Functional characterization of the Aspergillus fumigatus PHO80 homologue


Autoria(s): GOUVEA, Paula Fagundes de; SORIANI, Frederico Marianetti; MALAVAZI, Iran; SAVOLDI, Marcela; GOLDMAN, Maria Helena de Souza; LOSS, Omar; BIGNELL, Elaine; FERREIRA, Marcia Eliana da Silva; GOLDMAN, Gustavo Henrique
Contribuinte(s)

UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO

Data(s)

19/10/2012

19/10/2012

2008

Resumo

Phosphate is an ion that is essential for fungal growth. The systems for inorganic phosphate (Pi) acquisition in eukaryotic cells (PHO) have been characterized as a low-affinity (that assures a supply of Pi at normal or high external Pi concentrations) and a high-affinity (activated in response to Pi starvation). Here, as an initial step to understand the PHO pathway in Aspergillus fumigatus, we characterized the PH080 homologue, PhoB(PHO80). We show that the Delta phoB(PHO80) mutant has a polar growth defect (i.e., a delayed germ tube emergence) and, by phenotypic and phosphate uptake analyses, establish a link between PhoB(PHO80), calcineurin and calcium metabolism. Microarray hybridizations carried out with RNA obtained from wild-type and Delta phoB(PHO80) mutant cells identify Afu4g03610 (phoD(PHO84)), Afu7g06350 (phoE(PHO89)), Afu4g06020 (phoC(PHO81)), and Afu2g09040 (vacuolar transporter Vtc4) as more expressed both in the Delta phoB(PHO80) mutant background and under phosphate-limiting conditions of 0.1 mM P-i. Epifluorescence microscopy revealed accumulation of poly-phosphate in Delta phoB(PHO80) vacuoles, which was independent of extracellular phosphate concentration. Surprisingly, a phoD(PHO84) deletion mutant is indistinguishable phenotypically from the corresponding wild-type strain. mRNA analyses suggest that protein kinase A absence supports the expression of PHO genes in A. fumigatus. Furthermore, Delta phoB(PHO80) and Delta phoD(PHO84) mutant are fully virulent in a murine low dose model for invasive aspergillosis. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identificador

FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY, v.45, n.7, p.1135-1146, 2008

1087-1845

http://producao.usp.br/handle/BDPI/20085

10.1016/j.fgb.2008.04.001

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2008.04.001

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Relação

Fungal Genetics and Biology

Direitos

restrictedAccess

Copyright ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Palavras-Chave #Aspergillus fumigatus #inorganic phosphate acquisition #PHO80 #protein kinase A #PROTEIN-KINASE-A #CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASE #SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE #USTILAGO-MAYDIS #PHOSPHATE ACQUISITION #REGULATES DEVELOPMENT #NIDULANS #GENE #YEAST #VIRULENCE #Genetics & Heredity #Mycology
Tipo

article

original article

publishedVersion