Genomic and experimental evidence for a potential sexual cycle in the pathogenic thermal dimorphic fungus Penicillium marneffei.
All meiotic genes (except HOP1) and genes encoding putative pheromone processing enzymes, pheromone receptors and pheromone response pathways proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans and a putative MAT-1 alpha box mating-type gene were present in the Penicillium marneffei genome. A putative MAT-2 high-mobility group mating-type gene was amplified from a MAT-1 alpha box mating-type gene-negative P. marneffei strain. Among 37 P. marneffei patient strains, MAT-1 alpha box and MAT-2 high-mobility group mating-type genes were present in 23 and 14 isolates, respectively. We speculate that P. marneffei can potentially be a heterothallic fungus that does not switch mating type.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Chong
Ken T K
KT
Tse
Herman
H
Cai
James J
JJ
Lau
Candy C Y
CC
Zhou
Anna C
AC
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Yuen
Kwok-yung
KY
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D000072235:Mating Factor; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010407:Penicillium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D017931:DNA Primers; D010455:Peptides; D000072235:Mating Factor