The concerted action of bZip and cMyb transcription factors FlbB and FlbD induces brlA expression and asexual development in Aspergillus nidulans.
Fungi are capable of generating diverse cell types through developmental processes that stem from hyphae, acting as pluripotent cells. The formation of mitospores on emergence of hyphae to the air involves the participation of transcription factors, which co-ordinate the genesis of new cell types, eventually leading to spore formation. In this investigation, we show that bZip transcription factor FlbB, which has been attributed to participate in transducing the aerial stimulus signal, activates the expression of c-Myb transcription factor FlbD. Both factors then jointly activate brlA, a C(2)H(2) zinc finger transcription factor, which plays a central role in spore formation. This sequence of regulatory events resembles developmental control mechanisms involving c-Myb and bZip counterparts in metazoans and plants.
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country, San Sebastian 20018, Spain.
Aitor
A
Garzia
Oier
O
Etxebeste
Erika
E
Herrero-García
Unai
U
Ugalde
Eduardo A
EA
Espeso
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092469:flbD protein, Aspergillus nidulans