Much remains to be learned about the biology of mushroom-forming fungi, which are an important source of food, secondary metabolites and industrial enzymes. The wood-degrading fungus Schizophyllum commune is both a genetically tractable model for studying mushroom development and a likely source of enzymes capable of efficient degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. Comparative analyses of its 38.5-megabase genome, which encodes 13,210 predicted genes, reveal the species's unique wood-degrading machinery. One-third of the 471 genes predicted to encode transcription factors are differentially expressed during sexual development of S. commune. Whereas inactivation of one of these, fst4, prevented mushroom formation, inactivation of another, fst3, resulted in more, albeit smaller, mushrooms than in the wild-type fungus. Antisense transcripts may also have a role in the formation of fruiting bodies. Better insight into the mechanisms underlying mushroom formation should affect commercial production of mushrooms and their industrial use for producing enzymes and pharmaceuticals.

2The genome sequences of the basidiomycete Agaricomycetes species Coprinopsis cinerea, Laccaria bicolor, Schizophyllum commune, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Postia placenta, as well as of Cryptococcus neoformans and Ustilago maydis, are now publicly available. Out of these fungi, C. cinerea, S. commune, and U. maydis, together with the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been investigated for years genetically and molecularly for signaling in sexual reproduction. The comparison of the structure and organization of mating type genes in fungal genomes reveals an amazing conservation of genes regulating the sexual reproduction throughout the fungal kingdom. In agaricomycetes, two mating type loci, A, coding for homeodomain type transcription factors, and B, encoding a pheromone/receptor system, regulate the four typical mating interactions of tetrapolar species. Evidence for both A and B mating type genes can also be identified in basidiomycetes with bipolar systems, where only two mating interactions are seen. In some of these fungi, the B locus has lost its self/nonself discrimination ability and thus its specificity while retaining the other regulatory functions in development. In silico analyses now also permit the identification of putative components of the pheromone-dependent signaling pathways. Induction of these signaling cascades leads to development of dikaryotic mycelia, fruiting body formation, and meiotic spore production. In pheromone-dependent signaling, the role of heterotrimeric G proteins, components of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, and cyclic AMP-dependent pathways can now be defined. Additionally, the pheromone-dependent signaling through monomeric, small GTPases potentially involved in creating the polarized cytoskeleton for reciprocal nuclear exchange and migration during mating is predicted. THE MATING SYSTEMS IN BASIDIOMYCETESThe typical life cycle of the higher basidiomycetes, presently classified as Agaricomycetes (Table 1) (34), consists of haploid, monokaryotic as well as dikaryotic stages, the latter of which prevails in nature. The monokaryotic mycelium contains nuclei of only one genetic type and is thus termed homokaryon. This mycelium, grown from haploid spores, in general contains one nucleus per cell (Fig. 1). The dikaryon is formed when genetically different homokaryons mate. In the saprotrophic agaricomycetes, the mushroom-forming species Schizophyllum commune and Coprinopsis cinerea (Table 1), mating is regulated by a tetrapolar system consisting of two unlinked genetic complexes, named A and B. The term tetrapolar reflects the fact that there are four possible mating interactions scored in matings between haploid strains derived from spores formed on the fruiting bodies of same parent dikaryon: a fully compatible interaction occurs when both A and B between the mates are of different specificities (Fig. 1), an incompatible interaction occurs when allelic specificities are all the same, and two semicompatible interactions occur when either A-o...

The role of actin in apical growth and enzyme secretion in the filamentous fungus Aspery(illuJ nidulans was studied by treating the hyphae with cytochalasin A (CA), which inhibits actin polymerization. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy revealed actin at the tips of main hyphae and branches, and a t the sites of developing septa. CA inhibited the growth of the fungus and changed the growth pattern of hyphal tips from cylindrical tubes to spherical beads. The regions with swellings showed no actin fluorescence, and neither was actin seen in association with septa. After 4 h exposure, hyphae were able to resume the normal tip growth pattern in the presence of CA for a short period of time and new cylindrical hyphae, with actin fluorescence a t the apex, emerged from the swollen tips. Later, the tips of the hyphae swelled again, which led to a beaded apperance. We also studied the effect of CA on the secretion of a-and pgalactosidase. a-Galactosidase is secreted into the culture medium, whereas pgalactosidase remains in the mycelium, with part of its activity bound to the cell wall. When A. nidulans mycelium was incubated in the presence of CA, a reduction in the secretion of a-galactosidase into the culture medium and a decrease in the a-and / % galactosidase activities bound to the cell wall was detected. However, the CA dose used for the hyphae did not modify the secretion of the enzymes from protoplasts. Results described here provide evidence that a polymerized actin cytoskeleton is required for normal apical growth, hyphal tip shape and polarized enzyme secretion in A. nidulans. Cytochalasin-induced disruptions of the actin cytoskeleton could result in the alterations of apical growth and inhibition of enzyme secretion observed by blocking secretory vesicle transport to the apex.

The white rot fungus Schizophyllum commune is used for the analysis of mating and sexual development in homobasidiomycete fungi. In this study, we isolated the gene gap1 encoding a GTPase-activating protein for Ras. Disruption of gap1 should therefore lead to strains accumulating Ras in its activated, GTP-bound state and to constitutive Ras signaling. Haploid ⌬gap1 monokaryons of different mating types did not show alterations in mating behavior in the four different mating interactions possible in fungi expressing a tetrapolar mating type system. Instead, the growth rate in ⌬gap1 monokaryons was reduced by ca. 25% and ca. 50% in homozygous ⌬gap1/⌬gap1 dikaryons. Monokaryons, as well as homozygous dikaryons, carrying the disrupted gap1 alleles exhibited a disorientated growth pattern. Dikaryons showed a strong phenotype during clamp formation since hook cells failed to fuse with the peg beside them. Instead, the dikaryotic character of the hyphae was rescued by fusion of the hooks with nearby developing branches. ⌬gap1/⌬gap1 dikaryons formed increased numbers of fruitbody primordia, whereas the amount of fruitbodies was not raised. Mature fruitbodies formed no or abnormal gills. No production of spores could be observed. The results suggest Ras involvement in growth, clamp formation, and fruitbody development.The homobasidiomycetous white-rot fungus Schizophyllum commune has been used as a model system for the investigation of mating and sexual development for decades since it can be grown from spore to spore through its entire life cycle within 14 days on defined media, and it shows easily distinguished phenotypes for a tetrapolar mating behavior (32, 53). The tetrapolar mating system consists of two sets of mating type genes. The A mating type genes encode homeodomain transcription factors that are assumed to directly regulate gene expression (39,67). A multiallelic pheromone/receptor system is encoded by the B genes. Homology to the yeast pheromone system has led to the expectation that mating is in part controlled by a mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction cascade that is activated after stimulation of the G protein-coupled pheromone receptor (20,76,82).A fully compatible mating between two strains of S. commune occurs when both differ in their A and B gene specificities (A B ). The specificity of a locus is defined by a lack of activation of downstream developmental processes after crossing two strains with identical specificities in their mating type genes (20). Several steps of subsequent development can be distinguished. After cell fusion, septal breakdown and fast nuclear migration allow reciprocal nuclear exchange between the two mates. Migrant and resident nuclei pair, and dikaryotic hyphal tips are established. Subsequent conjugate nuclear division is accompanied by formation of clamp connections. Clamp connections are short, backwardly directed branches that fuse with the subapical cell and provide a bypass for one of the nuclei produced during synchronous division of the dikaryon, en...

The role of microtubules (MTs) in vegetative nucleus (VN) and generative cell (GC) transport was investigated by comparing VN and GC distribution with callose plug formation in tobacco pollen grains germinated and grown for 12 h with the plant-specific anti-MT drug oryzalin. The VN-GC complex or VN alone was located close to the tube tip in 100% of controls, but in only 5% of oryzalin-treated tubes. Instead, in 38% of oryzalin tubes, the complex or VN occurred close to the last-formed callose plug; in 40% between or in the middle of plugs; and in 17%, in or near the grain. An aberrant microfilament (MF) cytoskeleton was revealed by expression of a green fluorescent protein-talin fusion protein in living oryzalin-treated tubes. The abnormal MF structures probably resulted from the absence of MTs and impaired -or were a consequence of -VN and GC movement into the tube tip. In oryzalin tubes with several callose plugs, the VN and GC could be in or near the grain, indicating that callose plug synthesis is not dependent on the movement of VN and GC into the tube. VN and GC movement and callose plug formation are apparently independent events, in which the transport of the VN-GC complex must precede callose plug synthesis. Maintenance of the correct developmental program requires an intact MT cytoskeleton, otherwise no fertile pollen tubes are formed.

In this study, we undertook a functional characterization and transcriptome analysis that enabled a comprehensive study of the mating type loci of the mushroom Schizophyllum commune. Induced expression of both the bar2 receptor and the bap2(2) pheromone gene within 6 to 12 h after mates' contact was demonstrated by quantitative real-time PCR. Similar temporal expression patterns were confirmed for the allelic bbr1 receptor and bbp1 pheromone-encoding genes by Northern hybridization. Interestingly, the fusion of clamp connections to the subterminal cell was delayed in mating interactions in which one of the compatible partners expressed the bar2 receptor with a truncated C terminus. This developmental delay allowed the visualization of a green fluorescent protein (Gfp)-labeled truncated receptor at the cell periphery, consistent with a localization in the plasma membrane of unfused pseudoclamps. This finding does not support hypotheses envisioning a receptor localization to the nuclear membrane facilitating recognition between the two different nuclei present in each dikaryotic cell. Rather, Gfp fluorescence observed in such pseudoclamps indicated a role of receptor-pheromone interaction in clamp fusion. Transcriptome changes associated with mating interactions were analyzed in order to identify a role for pheromone-receptor interactions. We detected a total of 89 genes that were transcriptionally regulated in a mating type locus A-dependent manner, employing a cutoff of 5-fold changes in transcript abundance. Upregulation in cell cycle-related genes and downregulation of genes involved in metabolism were seen with this set of experiments. In contrast, mating type locus B-dependent transcriptome changes were observed in 208 genes, with a specific impact on genes related to cell wall and membrane metabolism, stress response, and the redox status of the cell.T he filamentous fungus Schizophyllum commune is a widely distributed mushroom that lives saprophytically and can cause white rot on wood. It has been extensively used to study mating interactions for almost 100 years (47). In addition to studies involving the mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea and the corn smut Ustilago maydis, the mating type genes have been extensively analyzed for this tetrapolar basidiomycete (4, 29). The recent publication of the S. commune genome sequence enables global expression analyses (41). During the life cycle of this fungus, compatible haploid monokaryons can mate to produce a fertile dikaryon with two nuclei per cell, one derived from each mating partner. Under appropriate environmental conditions, the dikaryon is able to form the sexual reproductive fruiting bodies (40). While the fusion of two monokaryotic hyphae (plasmogamy) is independent of mating types, specific steps of sexual development are regulated by the mating type genes encoded in the loci A and B (25, 47). For each of these loci, two linked, multiallelic subloci (termed ␣ and ␤) have been determined by recombination analyses (27,49,51,65). The A loci encode homeodomain ...

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