RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 O'Callaghan, J. A1 Caddick, M. X. A1 Dobson, A. D. W.YR 2003 T1 A polyketide synthase gene required for ochratoxin A biosynthesis in Aspergillus ochraceus JF Microbiology, VO 149 IS 12 SP 3485 OP 3491 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.26619-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2080, AB Ochratoxin A is an important nephrotoxic and nephrocarcinogenic mycotoxin, produced by Aspergillus ochraceus as a polyketide-derived secondary metabolite. A portion of a putative polyketide synthase gene (pks) involved in the biosynthesis of this mycotoxin was cloned by using a suppression subtractive hybridization PCR-based approach. The predicted amino acid sequence of the 1·4 kb clone shared 28–35 % identity to acyl transferase regions from fungal polyketide synthases found in the databases. Based on reverse transcription PCR studies, the pks gene is expressed only under ochratoxin A permissive conditions and only during the early stages of the mycotoxin synthesis. A mutant in which the pks gene has been interrupted cannot synthesize ochratoxin A. This report is the first of the cloning and characterization of a gene involved in ochratoxin A biosynthesis., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.26619-0