Aspergillus fumigatus non-coding RNAs


Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic filamentous fungus and is responsible for more infections worldwide than any other mould. Studies of the small non-coding RNA transcriptome of this fungus under a variety of different conditions and the subsequent generation of cDNA libraries from size selected small RNA species, identified several non-coding RNAs within the fungal genome. The ncRNAs identified were further classified as small nucleolar RNAs, small nuclear RNAs or novel ncRNAs. The expression of these ncRNAs was also shown to be influenced by developmental stages of the fungus and environmental conditions. Comparative genomics showed that the snoRNAs present within A. fumigatus are conserved across other strains of fungus. This study also identified several partial tRNA sequences within the cDNA libraries which corresponded to either the 5’ or 3’ halves of tRNA molecules. These partial tRNAs are thought to have been created by enonuclolytic cleavage within the anti-codon loop. It has been suggested that these partial tRNA stall protein synthesis however, further studies are required to determine their exact function. The table below summarised the type, genome location and corresponding target sites of the ncRNAs identified in A. fumigatus.
Non-Coding RNAs present in A. fumigatus
NameSizeGenome LocationTargetTypeAccession number
U1-1132Intergenic; Afu1g06980/Afu1g07000snRNAAM921915
U1-2132Intergenic; Afu4g12490/Afu4g12500snRNAAM921916
U599Intergenic; Afu6g12670/Afu6g12680snRNAAM921917
U650Intergenic; Afu4g12500/Afu4g12520 Intergenic; Afu2g10150/Afu2g10160snRNAAM921918
Afu-19192Intergenic; Afu1g10270/Afu1g10280Gm75 in 5.8S and Am32 in U2C/D box snoRNAAM921920
Afu-190107Intergenic; Afu4g11320/Afu4g11330Gm557 in 18SC/D box snoRNAAM921921
Afu-198130Intergenic; Afu1g02700/Afu1g02680Cm2856 and Um 2859 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921922
Afu-29485Intergenic; Afu1g09750/Afu1g09760Cm1851 in 26S; Am43 in 5.8SC/D box snoRNAAM921923
Afu-264103Intergenic; Afu7g05290/Afu7g05300Gm2770 and Gm2773 in 26S;C/D box snoRNAAM921924
Afu-277100Intergenic; Afu1g09740/Afu1g09760Um2706 in 26S; Am97 in 18S; Cm47 in 5.8SC/D box snoRNAAM921925
Afu-18884Intergenic; Afu4g11310/Afu4g11320Am25 and Um26 in 18SC/D box snoRNAAM921927
Afu-304106Intron 2 ; Afu1g09800Cm2925 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921929
Afu-38087Intergenic; Afu4g06780/Afu4g06770Um2701 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921930
Afu-513129Intergenic; Afu4g11310/Afu4g11320Gm1338 and Gm3719 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921931
Afu-32875Intron 2 ; Afu6g04570Gm2792 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921932
Afu-33597Intron 2 ; Afu1g04840Cm2316 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921933
Afu-43883Intergenic; Afu2g15980/Afu2g15970Am2877 in 26SC/D box snoRNAAM921934
Afu-45592Intergenic; Afu1g09760/Afu1g09740Gm1122 in 18SC/D box snoRNAAM921935
Afu-4090Intergenic; Afu4g11310/Afu4g11320C/D box snoRNAAM921936
Afu-514105Intergenic; Afu6g03830/Afu6g03840C/D box snoRNAAM921937
Afu-51589Intergenic; Afu4g11310/Afu4g11320C/D box snoRNAAM921938
Afu-19979Intron 1 ; Afu7g02320C/D box snoRNAAM921939
Afu-29893Intergenic; Afu1g05080/Afu1g05100C/D box snoRNAAM921940
Afu-30088Intergenic; Afu4g11310/Afu4g11320C/D box snoRNAAM921941
Afu-21524Intergenic; Afu5g12870/Afu5g12880C/D box snoRNAAM921942
Afu-511164Intergenic; Afu1g03400/Afu1g03410C/D box snoRNAAM921943
Afu-21024Intron 2 ; Afu2g03610C/D box snoRNAAM921944
Afu-26523Intergenic; Afu3g02340/Afu3g02370C/D box snoRNAAM921945
Afu-182219Intergenic; Afu4g07680/Afu4g07690novelAM921946
Afu-202266Intergenic; Afu1g10420/Afu1g10430SRP RNAAM921947
Afu-254163Intergenic; Afu7g04110/Afu7g04120novelAM921949
Afu-203111Intron 1 ; Afu3g14240novelAM921950
Afu-309318Intergenic; Afu4g10430/Afu4g10420novelAM921953