A complex photoreceptor system mediates the regulation by light of the conidiation genes con-10 and con-6 in Neurospora crassa.
Genes con-10 and con-6 in Neurospora crassa are activated during conidiation or after illumination of vegetative mycelia. Light activation requires the white-collar complex (WCC), a transcription factor complex composed of the photoreceptor WC-1 and its partner WC-2. We have characterized the photoactivation of con-10 and con-6, and we have identified 300bp required for photoactivation in the con-10 promoter. A complex stimulus-response relationship for con-10 and con-6 photoactivation suggested the activity of a complex photoreceptor system. The WCC is the key element for con-10 activation by light, but we suggest that other photoreceptors, the cryptochrome CRY-1, the rhodopsin NOP-1, and the phytochrome PHY-2, modify the activity of the WCC for con-10 photoactivation, presumably through a repressor. In addition we show that the regulatory protein VE-1 is required for full photocarotenogenesis. We propose that these proteins may modulate the WCC in a gene-specific way.
Olmedo
María
M
Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apartado 1095, E-41080 Sevilla, Spain.
Ruger-Herreros
Carmen
C
Luque
Eva M
EM
Corrochano
Luis M
LM
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008027:Light; D025282:Mycelium / Q000528:radiation effects; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000502:physiology*; D020283:Photoreceptors, Microbial / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
C113835:CON-10 protein, Neurospora crassa; C084247:CON-6 protein, Neurospora crassa; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D020283:Photoreceptors, Microbial; D014157:Transcription Factors; C105589:wc-1 protein, Neurospora crassa; C103772:white collar 2 protein, Neurospora