bHLH transcription factor EcdR controls conidia production, pigmentation and virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus

•ecdR is a predicted bHLH protein-encoding gene.•EcdR affects sporulation and pigmentation of Aspergillus fumigatus.•ΔecdR shows attenuated virulence in a systemic infection mouse model.•The ecdR deletion mutant is resistant to azoles. Invasive Aspergillus fumigatus infection is a disease with high morbidity and mortality rates. Abnormalities in sporulation and pigmentation can significantly alter the pathogenicity of A. fumigatus, thus the mechanisms of conidiation and pigment biosynthesis have gained increasing attention. In Aspergillus oryzae, a novel predicted bHLH protein-encoding gene, ecdR, plays a role in asexual development, and its ortholog has also been characterized in A. nidulans. Herein, we determined its role in A. fumigatus by testing whether ecdR deletion affects asexual development, melanin synthesis, and regulation of virulence in this fungus. Our study shows that EcdR controls conidia and melanin production in A. fumigatus. In addition, we found that virulence in the ΔecdR strain was significantly reduced in the infection model of immunodeficiency mice.