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SmATG7 is required for viability in the homothallic ascomycete Sordaria macrospora

Nicole Nolting1, Yasmine Bernhards, Stefanie Pöggeler

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

Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B
|April 9, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Autophagy is crucial for filamentous ascomycete development. This study characterizes the Sordaria macrospora ATG7 gene (Smatg7), revealing its essential role in fruiting-body development and autophagy.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Mycology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Autophagy plays a role in filamentous ascomycete development, but its function in fruiting-body formation is largely unknown.
  • The autophagy-related gene 7 (ATG7) is a core regulator of autophagy conserved across eukaryotes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the ATG7 homolog (Smatg7) in the filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora.
  • To investigate the role of Smatg7 in autophagy and fruiting-body development.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and functional characterization of the Smatg7 gene.
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae complementation assay.
  • Generation of heterokaryotic mutants and RNA interference transformants.
  • Real-time PCR for gene expression analysis.

Main Results:

  • Smatg7 functionally complements the yeast ATG7 deletion mutant.
  • Smatg7 appears essential for viability in S. macrospora, as homokaryotic knock-outs could not be generated.
  • Disruption of Smatg7 led to significant morphological defects during fruiting-body development.
  • Smatg7 expression is upregulated under amino acid starvation and during late sexual development.
  • Down-regulation of Smatg7 expression disrupts autophagy.

Conclusions:

  • Smatg7 is a crucial regulator of autophagy and is essential for normal fruiting-body development in S. macrospora.
  • This study provides the first characterization of an ATG7 homolog in filamentous ascomycetes, highlighting its conserved role in autophagy.

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