Aspergillus flavus

Description and significance
Aspergillus flavus is a filamentous fungus. It produces a mycotoxin called aflatoxin B1. Aflatoxin B1 is carcinogenic and it can cause liver damage in humans and animals 4.When crops are infected with A. Flavus thier value decreases because of the exposure of the crop to aflatoxin.2 Aspergillus Flavus is mainly a saprophyte, meaning it obtains its nutrients from dead or decaying material, but it can also be a pathogen to plants animals and humans.1

Genome structure
The genome of A. Flavus strain NRRL 3357 has been sequenced at The Institute for Genomic Research, Rockville, Maryland. Below are the genome statistics.

"5 X draft

2761 scaffolds

Scaffold size, 4.5 Mbp to 200bp

91% in 16 largest scaffolds

Total size just under 40Mbp

Predicted genes, 13,487

Average gene length, 1,485 bp" 1

Pathology
A. Flavus ia an opportunistic pathogen, which allows it to infect animals, humans and plants. It is not virulent in healthy viable tissues. It gains access to seeds through wounds and insect larval exit holes. A. Flavus targets seeds with poor viability. In humans A. Flavus is associated with aspergillosis, a secondary respiratory infection in immuno-compromised patients. In certain areas it is also the cause of superficial infections. 2 Infections A. Flavus can cause are corneal, otomycotic, and nasoorbital infections.3 A. Flavus is also an allergen. It causes allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. 5