we have developed a method for quantitative assessment of filamentous fungal promoters using high-throughput flow cytometry at single-cell resolution.
The identified new promoters are stronger than the commonly used gpdAp and are applied to activate the silent nonribosomal peptide Afpes1 from Aspergillus fumigatus.
Link to publication: link.springer.com/article/10…
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We had so much fun at yesterdays @UWMadisonMDTP bactoberfest! Through the almighty power of scrap wood, cardboard, nails and duct tape, our lab was actually able to make a fully functioning slingshot and angry birds carnival game!! (small photo thread)
Programmed cell death governs fundamental processes in fungi, including development, stress response, & host-pathogen interactions. Despite its importance, much remains unknown. Here, we explore the highly conserved inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs).
doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2022.1…
Our lab previously identified a novel copper regulated biosynthetic gene cluster. In a joint effort with the Schroeder lab, we now have identified the chemical and genetic basis of this conserved fungal cluster. With some surprising results! Open access👇
doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-3…
This publication was a Herculean effort spanning years of work from numerous students and post docs. Huge congratulations to everyone involved, especially the lead author Tae Hyung-Won with @group_schroeder !
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Check out our recent review on how post‐translational modifications on #histone and non-histone targets drive biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in #Aspergillus. #epigenetic
sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.w…
We are extremely proud of our very own @GrantNickles18 for his receipt of the prestigious 2022 @NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! We're excited to see Grant's excellent ideas take shape.
Stay tuned for some of his publications in the not-so-distant future
Congratulations 🎉🎊🎉
Bacteria are in the (#fungal) house 🦠🏠🍄!
#Bacteria invade #aspergillus chlamydospores to survive stress: a new mechanism for the persistence of pathogenic bacteria @CurrentBiology
Ft. @NandhithaVenka1 @ClaudioGreko @MTDrott @isludwikoski
doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.0…
How does #superbug #Candida auris compete with C. glabrata in a hospital 🏥 environment?
Our publication in @JoF_MDPI shows common disinfectants can change the balance and contribute to #antimicrobialresistance
Ft. @bsteffan90 @MTDrott @ggoldman10
mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/2/157/h…
Zip(ing) our way through fungal toxins!
according new work out of @DEgyetem -- bZip transcription factors have different responses to reactive oxygen species, together regulating #sterigmatocystin production in #aspergillus
#hajramagyarok
Check it out:
mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/21/115…
The #fungi are under attack! 🍄🐛
How do organisms that are unable run away flailing their hands protect against #insects?
A new insight article by @MTDrott in @eLife examines how fungi defend themselves at different life stages
elifesciences.org/articles/7…