Microarray and real-time PCR analyses reveal mating type-dependent gene expression in a homothallic fungus.
Sordaria macrospora is a homothallic ascomycete which is able to form fertile fruiting bodies without a mating partner. To analyze the molecular basis of homothallism and the role of mating products during fruiting body development, we have deleted the mating type gene Smta-1 encoding a high-mobility group domain (HMG) protein. The DeltaSmta-1 deletion strain is morphologically wild type during vegetative growth, but it is unable to produce perithecia or ascospores. To identify genes expressed under control of Smta-1, we performed a cross-species microarray analysis using Neurospora crassa cDNA microarrays hybridized with S. macrospora targets. We identified 107 genes that are more than twofold up- or down-regulated in the mutant. Functional classification revealed that 81 genes have homologues with known or putative functions. Comparison of array data from DeltaSmta-1 with those from three phenotypically similar mutants revealed that only a limited set of ten genes is deregulated in all mutants. Remarkably, the ppg2 gene encoding a putative lipopeptide pheromone is 500-fold down-regulated in the DeltaSmta-1 mutant while in all other sterile mutants this gene is up-regulated.
Pöggeler
S
S
Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine und Molekulare Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany. stefanie.poeggeler@rub.de
Nowrousian
M
M
Ringelberg
C
C
Loros
J J
JJ
Dunlap
J C
JC
Kück
U
U
D017353:Gene Deletion; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012098:Reproduction; D020037:Sordariales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology