scholarly journals Roles for Receptors, Pheromones, G Proteins, and Mating Type Genes During Sexual Reproduction inNeurospora crassa

Genetics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 190 (4) ◽  
pp. 1389-1404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyojeong Kim ◽  
Sara J. Wright ◽  
Gyungsoon Park ◽  
Shouqiang Ouyang ◽  
Svetlana Krystofova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
G Proteins ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Inneurospora Crassa

scholarly journals Mating-type specific ribosomal proteins control aspects of sexual reproduction in Cryptococcus neoformans

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Ianiri ◽  
Yufeng “Francis” Fang ◽  
Tim A. Dahlmann ◽  
Shelly Applen Clancey ◽  
Guilhem Janbon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Ribosomal Proteins ◽  
Gene Replacement ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Targeted Gene Replacement ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Mendelian Analysis ◽  
Dependent Mechanism

AbstractThe MAT locus of Cryptococcus neoformans has a bipolar organization characterized by an unusually large structure, spanning over 100 kb. MAT genes have been characterized by functional genetics as being involved in sexual reproduction and virulence. However, classical gene replacement failed to achieve mutants for five MAT genes (RPL22, RPO41, MYO2, PRT1, RPL39), indicating that they are likely essential. In the present study, targeted gene replacement was performed in a diploid strain for both the α and a alleles of the ribosomal genes RPL22 and RPL39. Mendelian analysis of the progeny confirmed that both RPL22 and RPL39 are essential for viability. Ectopic integration of the RPL22 allele of opposite MAT identity in the heterozygous RPL22a/rpl22αΔ or RPL22α/rpl22aΔ mutant strains failed to complement their essential phenotype. Evidence suggests that this is due to differential expression of the RPL22 genes, and an RNAi-dependent mechanism that contributes to control RPL22a expression. Furthermore, via CRISPR/Cas9 technology the RPL22 alleles were exchanged in haploid MATα and MATa strains of C. neoformans. These RPL22 exchange strains displayed morphological and genetic defects during bilateral mating. These results contribute to elucidate functions of C. neoformans essential mating type genes that may constitute a type of imprinting system to promote inheritance of nuclei of both mating types.

scholarly journals Mating-Type-Specific Ribosomal Proteins Control Aspects of Sexual Reproduction in Cryptococcus neoformans

Genetics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 214 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Ianiri ◽  
Yufeng “Francis” Fang ◽  
Tim A. Dahlmann ◽  
Shelly Applen Clancey ◽  
Guilhem Janbon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Ribosomal Proteins ◽  
Gene Replacement ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Targeted Gene Replacement ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Mendelian Analysis ◽  
Dependent Mechanism

The MAT locus of Cryptococcus neoformans has a bipolar organization characterized by an unusually large structure, spanning over 100 kb. MAT genes have been characterized by functional genetics as being involved in sexual reproduction and virulence. However, classical gene replacement failed to achieve mutants for five MAT genes (RPL22, RPO41, MYO2, PRT1, and RPL39), indicating that they are likely essential. In the present study, targeted gene replacement was performed in a diploid strain for both the α and a alleles of the ribosomal genes RPL22 and RPL39. Mendelian analysis of the progeny confirmed that both RPL22 and RPL39 are essential for viability. Ectopic integration of the RPL22 allele of opposite MAT identity in the heterozygous RPL22a/rpl22αΔ or RPL22α/rpl22aΔ mutant strains failed to complement their essential phenotype. Evidence suggests that this is due to differential expression of the RPL22 genes, and an RNAi-dependent mechanism that contributes to control RPL22a expression. Furthermore, via CRISPR/Cas9 technology, the RPL22 alleles were exchanged in haploid MATα and MATa strains of C. neoformans. These RPL22 exchange strains displayed morphological and genetic defects during bilateral mating. These results contribute to elucidating functions of C. neoformans essential mating type genes that may constitute a type of imprinting system to promote inheritance of nuclei of both mating types.

scholarly journals Basidiomycete Mating Type Genes and Pheromone Signaling

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 847-859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjatta Raudaskoski ◽  
Erika Kothe
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Schizophyllum Commune ◽  
Small Gtpases ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Fruiting Body Formation ◽  
Receptor System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Discrimination Ability ◽  
Mating Type Genes

ABSTRACT The genome sequences of the basidiomycete Agaricomycetes species Coprinopsis cinerea, Laccaria bicolor, Schizophyllum commune, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Postia placenta, as well as of Cryptococcus neoformans and Ustilago maydis, are now publicly available. Out of these fungi, C. cinerea, S. commune, and U. maydis, together with the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been investigated for years genetically and molecularly for signaling in sexual reproduction. The comparison of the structure and organization of mating type genes in fungal genomes reveals an amazing conservation of genes regulating the sexual reproduction throughout the fungal kingdom. In agaricomycetes, two mating type loci, A, coding for homeodomain type transcription factors, and B, encoding a pheromone/receptor system, regulate the four typical mating interactions of tetrapolar species. Evidence for both A and B mating type genes can also be identified in basidiomycetes with bipolar systems, where only two mating interactions are seen. In some of these fungi, the B locus has lost its self/nonself discrimination ability and thus its specificity while retaining the other regulatory functions in development. In silico analyses now also permit the identification of putative components of the pheromone-dependent signaling pathways. Induction of these signaling cascades leads to development of dikaryotic mycelia, fruiting body formation, and meiotic spore production. In pheromone-dependent signaling, the role of heterotrimeric G proteins, components of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, and cyclic AMP-dependent pathways can now be defined. Additionally, the pheromone-dependent signaling through monomeric, small GTPases potentially involved in creating the polarized cytoskeleton for reciprocal nuclear exchange and migration during mating is predicted.

scholarly journals Functional Analysis of Mating Type Genes and Transcriptome Analysis during Fruiting Body Development of Botrytis cinerea

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sander Y. A. Rodenburg ◽  
Razak B. Terhem ◽  
Javier Veloso ◽  
Joost H. M. Stassen ◽  
Jan A. L. van Kan
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Botrytis Cinerea ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Transcriptional Changes ◽  
Mating Type Genes

ABSTRACT Botrytis cinerea is a plant-pathogenic fungus producing apothecia as sexual fruiting bodies. To study the function of mating type (MAT) genes, single-gene deletion mutants were generated in both genes of the MAT1-1 locus and both genes of the MAT1-2 locus. Deletion mutants in two MAT genes were entirely sterile, while mutants in the other two MAT genes were able to develop stipes but never formed an apothecial disk. Little was known about the reprogramming of gene expression during apothecium development. We analyzed transcriptomes of sclerotia, three stages of apothecium development (primordia, stipes, and apothecial disks), and ascospores by RNA sequencing. Ten secondary metabolite gene clusters were upregulated at the onset of sexual development and downregulated in ascospores released from apothecia. Notably, more than 3,900 genes were differentially expressed in ascospores compared to mature apothecial disks. Among the genes that were upregulated in ascospores were numerous genes encoding virulence factors, which reveals that ascospores are transcriptionally primed for infection prior to their arrival on a host plant. Strikingly, the massive transcriptional changes at the initiation and completion of the sexual cycle often affected clusters of genes, rather than randomly dispersed genes. Thirty-five clusters of genes were jointly upregulated during the onset of sexual reproduction, while 99 clusters of genes (comprising >900 genes) were jointly downregulated in ascospores. These transcriptional changes coincided with changes in expression of genes encoding enzymes participating in chromatin organization, hinting at the occurrence of massive epigenetic regulation of gene expression during sexual reproduction. IMPORTANCE Fungal fruiting bodies are formed by sexual reproduction. We studied the development of fruiting bodies (“apothecia”) of the ubiquitous plant-pathogenic ascomycete Botrytis cinerea. The role of mating type genes in apothecium development was investigated by targeted mutation. Two genes are essential for the initiation of sexual development; mutants in these genes are sterile. Two other genes were not essential for development of stipes; however, they were essential for stipes to develop a disk and produce sexual ascospores. We examined gene expression profiles during apothecium development, as well as in ascospores sampled from apothecia. We provide the first study ever of the transcriptome of pure ascospores in a filamentous fungus. The expression of numerous genes involved in plant infection was induced in the ascospores, implying that ascospores are developmentally primed for infection before their release from apothecia.

scholarly journals Deletion of the Schizophyllum commune Aα Locus: The Roles of Aα Y and Z Mating-Type Genes

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 1437-1444
Author(s):  
C Ian Robertson ◽  
Kirk A Bartholomew ◽  
Charles P Novotny ◽  
Robert C Ullrich
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Schizophyllum Commune ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Mating Type Gene ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Regulatory Loci ◽  
Type Gene

The Aα locus is one of four master regulatory loci that determine mating type and regulate sexual development in Schizophyllum commune. We have made a plasmid containing a URA1 gene disruption of the Aα Y1 gene. Y1 is the sole Aα gene in Aα1 strains. We used the plasmid construction to produce an Aα null (i.e., AαΔ) strain by replacing the genomic Y1 gene with URA1 in an Aα1 strain. To characterize the role of the Aα genes in the regulation of sexual development, we transformed various Aα Y and Z alleles into AαΔ strains and examined the acquired mating types and mating abilities of the transformants. These experiments demonstrate that the Aα Y gene is not essential for fungal viability and growth, that a solitary Z Aα mating-type gene does not itself activate development, that Aβ proteins are sufficient to activate the A developmental pathway in the absence of Aα proteins and confirm that Y and Z genes are the sole determinants of Aα mating type. The data from these experiments support and refine our model of the regulation of A-pathway events by Y and Z proteins.

Identity and conservation of mating type genes in geographically diverse isolates of Phaeosphaeria nodorum

2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.S Bennett ◽  
S.-H Yun ◽  
T.Y Lee ◽  
B.G Turgeon ◽  
E Arseniuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Phaeosphaeria Nodorum ◽  
Mating Type Genes
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