Journal article

Deletion and overexpression of the Aspergillus nidulans GATA factor AreB reveals unexpected pleiotropy

Koon Ho Wong, Michael J Hynes, Richard B Todd, Meryl A Davis

MICROBIOLOGY-SGM | MICROBIOLOGY SOC | Published : 2009

Abstract

The Aspergillus nidulans transcription factor AreA is a key regulator of nitrogen metabolic gene expression. AreA contains a C-terminal GATA zinc finger DNA-binding domain and activates expression of genes necessary for nitrogen acquisition. Previous studies identified AreB as a potential negative regulator of nitrogen catabolism showing similarity with Penicillium chrysogenum NreB and Neurospora crassa ASD4. The areB gene encodes multiple products containing an N-terminal GATA zinc finger and a leucine zipper motif. We deleted the areB gene and now show that AreB negatively regulates AreA-dependent nitrogen catabolic gene expression under nitrogen-limiting or nitrogen-starvation conditions...

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council


Awarded by Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station


Funding Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the expert technical assistance of Ms K. Nguyen. This work was supported by an Australian Research Council Grant (DP0558002) to M. A. D. and R. B. T. R. B. T. acknowledges support by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (Contribution 09-352 J).