Effects on Gene Transcription Profile and Fatty Acid Composition by Genetic Modification of Mevalonate Diphosphate Decarboxylase MVD/Erg19 in <i>Aspergillus Oryzae</i>

• Main Authors: Zhihong Hu, Hui Huang, Yunlong Sun, Yali Niu, Wangzishuai Xu, Qicong Liu, Zhe Zhang, Chunmiao Jiang, Yongkai Li, Bin Zeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: Microorganisms
• Subjects: mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase; <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i>; transcriptome; fatty acid; ergosterol biosynthesis
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/7/9/342

Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase MVD/Erg19 is required for ergosterol biosynthesis, growth, sporulation, and stress tolerance in <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i>. In this study, RNA-seq was used to analyze the gene transcription profile in <i>AoErg19</i> overexpression (OE) and RNAi strains. There were 256 and 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in <i>AoErg19</i> OE and RNAi strains, respectively, compared with the control strain (CK). The most common DEGs were transport- and metabolism-related genes. Only 22 DEGs were obtained that were regulated in both OE and RNAi strains. The transcriptomic comparison between CK and <i>AoErg19</i> overexpression strain (CK vs. OE), and between CK and <i>AoErg19</i> RNAi strain (CK vs. RNAi) revealed that the greatest difference existed in the number of genes belonging to the cytochrome P450 family; 12 were found in CK vs. OE, whereas 1 was found in CK vs. RNAi. The expression patterns of lipid biosynthesis and metabolism related genes were altered in OE and RNAi strains, either by gene induction or suppression. Moreover, the total fatty acid content in the RNAi strain was 12.1% greater than the control strain, but no difference in total acid content was found between the overexpression strain and the control strain. Therefore, this study highlights the gene expression regulation within mevalonate (MVA), ergosterol biosynthesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways.