One Juliet and four Romeos: VeA and its methyltransferases

Abstract

Fungal secondary metabolism has become an important research topic with great biomedical and biotechnological value. In the postgenomic era, understanding the diversity and the molecular control of secondary metabolites (SMs) are two challenging tasks addressed by the research community. Discovery of the LaeA methyltransferase 10 years ago opened up a new horizon on the control of SM research when it was found that expression of many SM gene clusters is controlled by LaeA. While the molecular function of LaeA remains an enigma, discovery of the velvet family proteins as interaction partners further extended the role of the LaeA beyond secondary metabolism. The heterotrimeric VelB–VeA–LaeA complex plays important roles in development, sporulation, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity. Recently, three other methyltransferases have been found to associate with the velvet complex, the LaeA-like methyltransferase F and the methyltransferase heterodimers VipC–VapB. Interaction of VeA with at least four methyltransferase proteins indicates a molecular hub function for VeA that questions: Is there a VeA supercomplex or is VeA part of a highly dynamic cellular control network with many different partners?

Do volatile compounds produced by Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae affect stress tolerance in plants?

“…Similar to our finding, the induced expression of PR1 was observed by VCs emitted by Paenibacillus polymyxa E681 and T. asperellum IsmT5 and by specific compounds (e.g. tridecane, m -cresol and methyl benzoate) (Lee et al 2012; Naznin et al 2014; Kottb et al 2015). However, our analysis of VCs produced by these F. oxysporum strains did not reveal the production of these compounds (Bitas et al 2015), suggesting the involvement of different compounds in activating the expression of PR1 .…”

“…Previous studies reported that VCs emitted by several plant growth promoting fungi, including Ampelomyces sp., Cladosporium sp. and Trichoderma sp., reduced disease symptoms through the activation of signalling pathways that involve SA and JA/ET (Naznin et al 2014; Kottb et al 2015). However, Ryu et al (2004) reported that ISR elicited by VCs emitted by B. amyloliquefaciens GB03 was mediated by ET signalling but did not require the SA or JA signalling pathway.…”

Pediatric obesity is associated with an altered gut microbiota and discordant shifts in Firmicutes populations

“…Amplification was performed with a two‐step barcoding approach according to Herbold and colleagues, 2015. In the first‐step PCR, 16S rRNA genes of all Bacteria were amplified with forward primer S‐D‐bact‐0341‐b‐S‐17 (5‐CCTACGGGNGGCWGCAG‐3′) and reverse primer S‐D‐bact‐0785‐a‐A‐21 (5‐GACTACHVGGGTATCTAATCC‐3′), which also contained head adaptors (5′‐GCTATGCGCGAGCTGC‐3′).…”

High‐Throughput Inertial Focusing of Micrometer‐ and Sub‐Micrometer‐Sized Particles Separation

“…To determine the effects of deformability on focusing, a suspension of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, with a typical size of 2 µm42 was introduced into a microfluidic chip with a 4 mm long serpentine section. The cyanobacteria used here have been modified to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) 43…”