GDP-mannose transporter paralogues play distinct roles in polarized growth of Aspergillus nidulans

GDP-mannose transporters (GMT) carry GDP-mannose nucleotide sugars from the cytosol across the Golgi apparatus membrane for use as substrates in protein glycosylation in plants, animals and fungi. Genomes of some fungal species, such as the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, contain only one gene encoding a GMT, while others, including Aspergillus nidulans, contain two (gmtA and gmtB). We previously showed that cell wall integrity and normal hyphal morphogenesis in A. nidulans depend upon the function of GmtA and that GmtA localizes to a Golgi-like compartment. Cells bearing the calI11 mutation in gmtA also have reduced cell surface mannosylation. Here we show that GmtB colocalizes with GmtA, suggesting that the role of GmtB is similar to that of GmtA, although the respective transcript levels differ during spore germination and early development. Transcript levels of gmtB are high in ungerminated spores and remain so throughout the first 16 h of germination. In contrast, transcript levels of gmrtA are negligible in ungerminated spores but increase to levels comparable to those of gmtB during germination. These observations suggest that although GmtA and GmtB reside within the same subcellular compartments, they nevertheless perform distinct functions at different stages of development.