pah1: a homeobox gene involved in hyphal morphology and microconidiogenesis in the filamentous ascomycete Podospora anserina.
Homeobox-containing genes are widely described among eukaryotic species other than filamentous ascomycetes. We describe here the isolation and characterization of the first homeobox gene (pah1) identified in a filamentous ascomycete. It encodes a putative protein of 610 amino acids containing a typical homeodomain with 60 amino acids. Deletion of the pah1 gene enhances the number of male gametes (microconidia), whereas overexpression of pah1 results in a decrease in microconidia. These results led us to suppose that pah1 may be a repressor of genes involved in the microconidiation process. Moreover, pah1 is involved in hyphal branching and possibly in the development of female organs.
Arnaise
S
S
Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, Bâtiment 400, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 8621, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France. arnaise@igmors.u-psud.fr
Zickler
D
D
Poisier
C
C
Debuchy
R
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D020037:Sordariales / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000166:cytology
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C420026:PAH1 protein, Podospora anserina