title: The calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase catalytic subunit (calcineurin A) is an essential gene in Aspergillus nidulans.
abstract: The gene encoding the homologue of the catalytic subunit of the Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin A) has been isolated from Aspergillus nidulans. This gene, cnaA+, is essential in this fungal system. Analysis of growth-arrested cells following gene disruption by homologous recombination reveals that they are blocked early in the cell cycle. The cnaA+ gene encodes a 2.5 kb mRNA and the deduced protein sequence is highly homologous to the calcineurin A subunit of other species. The mRNA varies in a cell cycle-dependent manner with maximal levels found early in G1 and considerably before the G1/S boundary. As calmodulin is also essential for A. nidulans cell cycle progression and levels rise before the G1/S boundary, our data suggest that calcineurin may represent a primary target for calmodulin at this cell cycle transition point.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brining
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kincaid
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Means
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Means
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D019703:Calcineurin; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002384:Catalysis; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019703:Calcineurin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases