Molecular cloning and characterization of WdTUP1, a gene that encodes a potential transcriptional repressor important for yeast-hyphal transitions in Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis

The general transcriptional repressor Tup1p is known to influence cell development in many fungi. To determine whether the Tup1p ortholog (WdTup1p) of Wangiella dermatitidis also influences cellular development in this melanized, polymorphic human pathogen, the gene (WdTUP1) that encodes this transc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fungal genetics and biology 2008-05, Vol.45 (5), p.646-656
Main Authors: Liu, Hongbo, Abramczyk, Dariusz, Cooper, Chester R., Zheng, Li, Park, Changwon, Szaniszlo, Paul J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blotting, Northern
Cloning, Molecular
DNA, Fungal - chemistry
DNA, Fungal - genetics
Exophiala - cytology
Exophiala - genetics
Exophiala - growth & development
Exophiala - metabolism
Exophiala dermatitidis
Fungal Proteins - genetics
Gene Deletion
Gene disruption
Hyphae - growth & development
Molecular Sequence Data
Moniliform hyphae
Morphogenesis
Mutagenesis, Insertional
Phylogeny
Pseudohyphae
Repressor Proteins - genetics
RNA, Fungal - metabolism
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Wangiella
Wangiella dermatitidis
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Summary:The general transcriptional repressor Tup1p is known to influence cell development in many fungi. To determine whether the Tup1p ortholog (WdTup1p) of Wangiella dermatitidis also influences cellular development in this melanized, polymorphic human pathogen, the gene (WdTUP1) that encodes this transcription factor was isolated, sequenced and disrupted. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the WdTup1p sequence was closely related to homologues in other polymorphic, conidiogenous fungi. Disruption of WdTUP1 produced mutants (wdtup1Δ) with pronounced growth and cellular abnormalities, including slow growth on various agar media and exclusively as a filamentous morphotype in liquid media. We concluded that WdTup1p represents an important switch regulator that controls the yeast-to-filamentous growth transition. However, detailed observations of the filamentous growth of the disruption mutant showed that the hyphae produced by the wdtup1Δ mutants, unlike those of the wild-type, were arrested at a stage prior to the formation of true hyphae and subsequent conidia production.
ISSN:1087-1845
1096-0937
DOI:10.1016/j.fgb.2007.10.007