Search for a command to run...
<i>Aspergillus flavus</i> is a representative fungal species in the <i>Aspergillus</i> section Flavi and has been used as a model system to gain insights into fungal development and toxin production. <i>A. flavus</i> has several adverse effects on humans, including the production of the most carcinogenic mycotoxin aflatoxins and causing aspergillosis in immune-compromised patients. In addition, <i>A. flavus</i> infection of crops results in economic losses due to yield loss and aflatoxin contamination. <i>A. flavus</i> is a saprophytic fungus that disperses in the ecosystem mainly by producing asexual spores (conidia), which also provide long-term survival in the harsh environmental conditions. Conidia are composed of the rodlet layer, cell wall, and melanin and are produced from an asexual specialized structure called the conidiophore. The production of conidiophores is tightly regulated by various regulators, including the central regulatory cascade composed of BrlA-AbaA-WetA, the fungi-specific velvet regulators, upstream regulators, and developmental repressors. In this review, we summarize the findings of a series of recent studies related to asexual development in <i>A. flavus</i> and provide insights for a better understanding of other fungal species in the section Flavi.