Species-specific gene regulatory network rewiring mediated by the GATA-type regulator NsdD in Aspergillus [Afl_NsdD_RNA_seq]

Multifunctional TFs are central in coordinating development and metabolism in filamentous fungi. In this study, we systematically dissect the regulatory functions of NsdD, a highly conserved GATA-type TF in Pezizomycotina, using network-based multi-omics approaches in two distantly related species, A. nidulans and A. flavus. Our analyses reveal that NsdD governs fungal development and metabolism through species-specific GRNs, directly targeting key upstream regulators and genes involved in core cellular processes. These regulatory distinctions underlie the morphological and metabolic differences observed between the two species. Notably, our cross-species comparison uncovers extensive GRN rewiring, demonstrating how evolutionary divergence can reshape transcriptional networks even under conserved regulatory control. The resulting GRN maps offer a valuable framework for understanding gene regulation in Aspergillus and provide a foundation for broader studies on the evolution of transcriptional networks and conserved regulatory factors in filamentous fungi. Comparative gene expression profiling analysis by high throughput sequencing for wild-type and nsdD-deletion strains.