Aspergillus is the name used for a genus of molds that reproduce only by asexual means. Mainly because of its economic importance, the genus
Aspergillus has one of the better described taxonomies among filamentous fungi. The aspergilli exhibit immense ecological and metabolic diversity. These include notorious pathogens such as
Aspergillus flavus, which produces
aflatoxin, one of the most potent, naturally occurring, compounds known to man. Conversely, also included are other fungi, such as
A. oryzae, involved in the industrial production of soy sauce and sake or
A. niger used for the production of citric acid and enzymes such as glucose oxidase and lysozyme.
Such is the interest in
Aspergillus that, to date, the sequences of fifteen different
Aspergillus genomes have been determined providing scientists with an exciting resource to improve the understanding of
Aspergillus molecular genomics and act as a spring board for mining for new metabolites and novel genes of industrial or medical importance.
- Aspergillus: Molecular Biology and Genomics
- Microbial Toxins
Labels: brief notes