title: Genetic involvement of a cAMP-dependent protein kinase in a G protein signaling pathway regulating morphological and chemical transitions in Aspergillus nidulans.
abstract: In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, a heterotrimeric G protein alpha-subunit and an RGS domain protein, encoded by fadA and flbA, respectively, regulate production of the carcinogenic metabolite sterigmatocystin (ST) and asexual spores (i.e., conidia). We investigated the genetic involvement of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (PkaA), a potential downstream target of FadA activity, in ST production and conidiation. Relative to wild type, sporulation was decreased in the pkaA overexpression strain but was not totally absent, as occurs in DeltaflbA or fadA(G42R) (fadA-dominant active) strains. Deletion of pkaA resulted in a hyper-conidiating strain with limited radial growth. This phenotype was epistatic to mutation in flbA or fadA; the double mutants DeltapkaA; DeltaflbA and DeltapkaA; fadA(G42R) recovered sporulation and their radial growth was severely restricted. PkaA overexpression also negatively regulated AflR, the ST biosynthesis-specific transcription factor, both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally. Deletion of pkaA restored ST production in the DeltaflbA background but not in the fadA(G42R) background. These data provide genetic evidence that the FlbA/FadA signaling pathway regulating ST production and morphological development is partially mediated through PkaA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics*; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003360:Cosmids; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015723:Gene Library; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005838:Genotype; D008954:Models, Biological; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C102142:FADA protein, Emericella nidulans; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D020710:RGS Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000242:Cyclic AMP; C490472:pkaA protein, Aspergillus nidulans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins