Loss of a conserved C-terminal region of the Aspergillus fumigatus AtrR transcriptional regulator leads to a gene-specific defect in target gene expression.

gene expression is the transcription factor AtrR. Very little is known of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of AtrR on gene expression. Here we use deletion and clustered amino acid substitution mutagenesis to map a region of AtrR that confers gene-specific activation on target genes of this transcription factor. This region is highly conserved across AtrR homologues from other pathogenic species arguing that its importance in transcriptional regulation is maintained across evolution.