Repellents have functionally replaced hydrophobins in mediating attachment to a hydrophobic surface and in formation of hydrophobic aerial hyphae in Ustilago maydis.
Ustilago maydis contains one repellent and two class I hydrophobin genes in its genome. The repellent gene rep1 has been described previously. It encodes 11 secreted repellent peptides that result from the cleavage of a precursor protein at KEX2 recognition sites. The hydrophobin gene hum2 encodes a typical class I hydrophobin of 117 aa, while hum3 encodes a hydrophobin that is preceded by 17 repeat sequences. These repeats are separated, like the repellent peptides, by KEX2 recognition sites. Gene hum2, but not hum3, was shown to be expressed in a cross of two compatible wild-type strains, suggesting a role of the former hydrophobin gene in aerial hyphae formation. Indeed, aerial hyphae formation was reduced in a Delta hum2 cross. However, the reduction in aerial hyphae formation was much more dramatic in the Delta rep1 cross. Moreover, colonies of the Delta rep1 cross were completely wettable, while surface hydrophobicity was unaffected and only slightly reduced in the Delta hum2 and the Delta hum2 Delta hum3 cross, respectively. It was also shown that the repellents and not the hydrophobins are involved in attachment of hyphae to hydrophobic Teflon. Deleting either or both hydrophobin genes in the Delta rep1 strains did not further affect aerial hyphae formation, surface hydrophobicity and attachment. From these data it is concluded that hydrophobins of U. maydis have been functionally replaced, at least partially, by repellents.
Teertstra
Wieke R
WR
Microbiology, Institute of Biomembranes, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Deelstra
Heine J
HJ
Microbiology, Institute of Biomembranes, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Vranes
Miroslav
M
MPI für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Bohlmann
Ralph
R
Institute für Genetik, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Maria-Ward-Straße 1a, 80638 Munich, Germany.
Kahmann
Regine
R
MPI für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Kämper
Jörg
J
MPI für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Wösten
Han A B
HAB
Microbiology, Institute of Biomembranes, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D025301:Hyphae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008853:Microscopy; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014588:Ustilago / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C102170:Rep1 protein, Ustilago maydis