ABSTRACTProtein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a major intracellular protein phosphatase that regulates multiple aspects of cell growth and metabolism. Different activities of PP2A and subcellular localization are determined by its regulatory subunits. Here we identified and characterized the functions of two protein phosphatase regulatory subunit homologs, ParA and PabA, inAspergillus nidulans. Our results demonstrate that ParA localizes to the septum site and that deletion ofparAcauses hyperseptation, while overexpression ofparAabolishes septum formation; this suggests that ParA may function as a negative regulator of septation. In comparison, PabA displays a clear colocalization pattern with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained nuclei, and deletion ofpabAinduces a remarkable delayed-septation phenotype. BothparAandpabAare required for hyphal growth, conidiation, and self-fertilization, likely to maintain normal levels of PP2A activity. Most interestingly,parAdeletion is capable of suppressing septation defects inpabAmutants, suggesting that ParA counteracts PabA during the septation process. In contrast, double mutants ofparAandpabAled to synthetic defects in colony growth, indicating that ParA functions synthetically with PabA during hyphal growth. Moreover, unlike the case for PP2A-Par1 and PP2A-Pab1 in yeast (which are negative regulators that inactivate the septation initiation network [SIN]), loss of ParA or PabA fails to suppress defects of temperature-sensitive mutants of the SEPH kinase of the SIN. Thus, our findings support the previously unrealized evidence that the B-family subunits of PP2A have comprehensive functions as partners of heterotrimeric enzyme complexes of PP2A, both spatially and temporally, inA. nidulans.
Protein phosphatase 2A is a negative regulator of IL-2 production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus