Cell division in Aspergillus

Amenable to sophisticated genetic and molecular analysis, the simple filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has provided some novel insights into the mechanisms and regulation of cell division. Mutational analysis has identified over fifty genes necessary for nuclear division, nuclear movement and cytokinesis. Molecular and cellular analysis of these mutants has led to the discovery of novel components of the cytoskeleton as well as to clarifying the role of established cytoskeletal proteins. Mutations leading to defects in the kinases (i.e. p34cdc2) and phosphatases (i.e. cdc25 and PP1), which are known to regulate mitosis in other eukaryotes, have been identified in Aspergillus. Additional, as yet novel, mitotic regulatory molecules, encoded by the nimA and bimE genes, have also been discovered in Aspergillus.