scholarly journals It’s All in the Genes: The Regulatory Pathways of Sexual Reproduction in Filamentous Ascomycetes

Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson ◽  
Wilken ◽  
van der Nest ◽  
Wingfield ◽  
Wingfield
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Ascomycete Fungi

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.

scholarly journals Doing it alone: Unisexual reproduction in filamentous ascomycete fungi

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Andi M. Wilson ◽  
Raphael Gabriel ◽  
Steven W. Singer ◽  
Timo Schuerg ◽  
P. Markus Wilken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Unisexual Reproduction ◽  
Ascomycete Fungi

scholarly journals Unique Patterns of Mating Pheromone Presence and Absence could Result in the Ambiguous Sexual Behaviours of Colletotrichum Species

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Melissa Wilson ◽  
RV Lelwala ◽  
PWJ Taylor ◽  
MJ Wingfield ◽  
BD WINGFIELD
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Sexual Behaviours ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ascomycete Fungi ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Sexual Progeny

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.

scholarly journals Metabolism and Development during Conidial Germination in Response to a Carbon-Nitrogen-Rich Synthetic or a Natural Source of Nutrition inNeurospora crassa

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Wang ◽  
Cristina Miguel-Rojas ◽  
Francesc Lopez-Giraldez ◽  
Oded Yarden ◽  
Frances Trail ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Nitrogen Metabolism ◽  
Asexual Reproduction ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Vegetative Growth ◽  
Synthetic Medium ◽  
Conidial Germination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Expression

ABSTRACTFungal spores germinate and undergo vegetative growth, leading to either asexual or sexual reproductive dispersal. Previous research has indicated that among developmental regulatory genes, expression is conserved across nutritional environments, whereas pathways for carbon and nitrogen metabolism appear highly responsive—perhaps to accommodate differential nutritive processing. To comprehensively investigate conidial germination and the adaptive life history decision-making underlying these two modes of reproduction, we profiled transcription ofNeurospora crassagerminating on two media: synthetic Bird medium, designed to promote asexual reproduction; and a natural maple sap medium, on which both asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction manifest. A later start to germination but faster development was observed on synthetic medium. Metabolic genes exhibited altered expression in response to nutrients—at least 34% of the genes in the genome were significantly downregulated during the first two stages of conidial germination on synthetic medium. Knockouts of genes exhibiting differential expression across development altered germination and growth rates, as well as in one case causing abnormal germination. A consensus Bayesian network of these genes indicated especially tight integration of environmental sensing, asexual and sexual development, and nitrogen metabolism on a natural medium, suggesting that in natural environments, a more dynamic and tentative balance of asexual and sexual development may be typical ofN. crassacolonies.IMPORTANCEOne of the most remarkable successes of life is its ability to flourish in response to temporally and spatially varying environments. Fungi occupy diverse ecosystems, and their sensitivity to these environmental changes often drives major fungal life history decisions, including the major switch from vegetative growth to asexual or sexual reproduction. Spore germination comprises the first and simplest stage of vegetative growth. We examined the dependence of this early life history on the nutritional environment using genome-wide transcriptomics. We demonstrated that for developmental regulatory genes, expression was generally conserved across nutritional environments, whereas metabolic gene expression was highly labile. The level of activation of developmental genes did depend on current nutrient conditions, as did the modularity of metabolic and developmental response network interactions. This knowledge is critical to the development of future technologies that could manipulate fungal growth for medical, agricultural, or industrial purposes.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Manganese(II) Oxidation by Filamentous Ascomycete Fungi Vary With Species and Time as a Function of Secretome Composition

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn A. Zeiner ◽  
Samuel O. Purvine ◽  
Erika Zink ◽  
Si Wu ◽  
Ljiljana Paša-Tolić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Role ◽  
Oxidative Capacity ◽  
White Rot ◽  
Lignocellulose Degradation ◽  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Solid Substrates ◽  
Gmc Oxidoreductase ◽  
Ascomycete Fungi ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Glyoxal Oxidase

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.

scholarly journals A RID-like cytosine methyltransferase homologue controls sexual development in the fungusPodospora anserina

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Grognet ◽  
H Timpano ◽  
F Carlier ◽  
J Aït-Benkhali ◽  
V Berteaux-Lecellier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Genomic Dna ◽  
Dna Methyltransferase ◽  
Dna Methyltransferases ◽  
Female Sterility ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Methylation Patterns

AbstractDNA methyltransferases are ubiquitous enzymes conserved in bacteria, plants and opisthokonta. These enzymes, which methylate cytosines, are involved in numerous biological processes, notably development. In mammals and higher plants, methylation patterns established and maintained by the cytosine DNA methyltransferases (DMTs) are essential to zygotic development. In fungi, some members of an extensively conserved fungal-specific DNA methyltransferase class are both mediators of the Repeat Induced Point mutation (RIP) genome defense system and key players of sexual reproduction. Yet, no DNA methyltransferase activity of these purified RID (RIP deficient) proteins could be detectedin vitro. These observations led us to explore how RID-like DNA methyltransferase encoding genes would play a role during sexual development of fungi showing very little genomic DNA methylation, if any.To do so, we used the model ascomycete fungusP. anserina. We identified thePaRidgene, encoding a RID-like DNA methyltransferase and constructed knocked-out ΔPaRiddefective mutants. Crosses involvingP. anserinaΔPaRidmutants are sterile. Our results show that, although gametes are readily formed and fertilization occurs in a ΔPaRidbackground, sexual development is blocked just before the individualization of the dikaryotic cells leading to meiocytes. Complementation of ΔPaRidmutants with ectopic alleles ofPaRid, including GFP-tagged, point-mutated, inter-specific and chimeric alleles, demonstrated that the catalytic motif of the putative PaRid methyltransferase is essential to ensure proper sexual development and that the expression of PaRid is spatially and temporally restricted. A transcriptomic analysis performed on mutant crosses revealed an overlap of the PaRid-controlled genetic network with the well-known mating-types gene developmental pathway common to an important group of fungi, the Pezizomycotina.Author SummarySexual reproduction is considered to be essential for long-term persistence of eukaryotic species. Sexual reproduction is controlled by strict mechanisms governing which haploids can fuse (mating) and which developmental paths the resulting zygote will follow. In mammals, differential genomic DNA methylation patterns of parental gametes, known as ‘DNA methylation imprints’ are essential to zygotic development, while in plants, global genomic demethylation often results in female-sterility. Although animal and fungi are evolutionary related, little is known about epigenetic regulation of gene expression and development in multicellular fungi. Here, we report on a gene of the model fungusPodospora anserina, encoding a protein called PaRid that looks like a DNA methyltrasferase. We showed that expression of the catalytically functional version of the PaRid protein is required in the maternal parental strain to form zygotes. By establishing the transcriptional profile ofPaRidmutant strain, we identified a set of PaRid direct and/or indirect target genes. Half of them are also targets of a mating-type transcription factor known to be a major regulator of sexual development. So far, there was no other example of identified RID targets shared with a well-known developmental pathway that is common to an important group of fungi, the Pezizomycotina

scholarly journals Nuclear interactions in a heterokaryon: insight from the model Neurospora tetrasperma

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1786) ◽  
pp. 20140084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicklas Samils ◽  
Jonàs Oliva ◽  
Hanna Johannesson
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Development ◽  
Mycelial Growth ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Sexual Stage ◽  
Expression Ratio ◽  
Filamentous Ascomycete ◽  
Expression Bias ◽  
Neurospora Tetrasperma

A heterokaryon is a tissue type composed of cells containing genetically different nuclei. Although heterokaryosis is commonly found in nature, an understanding of the evolutionary implications of this phenomenon is largely lacking. Here, we use the filamentous ascomycete Neurospora tetrasperma to study the interplay between nuclei in heterokaryons across vegetative and sexual developmental stages. This fungus harbours nuclei of two opposite mating types ( mat A and mat a ) in the same cell and is thereby self-fertile. We used pyrosequencing of mat -linked SNPs of three heterokaryons to demonstrate that the nuclear ratio is consistently biased for mat A -nuclei during mycelial growth (mean mat A / mat a ratio 87%), but evens out during sexual development (ratio ranging from 40 to 57%) . Furthermore, we investigated the association between nuclear ratio and expression of alleles of mat -linked genes and found that expression is coregulated to obtain a tissue-specific bias in expression ratio: during mycelial extension, we found a strong bias in expression for mat A -linked genes, that was independent of nuclear ratio, whereas at the sexual stage we found an expression bias for genes of the mat a nuclei. Taken together, our data indicate that nuclei cooperate to optimize the fitness of the heterokaryon, via both altering their nuclear ratios and coregulation genes expressed in the different nuclei.

scholarly journals The fungal sexual revolution continues: discovery of sexual development in members of the genus Aspergillus and its consequences

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Ellena ◽  
Michael Sauer ◽  
Matthias G. Steiger
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Engineering ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Sexual Revolution ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Recent Advances

AbstractAsexuality was considered to be a common feature of a large part of fungi, including those of the genus Aspergillus. However, recent advances and the available genomic and genetic engineering technologies allowed to gather more and more indications of a hidden sexuality in fungi previously considered asexual. In parallel, the acquired knowledge of the most suitable conditions for crossings was shown to be crucial to effectively promote sexual reproduction in the laboratory. These discoveries not only have consequences on our knowledge of the biological processes ongoing in nature, questioning if truly asexual fungal species exist, but they also have important implications on other research areas. For instance, the presence of sexuality in certain fungi can have effects on their pathogenicity or on shaping the ecosystem that they normally colonize. For these reasons, further investigations of the sexual potential of Aspergillus species, such as the industrially important A. niger, will be carried on.

scholarly journals MAT Loci Play Crucial Roles in Sexual Development but Are Dispensable for Asexual Reproduction and Pathogenicity in Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 858
Author(s):  
Jiao-yu Wang ◽  
Shi-zhen Wang ◽  
Zhen Zhang ◽  
Zhong-na Hao ◽  
Xiao-xiao Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Determination ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Asexual Reproduction ◽  
Magnaporthe Oryzae ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Rice Blast ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Mat Genes

Magnaporthe oryzae, a fungal pathogen that causes rice blast, which is the most destructive disease of rice worldwide, has the potential to perform both asexual and sexual reproduction. MAT loci, consisting of MAT genes, were deemed to determine the mating types of M. oryzae strains. However, investigation was rarely performed on the development and molecular mechanisms of the sexual reproduction of the fungus. In the present work, we analyzed the roles of two MAT loci and five individual MAT genes in the sex determination, sexual development and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Both of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 loci are required for sex determination and the development of sexual structures. MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-3 and MAT1-2-1 genes are crucial for the formation of perithecium. MAT1-1-2 impacts the generation of asci and ascospores, while MAT1-2-2 is dispensable for sexual development. A GFP fusion experiment indicated that the protein of MAT1-1-3 is distributed in the nucleus. However, all of the MAT loci or MAT genes are dispensable for vegetative growth, asexual reproduction, pathogenicity and pathogenicity-related developments of the fungus, suggesting that sexual reproduction is regulated relatively independently in the development of the fungus. The data and methods of this work may be helpful to further understand the life cycle and the variation of the fungus.

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