scholarly journals The pH Signaling Transcription Factor PAC-3 Regulates Metabolic and Developmental Processes in Pathogenic Fungi

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maíra Pompeu Martins ◽  
Nilce M. Martinez-Rossi ◽  
Pablo R. Sanches ◽  
Eriston Vieira Gomes ◽  
Maria Célia Bertolini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Developmental Processes

scholarly journals The Transcription Factor VdHapX Controls Iron Homeostasis and Is Crucial for Virulence in the Vascular Pathogen Verticillium dahliae

mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonglin Wang ◽  
Chenglin Deng ◽  
Longyan Tian ◽  
Dianguang Xiong ◽  
Chengming Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Verticillium Dahliae ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Bzip Transcription Factor ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Iron Starvation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Increased Sensitivity

ABSTRACT Iron homeostasis is essential for full virulence and viability in many pathogenic fungi. Here, we showed that the bZip transcription factor VdHapX functions as a key regulator of iron homeostasis for adaptation to iron-depleted and iron-excess conditions and is required for full virulence in the vascular wilt fungus, Verticillium dahliae. Deletion of VdHapX impaired mycelial growth and conidiation under both iron starvation and iron sufficiency. Furthermore, disruption of VdHapX led to decreased formation of the long-lived survival structures of V. dahliae, known as microsclerotia. Expression of genes involved in iron utilization pathways and siderophore biosynthesis was misregulated in the ΔVdHapX strain under the iron-depleted condition. Additionally, the ΔVdHapX strain exhibited increased sensitivity to high iron concentrations and H2O2, indicating that VdHapX also contributes to iron or H2O2 detoxification. The ΔVdHapX strain showed a strong reduction in virulence on smoke tree seedlings (Cotinus coggygria) and was delayed in its ability to penetrate plant epidermal tissue. IMPORTANCE This study demonstrated that VdHapX is a conserved protein that mediates adaptation to iron starvation and excesses, affects microsclerotium formation, and is crucial for virulence of V. dahliae.

scholarly journals A novel cascade allows Metarhizium robertsii to distinguish cuticle and hemocoel microenvironments during infection of insects

PLoS Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. e3001360
Author(s):  
Xing Zhang ◽  
Yamin Meng ◽  
Yizhou Huang ◽  
Dan Zhang ◽  
Weiguo Fang
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Histone Deacetylase ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Insect Cuticle ◽  
Metarhizium Robertsii ◽  
Fungal Pathogenicity ◽  
Histone 3 ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Epigenetic Repression

Pathogenic fungi precisely respond to dynamic microenvironments during infection, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii is a representative fungus in which to study broad themes of fungal pathogenicity as it resembles some major plant and mammalian pathogenic fungi in its pathogenesis. Here we report on a novel cascade that regulates response of M. robertsii to 2 distinct microenvironments during its pathogenesis. On the insect cuticle, the transcription factor COH2 activates expression of cuticle penetration genes. In the hemocoel, the protein COH1 is expressed due to the reduction in epigenetic repression conferred by the histone deacetylase HDAC1 and the histone 3 acetyltransferase HAT1. COH1 interacts with COH2 to reduce COH2 stability, and this down-regulates cuticle penetration genes and up-regulates genes for hemocoel colonization. Our work significantly advances the insights into fungal pathogenicity in insects.

scholarly journals Dynamic Regulation of Peroxisomes and Mitochondria during Fungal Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 302
Author(s):  
Raful Navarro-Espíndola ◽  
Fernando Suaste-Olmos ◽  
Leonardo Peraza-Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Regulation ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Fungal Development ◽  
Developmental Processes ◽  
Dynamic Regulation ◽  
Dynamic Modulation ◽  
Regulatory Systems ◽  
Concerted Activity ◽  
Organelle Assembly

Peroxisomes and mitochondria are organelles that perform major functions in the cell and whose activity is very closely associated. In fungi, the function of these organelles is critical for many developmental processes. Recent studies have disclosed that, additionally, fungal development comprises a dynamic regulation of the activity of these organelles, which involves a developmental regulation of organelle assembly, as well as a dynamic modulation of the abundance, distribution, and morphology of these organelles. Furthermore, for many of these processes, the dynamics of peroxisomes and mitochondria are governed by common factors. Notably, intense research has revealed that the process that drives the division of mitochondria and peroxisomes contributes to several developmental processes—including the formation of asexual spores, the differentiation of infective structures by pathogenic fungi, and sexual development—and that these processes rely on selective removal of these organelles via autophagy. Furthermore, evidence has been obtained suggesting a coordinated regulation of organelle assembly and dynamics during development and supporting the existence of regulatory systems controlling fungal development in response to mitochondrial activity. Gathered information underscores an important role for mitochondrial and peroxisome dynamics in fungal development and suggests that this process involves the concerted activity of these organelles.

scholarly journals LEC1 sequentially regulates the transcription of genes involved in diverse developmental processes during seed development

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (32) ◽  
pp. E6710-E6719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie M. Pelletier ◽  
Raymond W. Kwong ◽  
Soomin Park ◽  
Brandon H. Le ◽  
Russell Baden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Seed Development ◽  
Gene Networks ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Sequence Motifs ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Developmental Processes ◽  
Distinct Gene ◽  
Gene Sets

LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), an atypical subunit of the nuclear transcription factor Y (NF-Y) CCAAT-binding transcription factor, is a central regulator that controls many aspects of seed development including the maturation phase during which seeds accumulate storage macromolecules and embryos acquire the ability to withstand desiccation. To define the gene networks and developmental processes controlled by LEC1, genes regulated directly by and downstream of LEC1 were identified. We compared the mRNA profiles of wild-type and lec1-null mutant seeds at several stages of development to define genes that are down-regulated or up-regulated by the lec1 mutation. We used ChIP and differential gene-expression analyses in Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing LEC1 and in developing Arabidopsis and soybean seeds to identify globally the target genes that are transcriptionally regulated by LEC1 in planta. Collectively, our results show that LEC1 controls distinct gene sets at different developmental stages, including those that mediate the temporal transition between photosynthesis and chloroplast biogenesis early in seed development and seed maturation late in development. Analyses of enriched DNA sequence motifs that may act as cis-regulatory elements in the promoters of LEC1 target genes suggest that LEC1 may interact with other transcription factors to regulate distinct gene sets at different stages of seed development. Moreover, our results demonstrate strong conservation in the developmental processes and gene networks regulated by LEC1 in two dicotyledonous plants that diverged ∼92 Mya.

scholarly journals Genome-wide identification and analysis of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor gene family in Ustilaginoidea virens

Genome ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (12) ◽  
pp. 1051-1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixiao Yin ◽  
Peng Cui ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Yang Lin ◽  
Chaoxi Luo
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Leucine Zipper ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Bzip Transcription Factor ◽  
Basic Leucine Zipper ◽  
Ustilaginoidea Virens ◽  
Infection Period ◽  
Genome Wide

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) family is one of the largest and most diverse TF families widely distributed across the eukaryotes. The bZIP TF family plays an important role in growth, development, and response to abiotic or biotic stresses, which have been well characterized in plants, but not in plant pathogenic fungi. In this study, we performed genome-wide and systematic bioinformatics analysis of bZIP genes in the fungus Ustilaginoidea virens, the causal agent of rice false smut disease. We identified 28 bZIP family members in the U. virens genome by searching for the bZIP domain in predicted genes. The gene structures, motifs, and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed for bZIP genes in U. virens (UvbZIP). Together with bZIP proteins from two other fungi, the bZIP genes can be divided into eight groups according to their phylogenetic relationships. Based on RNA-Seq data, the expression profiles of UvbZIP genes at different infection stages were evaluated. Results showed that 17 UvbZIP genes were up-regulated during the infection period. Furthermore, 11 infection-related UvbZIP genes were investigated under H2O2 stress and the expression level of eight genes were changed, which confirmed their role in stress tolerance and pathogenicity. In summary, our genome-wide systematic characterization and expression analysis of UvbZIP genes provided insight into the molecular function of these genes in U. virens and provides a reference for other pathogens.

scholarly journals The immunosuppressive fungal metabolite gliotoxin specifically inhibits transcription factor NF-kappaB.

1996 ◽  
Vol 183 (4) ◽  
pp. 1829-1840 ◽  
Author(s):  
H L Pahl ◽  
B Krauss ◽  
K Schulze-Osthoff ◽  
T Decker ◽  
E B Traenckner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Tyrosine Kinases ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Nf Kappab

Opportunistic infections, such as aspergillosis, are among the most serious complications suffered by immunocompromised patients. Aspergillus fumigatus and other pathogenic fungi synthesize a toxic epipolythiodioxopiperazine metabolite called gliotoxin. Gliotoxin exhibits profound immunosuppressive activity in vivo. It induces apoptosis in thymocytes, splenocytes, and mesenteric lymph node cells and can selectively deplete bone marrow of mature lymphocytes. The molecular mechanism by which gliotoxin exerts these effects remains unknown. Here, we report that nanomolar concentrations of gliotoxin inhibited the activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB in response to a variety of stimuli in T and B cells. The effect of gliotoxin was specific because, at the same concentrations, the toxin did not affect activation of the transcription factor NF-AT or of interferon-responsive signal transducers and activators of transcription. Likewise, the activity of the constitutively DNA-binding transcription factors Oct-1 and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), as well as the activation of protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p59fyn, was not altered by gliotoxin. Very high concentrations of gliotoxin prevented NF-kappaB DNA binding in vitro. However, in intact cells, inhibition of NF-kappaB did not occur at the level of DNA binding; rather, the toxin appeared to prevent degradation of IkappaB-alpha, NF-kappaB's inhibitory subunit. Our data raise the possibility that the immunosuppression observed during aspergillosis results in part from gliotoxin-mediated NF-kappaB inhibition.

scholarly journals The transcription factor Flo8 mediates CO2sensing in the human fungal pathogenCandida albicans

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (14) ◽  
pp. 2692-2701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Du ◽  
Guobo Guan ◽  
Jing Xie ◽  
Fabien Cottier ◽  
Yuan Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Filamentous Growth ◽  
Mutant Library ◽  
Null Mutant ◽  
Biological Attributes

Physiological levels of CO2have a profound impact on prominent biological attributes of the major fungal pathogen of humans, Candida albicans. Elevated CO2induces filamentous growth and promotes white-to-opaque switching. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of CO2sensing in C. albicans are insufficiently understood. Here we identify the transcription factor Flo8 as a key regulator of CO2-induced morphogenesis in C. albicans by screening a gene null mutant library. We show that Flo8 is required for CO2-induced white-to-opaque switching, as well as for filamentous growth. Ectopic expression of FLO8 hypersensitizes C. albicans cells to the elevated CO2levels. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CO2signaling in C. albicans involves two pathways: the already reported cAMP/protein kinase A and another major one that is unidentified. The two pathways converge on the transcription factor Flo8, which is the master regulator of CO2sensing in C. albicans and plays a critical role in regulation of white-to-opaque switching and filamentous growth. Our findings provide new insights into the understanding of CO2sensing in pathogenic fungi that have important implications for higher organisms.

scholarly journals A Homeodomain-Containing Transcriptional Factor PoHtf1 Regulated the Development and Cellulase Expression in Penicillium oxalicum

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Guo ◽  
Gen Xu ◽  
Ruimei Wu ◽  
Zhigang Li ◽  
Mengdi Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Regulatory Network ◽  
Colony Growth ◽  
Penicillium Oxalicum ◽  
Yellow Pigment ◽  
Transcriptional Factor ◽  
Developmental Processes ◽  
Transcriptional Regulatory ◽  
Cellulase Expression ◽  
Biochemical Production

Homeodomain-containing transcription factors (Htfs) play important roles in animals, fungi, and plants during some developmental processes. Here, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor PoHtf1 was functionally characterized in the cellulase-producing fungi Penicillium oxalicum 114-2. PoHtf1 was shown to participate in colony growth and conidiation through regulating the expression of its downstream transcription factor BrlA, the key regulator of conidiation in P. oxalicum 114-2. Additionally, PoHtf1 inhibited the expression of the major cellulase genes by coordinated regulation of cellulolytic regulators CreA, AmyR, ClrB, and XlnR. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis showed that PoHtf1 participated in the secondary metabolism including the pathway synthesizing conidial yellow pigment. These data show that PoHtf1 mediates the complex transcriptional-regulatory network cascade between developmental processes and cellulolytic gene expression in P. oxalicum 114-2. Our results should assist the development of strategies for the metabolic engineering of mutants for applications in the enzymatic hydrolysis for biochemical production.

Developmental functions of theDistal-less/Dlx homeobox genes

Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (19) ◽  
pp. 4371-4386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Panganiban ◽  
John L. R. Rubenstein
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Limb Development ◽  
Axis Formation ◽  
Animal Kingdom ◽  
Developmental Processes ◽  
Homeodomain Transcription Factor ◽  
Appendage Development ◽  
Dlx Genes

Distal-less is the earliest known gene specifically expressed in developing insect limbs; its expression is maintained throughout limb development. The homeodomain transcription factor encoded by Distal-less is required for the elaboration of proximodistal pattern elements in Drosophila limbs and can initiate proximodistal axis formation when expressed ectopically. Distal-less homologs, the Dlx genes, are expressed in developing appendages in at least six phyla, including chordates, consistent with requirements for Dlx function in normal appendage development across the animal kingdom. Recent work implicates the Dlx genes of vertebrates in a variety of other developmental processes ranging from neurogenesis to hematopoiesis. We review what is known about the invertebrate and vertebrate Dll/Dlx genes and their varied roles during development. We propose revising the vertebrate nomenclature to reflect phylogenetic relationships among the Dlx genes.

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