title: Expression of a constitutively active Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase in Aspergillus nidulans spores prevents germination and entry into the cell cycle.
abstract: The unique gene for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) has been shown to be essential in Aspergillus nidulans. Disruption of the gene prevents entry of spores into the nuclear division cycle. Here we show that expression of a constitutively active form of CaMK also prevents spores from entering the first S phase in response to a germinating stimulus. Expression of the constitutively active kinase induces premature activation of NIMEcyclin B/NIMXcdc2 in G0/G1. As NIMXcdc2 is present in spores, the elevation of maturation promotion factor activity may be secondary to the early production of NIMEcyclin B or post-translation modification of maturation promotion factor. The expression of the constitutively active CaMK also results in the appearance of NIMA kinase activity within 1 h of the germinating signal. These results support the contention that the activities of maturation promotion factor and NIMA are coincidentally regulated in A. nidulans and suggest that the unscheduled appearance of one or both of these activities may be sufficient to prevent A. nidulans spores from entering into DNA synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dayton
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Nanthakumar
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Means
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000201:enzymology*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D000072380:NIMA-Related Kinase 1; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016196:S Phase; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011494:Protein Kinases; C102333:histone H1 kinase; D000072380:NIMA-Related Kinase 1; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; C442331:NIMA-related kinase 6; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases