Identification of AflAtfA and MAPK interactions in Aspergillus flavus

Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem

Biológiatudományi Doktori Iskola

Pócsi István

Hornok László

biológiai tudományok

The aim of this PhD project is to confirm the MAPK signaling pathway functioning upstream of the bZIP-type AflAtfA transcription factor. In order to reach this goal, we generate ΔAflatfA and ΔAflhogA single and ΔAflatfA ΔAflhogA double gene deletion mutants in Aspergillus flavus and record their stress sensitive phenotypes. The interaction between AflHogA and AflAtfA will be visualized in situ using the Bimolecular Fluorescence (BiFC) method as a function of fungal development including vegetative growth and asexual sporulation. Transcriptome changes in the wild-type, as well as its single and double gene deletion mutants will be compared both under stressed and unstressed culture conditions. Other phenotypic changes in sporulation, aflatoxin production, virulence in corn seed infection as well as in mouse cornea and lung infection models will also be analyzed in all tested strains.

1 fő

DE Debrecen

2024-05-31

English