Hybrid histidine kinases in pathogenic fungi

• Published in: Molecular microbiology 2015-03, Vol.95 (6), p.914-924
• Main Authors: Defosse, Tatiana A., Sharma, Anupam, Mondal, Alok K., Dugé de Bernonville, Thomas, Latgé, Jean‐Paul, Calderone, Richard, Giglioli‐Guivarc'h, Nathalie, Courdavault, Vincent, Clastre, Marc, Papon, Nicolas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Archaea; Ascomycota; Cells; Conserved Sequence; Fungi; Fungi - enzymology; Fungi - genetics; Fungi - pathogenicity; Genes, Fungal; Genomics; Histidine Kinase; Kinases; Life Sciences; Pathogens; Phosphorylation; Phylogeny; Protein Kinases - chemistry; Protein Kinases - classification; Protein Kinases - genetics; Protein Kinases - metabolism; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 0950-382X; 1365-2958
• DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12911

Summary Histidine kinases (HK) sense and transduce via phosphorylation events many intra‐ and extracellular signals in bacteria, archaea, slime moulds and plants. HK are also widespread in the fungal kingdom, but their precise roles in the regulation of physiological processes remain largely obscure. Expanding genomic resources have recently given the opportunity to identify uncharacterised HK family members in yeasts and moulds and now allow proposing a complex classification of Basidiomycota, Ascomycota and lower fungi HK. A growing number of genetic approaches have progressively provided new insight into the role of several groups of HK in prominent fungal pathogens. In particular, a series of studies have revealed that members of group III HK, which occur in the highest number of fungal species and contain a unique N‐terminus region consisting of multiple HAMP domain repeats, regulate morphogenesis and virulence in various human, plant and insect pathogenic fungi. This research field is further supported by recent shape‐function studies providing clear correlation between structural properties and signalling states in group III HK. Since HK are absent in mammals, these represent interesting fungal target for the discovery of new antifungal drugs. Hybrid histidine kinases (HHK) are sensing proteins widespread in the fungal kingdom. We propose here an updated compilation and classification of fungal HHK with special focus in the most prominent pathogenic fungi. This analysis revealed that a particular group of fungal HHK, namely group III HHK, remains the most conserved among fungal pathogens of human, plant and insect.