Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA), mainly produced by Aspergillus and Penicillum species, is one of the most important mycotoxin contaminants in agricultural products. It is detrimental to human health because of its nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and immunosuppression. OTA structurally consists of adihydrocoumarin moiety linked with l-phenylalanine via an amide bond. OTA biosynthesis has been putatively hypothesized, although several contradictions exist on some processes of the biosynthetic pathway. We discuss recent information on molecular studies of OTA biosynthesis despite insufficient genetic background in detail. Accordingly, genetic regulation has also been explored with regard to the interaction between the regulators and the environmental factors. In this review, we focus on three aspects of OTA: OTA-producing strains, OTA biosynthetic pathway and the regulation mechanisms of OTA production. This can pave the way to assist in protecting food and feed from OTA contamination by understanding OTA biosynthetic pathway and regulatory mechanisms.
Highlights
A. ochraceus was considered to be the main source for Ochratoxin A (OTA) production in relatively warmer regions, while P. verrucosum being in colder areas [9]
ochratoxin β (OTβ) and mellein had been isolated from ochratoxinogenic A. ochraceus cultures [29,30], while Ochratoxin α (OTα) was not detected in OTA related intermediate at the beginning of A. ochraceus growth, which was obtained by acid hydrolysis of OTA [24,31,32,33]
Transcription level of veA and laeA was relatively similar in A. carbonarius in response to both light and dark, which led to the prediction that the subcellular localization of VeA was critical to the regulation of OTA production under light treatment, rather than the transcription level of the regulators [76]
Summary
Ochratoxin A (OTA) was first isolated as a secondary metabolite from Aspergillus ochraceus in 1965 [1]. On analyzing OTA structure, it is found as a polyketide-derived secondary metabolite and contains a dihydrocoumarin moiety coupled to an. OTA has been proven to be carcinogenic in kidney and liver [4]. Because of the hazard posed by this mycotoxin, the amount of OTA permitted in food is regulated by European Union and Codex [6]. The OTA producing fungi, its biosynthetic pathway, and its regulation mechanisms will be summarized. All these aspects contribute to understanding OTA biosynthesis and regulation. This assists in realizing the correlation between environmental factors and OTA production and protecting food and feed from the fungal contamination and OTA production
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