Diversity within Aspergillus niger Clade and Description of a New Species: Aspergillus vinaceus sp. nov.

Author(s)

da Silva, Josue J. ^[1] ; Iamanaka, Beatriz T. ^[2] ; Ferranti, Larissa S. ^[1] ; Massi, Fernanda P. ^[1] ; Taniwaki, Marta H. ^[2] ; Puel, Olivier ^[3] ; Lorber, Sophie ^[3] ; Frisvad, Jens C. ^[4] ; Fungaro, Maria Helena P. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Londrina, Ctr Ciencias Biol, BR-86057970 Londrina, Parana - Brazil

^[2] Inst Tecnol Alimentos, Ctr Ciencia & Qualidade Alimentos, BR-13070178 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] INP Purpan, INRAE, ENVT, Toxalim Res Ctr Food Toxicol, F-31027 Toulouse - France

^[4] Tech Univ Denmark, Dept Biotechnol & Biomed, DK-2800 Lyngby - Denmark

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF FUNGI; v. 6, n. 4 DEC 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Diversity of species within Aspergillus niger clade, currently represented by A. niger sensu stricto and A. welwitshiae, was investigated combining three-locus gene sequences, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA, secondary metabolites profile and morphology. Firstly, approximately 700 accessions belonging to this clade were investigated using calmodulin gene sequences. Based on these sequences, eight haplotypes were clearly identified as A. niger (n = 247) and 17 as A. welwitschiae (n = 403). However, calmodulin sequences did not provide definitive species identities for six haplotypes. To elucidate the taxonomic position of these haplotypes, two other loci, part of the beta-tubulin gene and part of the RNA polymerase II gene, were sequenced and used to perform an analysis of Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Recognition. This analysis enabled the recognition of two new phylogenetic species. One of the new phylogenetic species showed morphological and chemical distinguishable features in comparison to the known species A. welwitschiae and A. niger. This species is illustrated and described as Aspergillus vinaceus sp. nov. In contrast to A. niger and A. welwitschiae, A. vinaceus strains produced asperazine, but none of them were found to produce ochratoxin A and/or fumonisins. Sclerotium production on laboratory media, which does not occur in strains of A. niger and A. welwitschiae, and strictly sclerotium-associated secondary metabolites (14-Epi-hydroxy-10,23-dihydro-24,25-dehydroaflavinine; 10,23-Dihydro-24,25-dehydroaflavinine; 10,23-Dihydro-24,25-dehydro-21-oxo-aflavinine) were found in A. vinaceus. The strain type of A. vinaceus sp. nov. is ITAL 47,456 (T) (=IBT 35556). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/05414-8 - Isolation, identification and development of molecular marks for evaluation of Aspergillus niger producers of fumonisin B2 and ochratoxin A
• Grantee: Beatriz Thie Iamanaka
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants