The paf gene product modulates asexual development in Penicillium chrysogenum

Penicillium chrysogenum secretes a low molecular weight, cationic and cysteine‐rich protein (PAF). It has growth inhibitory activity against the model organism Aspergillus nidulans and numerous zoo‐ and phytopathogenic fungi but shows only minimal conditional antifungal activity against the producin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of basic microbiology 2011-06, Vol.51 (3), p.253-262
Main Authors: Hegedüs, Nikoletta, Sigl, Claudia, Zadra, Ivo, Pócsi, Istvan, Marx, Florentine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antifungal protein PAF
Asexual development
Conidiation
Fungal Proteins - metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Penicillium chrysogenum
Penicillium chrysogenum - growth & development
Recombination, Genetic
Research Paper
Spores, Fungal - growth & development
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Summary:Penicillium chrysogenum secretes a low molecular weight, cationic and cysteine‐rich protein (PAF). It has growth inhibitory activity against the model organism Aspergillus nidulans and numerous zoo‐ and phytopathogenic fungi but shows only minimal conditional antifungal activity against the producing organism itself. In this study we provide evidence for an additional function of PAF which is distinct from the antifungal activity against putative ecologically concurrent microorganisms. Our data indicate that PAF enhances conidiation in P. chrysogenum by modulating the expression of brlA, the central regulatory gene for mitospore development. A paf deletion strain showed a significant impairment of mitospore formation which sustains our hypothesis that PAF plays an important role in balancing asexual differentiation in P. chrysogenum. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
ISSN:0233-111X
1521-4028
DOI:10.1002/jobm.201000321