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The asexual pathogen aspergillus fumigatus expresses functional determinants of Aspergillus nidulans sexual

Verena Grosse1, Sven Krappmann

  • 1Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

Eukaryotic Cell
|September 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Aspergillus fumigatus, a major fungal pathogen, may have cryptic sexual reproduction. Genes for mating and sexual development regulators were transferred to Aspergillus nidulans, proving their functionality and altering A. fumigatus hyphal growth.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Fungal Genetics
  • Pathogen Biology

Background:

  • Aspergillus fumigatus is a major human fungal pathogen.
  • A. fumigatus lacks a defined sexual cycle, but possesses genes suggesting potential cryptic sexuality.
  • Understanding A. fumigatus sexual development is crucial for controlling infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functionality of mating type and sexual development regulator genes in Aspergillus fumigatus.
  • To determine if these genes can support sexual reproduction in a heterologous host.
  • To explore the role of these genes in the endogenous pathogen.

Main Methods:

  • Transferred the alpha box-encoding mat1-1 idiomorph from A. fumigatus to Aspergillus nidulans.
  • Assessed the functionality of the transferred mating type gene by observing cleistothecia and ascospore formation.
  • Expressed the Aspergillus fumigatus nsdD gene in A. nidulans and in A. fumigatus to evaluate its regulatory role.

Main Results:

  • The transferred mat1-1 idiomorph from A. fumigatus was functional in A. nidulans, leading to abundant cleistothecia with viable ascospores.
  • The nsdD gene product from A. fumigatus acted as a functional positive regulator of cleistothecium development in A. nidulans.
  • High-level expression of NsdD in A. fumigatus induced the formation of coiled hyphae, altering hyphal development.

Conclusions:

  • Aspergillus fumigatus possesses functional genes for mating and sexual development.
  • These findings support the hypothesis of cryptic sexuality in the fungal pathogen A. fumigatus.
  • The study provides insights into the genetic regulation of sexual development in pathogenic fungi.

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