Journal Article

The Aspergillus nidulans MAPK Module AnSte11-Ste50-Ste7-Fus3 Controls Development and Secondary Metabolism

Bayram, Özgür, Maruyama, Jun-ichi, Ficner, Ralf, Bayram, Özlem Sarikaya, Irniger, Stefan, Rizzoli, Silvio O., Ahmed, Yasar Luqman, Braus, Gerhard H., Valerius, Oliver

2012

Overview

The sexual Fus3 MAP kinase module of yeast is highly conserved in eukaryotes and transmits external signals from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. We show here that the module of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans (An) consists of the AnFus3 MAP kinase, the upstream kinases AnSte7 and AnSte11, and the AnSte50 adaptor. The fungal MAPK module controls the coordination of fungal development and secondary metabolite production. It lacks the membrane docking yeast Ste5 scaffold homolog; but, similar to yeast, the entire MAPK module's proteins interact with each other at the plasma membrane. AnFus3 is the only subunit with the potential to enter the nucleus from the nuclear envelope. AnFus3 interacts with the conserved nuclear transcription factor AnSte12 to initiate sexual development and phosphorylates VeA, which is a major regulatory protein required for sexual development and coordinated secondary metabolite production. Our data suggest that not only Fus3, but even the entire MAPK module complex of four physically interacting proteins, can migrate from plasma membrane to nuclear envelope.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Aspergillus / Aspergillus nidulans - growth & development / Aspergillus nidulans - metabolism / Biology / Cell Membrane - metabolism / Cell Nucleus - metabolism / Enzymes / Fungi / Genetic aspects / Health aspects / Kinases / MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - genetics / MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - metabolism / MAP Kinase Signaling System - genetics / MAP Kinase Signaling System - physiology / Metabolism / Microbial genetics / Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - genetics / Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - metabolism / Mitogen-activated protein kinases / Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics / Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism / Nuclear Envelope - metabolism / Pheromones / Pheromones - genetics / Pheromones - metabolism / Physiological aspects / Protein Kinases - genetics / Protein Kinases - metabolism / Proteins / Saccharomyces cerevisiae - growth & development / Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism / Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - genetics / Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - metabolism / Sexual Development - genetics / Signal Transduction