Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions
11:42

Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions

Published on: September 30, 2016

15.3K

Characterization of sakA gene from pathogenic dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei

Panjaphorn Nimmanee1, Patrick C Y Woo2, Aksarakorn Kummasook3

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

International Journal of Medical Microbiology : IJMM
|December 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The stress-activated kinase SakA in Talaromyces marneffei is crucial for fungal survival under oxidative and heat stress. This gene also impacts fungal development and host cell invasion.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathogen Biology

Background:

  • Eukaryotes use stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) pathways for environmental stress adaptation.
  • Talaromyces marneffei, a dimorphic fungus, causes disseminated mycosis, especially in HIV patients.
  • Fungal stress response mechanisms, particularly in T. marneffei, remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the stress-activated kinase (sakA) gene in Talaromyces marneffei.
  • To investigate the roles of the sakA gene in response to various environmental stresses.
  • To understand the contribution of SakA to fungal virulence and host-pathogen interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Construction of a sakA gene deletion mutant using the split marker method.
  • Phenotypic analysis and stress sensitivity assays (osmotic, oxidative, heat, cell wall) comparing wild-type, mutant, and complemented strains.
  • Bioinformatic analysis of the sakA gene product for conserved domains.

Main Results:

  • The P. marneffei sakA gene encodes a protein with a TXY phosphorylation motif, characteristic of the Hog1/Spc1/p38 MAPK family.
  • SakA is essential for tolerance to oxidative and heat stresses.
  • SakA influences asexual development, chitin deposition, in vitro yeast cell formation, and survival within macrophages.

Conclusions:

  • The SakA pathway is a key regulator of stress tolerance in Talaromyces marneffei.
  • SakA plays a multifaceted role in fungal biology, including development and pathogenesis.
  • Targeting SakA could be a potential strategy for controlling T. marneffei infections.
Keywords:
Pathogenic dimorphic fungusPenicillium marneffeiSensitivity to stressStress-activated kinase genesakA gene

More Related Videos

Rapid Freezing using Sandwich Freezing Device for Good Ultrastructural Preservation of Biological Specimens in Electron Microscopy09:03

Rapid Freezing using Sandwich Freezing Device for Good Ultrastructural Preservation of Biological Specimens in Electron Microscopy

Published on: July 19, 2021

6.1K
A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues07:10

A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues

Published on: February 19, 2019

9.6K

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
769
Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota01:26

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...
2.1K
Fungal Phylum Ascomycota01:28

Fungal Phylum Ascomycota

Phylum Ascomycota, a major division within the subkingdom Dikarya, comprises a diverse range of fungal species, including both unicellular yeasts and filamentous molds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium. These fungi thrive in a variety of habitats, from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial environments, playing crucial ecological and economic roles.Morphology and ReproductionThe defining characteristic of Ascomycetes, commonly referred to as sac fungi, is the ascus—a sac-like structure that...
2.5K
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis01:23

Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive disorder, significantly affects the function of exocrine glands. This genetically inherited disease is characterized by the production of thick and sticky mucus, which can severely affect various organs and systems in the body.
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...
1.1K
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
937
Phylogenetic Species Concept in Microbiology01:22

Phylogenetic Species Concept in Microbiology

The phylogenetic species concept (PSC) is a framework used to delineate species based on evolutionary relationships, emphasizing shared ancestry and diagnosable genetic traits. Unlike morphological or biological species concepts, the PSC is particularly advantageous for microbial taxonomy, where traditional reproductive or phenotypic criteria often fall short due to the prevalence of asexual reproduction, minimal morphological differentiation, and widespread horizontal gene transfer among...
166