Transcriptomic analysis of fungus Penicillium oxalicum and its laeA, clrB and rcoA deletion strains

The goals of this study are to compare differential gene expressions for Penicillium oxalicum wild type strain (WT), laeA knockout strain (ΔlaeA), rcoA knockout strain (ΔrcoA), and clrB knockout strain (ΔclrB). The deletion of laeA downregulated genes involved in oxidation- reduction process, alkaloid metabolic process, and transmembrane transport. We find the expression levels of seven secondary metabolism gene clusters (totally 28 clusters) were silenced inΔlaeA. The deletion of clrB downregulated genes involved in hydrolase activity, acting on glycosyl bonds. Many genes involved in conidiation were drastically regulated in ΔrcoA. This study provides the information that combined laeA, clrB and rcoA function are required in conidiation and hydrolase activity of P. oxalicum. Examination of differential gene expressions by digital gene expression tag profiling in Penicillium oxalicum wild type strain and three mutant strains (laeA knockout strain, rcoA knockout strain and clrB knockout strain). qRT–PCR validation was performed using SYBR Green assays.