Truncated satratoxin gene clusters in selected isolates of the atranone chemotype of Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) S. Hughes.

The fungus Stachybotrys (S.) chartarum was isolated from culinary herbs, damp building materials, and improperly stored animal forage. Two distinct chemotypes of the fungus were described that produced either high-cytotoxic macrocyclic trichothecenes (S type) or low-cytotoxic atranones (A type). Recently, two distinct gene clusters were described that were found to be necessary for the biosynthesis of either macrocyclic trichothecenes (21 SAT (Satratoxin) genes) or atranones (14 ATR (Atranone) genes). In the current study, PCR primers were designed to detect SAT and ATR genes in 19 S. chartarum chemotype S and eight S. chartarum chemotype A strains. Our analysis revealed the existence of three different genotypes: satratoxin-producing strains that harbored all SAT genes but lacked the ATR gene cluster (genotype S), non-satratoxin-producing strains that possessed the ATR genes but lacked SAT genes (genotype A), and a hitherto undescribed hybrid genotype among non-satratoxin-producing strains that harbored all ATR genes and an incomplete set of SAT genes (genotype H). In order to improve the discrimination of genotypes, a triplex PCR assay was developed and applied for the analysis of S. chartarum and S. chlorohalonata cultures. The results show that genes for macrocyclic trichothecenes and atranones are not mutually exclusive in S. chartarum. Correlation of the new genotype-based concept with mycotoxin production data shows also that macrocyclic trichothecenes are exclusively produced by S. chartarum genotype S strains.