AUTHOR=Jin Qi , Li Ganghua , Qin Kunhai , Shang Yitong , Yan Huanhuan , Liu Hongliang , Zeng Bin , Hu Zhihong 

TITLE=The expression pattern, subcellular localization and function of three sterol 14α-demethylases in Aspergillus oryzae

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2023.1009746

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2023.1009746

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Sterol 14α-demethylase catalyzes lanosterol hydroxylation, which is one of the key reactions in the biosynthetic pathway of sterols. There is only one sterol 14α-demethylases gene named <italic>Erg11</italic> in <italic>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</italic> genome. In this study, three sterol 14α-demethylases genes named <italic>AoErg11A, AoErg11B</italic> and <italic>AoErg11C</italic> were identified in <italic>Aspergillus oryzae</italic> genome through bioinformatics analysis. The function of these three genes were studied by yeast complementation, and the expression pattern/subcellular localization of these genes/proteins were detected. The results showed that the three <italic>AoErg11s</italic> were expressed differently at different growth times and under different abiotic stresses. All of the three proteins were located in endoplasmic reticulum. The <italic>AoErg11s</italic> could not restore the temperature-sensitive phenotype of <italic>S. cerevisiae erg11</italic> mutant. Overexpression of the three <italic>AoErg11s</italic> affected both growth and sporulation, which may be due to the effect of <italic>AoErg11s</italic> on ergosterol content. Therefore, this study revealed the functions of three <italic>AoErg11s</italic> and their effects on the growth and ergosterol biosynthesis of <italic>A. oryzae</italic>, which may contribute to the further understanding of the ergosterol biosynthesis and regulation mechanism in this important filamentous fungus, <italic>A. oryzae</italic>.</p>