Trichoderma G protein-coupled receptors: functional characterisation of a cAMP receptor-like protein from Trichoderma atroviride.
Galpha subunits act to regulate vegetative growth, conidiation, and the mycoparasitic response in Trichoderma atroviride. To extend our knowledge on G protein signalling, we analysed G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). As the genome sequence of T. atroviride is not publicly available yet, we carried out an in silico exploration of the genome database of the close relative T. reesei. Twenty genes encoding putative GPCRs distributed over eight classes and additional 35 proteins similar to the Magnaporthe grisea PTH11 receptor were identified. Subsequently, four T. atroviride GPCR-encoding genes were isolated and affiliated to the cAMP receptor-like family by phylogenetic and topological analyses. All four genes showed lowest expression on glycerol and highest mRNA levels upon carbon starvation. Transcription of gpr3 and gpr4 responded to exogenously added cAMP and the shift from liquid to solid media. gpr3 mRNA levels also responded to the presence of fungal hyphae or cellulose membranes. Further characterisation of mutants bearing a gpr1-silencing construct revealed that Gpr1 is essential for vegetative growth, conidiation and conidial germination. Four genes encoding the first GPCRs described in Trichoderma were isolated and their expression characterized. At least one of these GPCRs is important for several cellular processes, supporting the fundamental role of G protein signalling in this fungus.
Brunner
Kurt
K
Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Chemical Engineering, Research Area of Gene Technology and Applied Biochemistry, Getreidemarkt 9/166, Vienna, Austria.
Omann
Markus
M
Pucher
Marion E
ME
Delic
Marizela
M
Lehner
Sylvia M
SM
Domnanich
Patrick
P
Kratochwill
Klaus
K
Druzhinina
Irina
I
Denk
Dagmar
D
Zeilinger
Susanne
S
D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011953:Receptors, Cyclic AMP / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011953:Receptors, Cyclic AMP; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled