Repression of the acid ZrfA/ZrfB zinc-uptake system of Aspergillus fumigatus mediated by PacC under neutral, zinc-limiting conditions

Authors

  • Jorge Amich Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain
  • Fernando Leal Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain
  • José Antonio Calera Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

Keywords:

Aspergillus fumigatus, zinc-uptake system, zinc, PacC

Abstract

The ZrfA and ZrfB transporters are components of a zinc uptake system of Aspergillus fumigatus, which mainly operates under acid zinc-limiting conditions. The expression of the zrfA and zrfB genes is up-regulated by the transcriptional activator ZafA in both acid and neutral, zinc-limiting media. The transcription of zafA is not influenced by PacC, which is the transcriptional regulator involved in regulating pH homeostasis in Aspergillus. However, at neutral pH the expression level of both zrfA and zrfB is significantly reduced. In this work we show that repression of these genes in neutral and alkaline zinc-limiting media is mediated by the transcriptional regulator PacC.

Author Biographies

Jorge Amich, Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

Fernando Leal, Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

José Antonio Calera, Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

Institute of Biochemical Microbiology, Joint Center CSIC-USAL, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

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Published

2010-09-20

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2009)

Section

Research Articles

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