scholarly journals A novel mode of chromosomal evolution peculiar to filamentous Ascomycete fungi

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. R45 ◽  
Author(s):  
James K Hane ◽  
Thierry Rouxel ◽  
Barbara J Howlett ◽  
Gert HJ Kema ◽  
Stephen B Goodwin ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Andi M. Wilson ◽  
Raphael Gabriel ◽  
Steven W. Singer ◽  
Timo Schuerg ◽  
P. Markus Wilken ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Melissa Wilson ◽  
RV Lelwala ◽  
PWJ Taylor ◽  
MJ Wingfield ◽  
BD WINGFIELD

Abstract Background: Colletotrichum species are known to engage in unique sexual behaviours that differ significantly from the mating strategies of other filamentous ascomycete species. Most ascomycete fungi require the expression of both the MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 genes to regulate mating type and induce sexual reproduction. In contrast, all isolates of Colletotrichum are known to harbour only the MAT1-2-1 gene and yet, are capable of recognizing suitable mating partners and producing sexual progeny. The molecular mechanisms contributing to mating types and behaviours in Colletotrichum are thus unknown. Results: A comparative genomics approach analysing genomes from 47 Colletotrichum isolates was used to elucidate a putative molecular mechanism underlying the unique sexual behaviours observed in Colletotrichum species. The existence of only the MAT1-2 idiomorph was confirmed across all species included in this study. Comparisons at the loci harbouring the two mating pheromones and their cognate receptors revealed interesting patterns of gene presence and absence as well as gene loss. The results also showed that these genes have been lost multiple times over the evolutionary history of this genus. Conclusion: The multiple losses of the pheromone genes in these species suggest strong selection against the typical mating strategies seen in other species. This further suggests that these pheromones no longer play a role in mating type determination and that the species of this genus have undiscovered mechanisms by which to control mating type and mating partner recognition. This research thus provides a base from which further interrogation of this topic can take place.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn A. Zeiner ◽  
Samuel O. Purvine ◽  
Erika Zink ◽  
Si Wu ◽  
Ljiljana Paša-Tolić ◽  
...  

Manganese (Mn) oxides are among the strongest oxidants and sorbents in the environment, and Mn(II) oxidation to Mn(III/IV) (hydr)oxides includes both abiotic and microbially-mediated processes. While white-rot Basidiomycete fungi oxidize Mn(II) using laccases and manganese peroxidases in association with lignocellulose degradation, the mechanisms by which filamentous Ascomycete fungi oxidize Mn(II) and a physiological role for Mn(II) oxidation in these organisms remain poorly understood. Here we use a combination of chemical and in-gel assays and bulk mass spectrometry to demonstrate secretome-based Mn(II) oxidation in three phylogenetically diverse Ascomycetes that is mechanistically distinct from hyphal-associated Mn(II) oxidation on solid substrates. We show that Mn(II) oxidative capacity of these fungi is dictated by species-specific secreted enzymes and varies with secretome age, and we reveal the presence of both Cu-based and FAD-based Mn(II) oxidation mechanisms in all 3 species, demonstrating mechanistic redundancy. Specifically, we identify candidate Mn(II)-oxidizing enzymes as tyrosinase and glyoxal oxidase in Stagonospora sp. SRC1lsM3a, bilirubin oxidase in Stagonospora sp. and Paraconiothyrium sporulosum AP3s5-JAC2a, and GMC oxidoreductase in all 3 species, including Pyrenochaeta sp. DS3sAY3a. The diversity of the candidate Mn(II)-oxidizing enzymes identified in this study suggests that the ability of fungal secretomes to oxidize Mn(II) may be more widespread than previously thought.


2003 ◽  
Vol 223 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Mikkelsen ◽  
Sabrina Sarrocco ◽  
Mette Lübeck ◽  
Dan Funck Jensen

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Hammond ◽  
J. W. Bok ◽  
M. D. Andrewski ◽  
Y. Reyes-Domínguez ◽  
C. Scazzocchio ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The genus Aspergillus is ideally suited for the investigation of RNA silencing evolution because it includes species that have experienced a variety of RNA silencing gene changes. Our work on this subject begins here with the model species Aspergillus nidulans. Filamentous ascomycete fungi generally each encode two of the core RNA silencing proteins, Dicer and Argonaute, but A. nidulans appears to have lost one of each to gene truncation events. Although a role in growth, development, or RNA silencing was not detected for the truncated genes, they do produce spliced and poly(A)-tailed transcripts, suggesting that they may have an undetermined biological function. Population analysis demonstrates that the truncated genes are fixed at the species level and that their full-length orthologs in a closely related species are also unstable. With these gene truncation events, A. nidulans encodes only a single intact Dicer and Argonaute. Their deletion results in morphologically and reproductively normal strains that are incapable of experimental RNA silencing. Thus, our results suggest that the remaining A. nidulans RNA silencing genes have a “nonhousekeeping” function, such as defense against viruses and transposons.


Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson ◽  
Wilken ◽  
van der Nest ◽  
Wingfield ◽  
Wingfield

Sexual reproduction in filamentous ascomycete fungi results in the production of highly specialized sexual tissues, which arise from relatively simple, vegetative mycelia. This conversion takes place after the recognition of and response to a variety of exogenous and endogenous cues, and relies on very strictly regulated gene, protein, and metabolite pathways. This makes studying sexual development in fungi an interesting tool in which to study gene–gene, gene–protein, and protein–metabolite interactions. This review provides an overview of some of the most important genes involved in this process; from those involved in the conversion of mycelia into sexually-competent tissue, to those involved in the development of the ascomata, the asci, and ultimately, the ascospores.


mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuyuki Kubo ◽  
Naoki Fujihara ◽  
Ken Harata ◽  
Ulla Neumann ◽  
Guillaume P. Robin ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe cucumber anthracnose fungusColletotrichum orbiculareforms specialized cells called appressoria for host penetration. We identified a gene,FAM1, encoding a novel peroxin protein that is essential for peroxisome biogenesis and that associates with Woronin bodies (WBs), dense-core vesicles found only in filamentous ascomycete fungi which function to maintain cellular integrity. Thefam1disrupted mutants were unable to grow on medium containing oleic acids as the sole carbon source and were nonpathogenic, being defective in both appressorium melanization and host penetration. Fluorescent proteins carrying peroxisomal targeting signals (PTSs) were not imported into the peroxisomes offam1mutants, suggesting thatFAM1is a novel peroxisomal biogenesis gene (peroxin).FAM1did not show significant homology to anySaccharomyces cerevisiaeperoxins but resembled conserved filamentous ascomycete-specific Pex22-like proteins which contain a predicted Pex4-binding site and are potentially involved in recycling PTS receptors from peroxisomes to the cytosol.C. orbiculareFAM1 complemented the peroxisomal matrix protein import defect of theS. cerevisiaepex22 mutant. Confocal microscopy of Fam1-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion proteins and immunoelectron microscopy with anti-Fam1 antibodies showed that Fam1 localized to nascent WBs budding from peroxisomes and mature WBs. Association of Fam1 with WBs was confirmed by colocalization with WB matrix protein CoHex1 (C. orbiculareHex1) and WB membrane protein CoWsc (C. orbiculareWsc) and by subcellular fractionation and Western blotting with antibodies to Fam1 and CoHex1. In WB-deficientcohex1mutants, Fam1 was redirected to the peroxisome membrane. Our results show that Fam1 is a WB-associated peroxin required for pathogenesis and raise the possibility that localized receptor recycling occurs in WBs.IMPORTANCEColletotrichum orbiculareis a fungus causing damaging disease onCucurbitaceaeplants. In this paper, we characterize a novel peroxisome biogenesis gene from this pathogen calledFAM1. Although no genes with significant homology are present inSaccharomyces cerevisiae,FAM1contains a predicted Pex4-binding site typical of Pex22 proteins, which function in the recycling of PTS receptors from peroxisomes to the cytosol. We show thatFAM1complements the defect in peroxisomal matrix protein import ofS. cerevisiaepex22 mutants and thatfam1mutants are completely defective in peroxisome function, fatty acid metabolism, and pathogenicity. Remarkably, we found that this novel peroxin is specifically localized on the bounding membrane of Woronin bodies, which are small peroxisome-derived organelles unique to filamentous ascomycete fungi that function in septal pore plugging. Our finding suggests that these fungi have coopted the Woronin body for localized receptor recycling during matrix protein import.


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