Deletion of the RING-finger peroxin 2 gene in Aspergillus nidulans does not affect meiotic development.
Peroxins are required for protein import into peroxisomes as well as for peroxisome biogenesis and proliferation. Loss-of-function mutations in genes for the RING-finger peroxins Pex2, Pex10 and Pex12 lead to a specific block in meiosis in the ascomycete Podospora anserina. However, loss of protein import into peroxisomes does not result in this meiotic defect. Therefore, it has been suggested that these peroxins have a specific function required for meiosis. To determine whether this role is conserved in other filamentous fungi, we have deleted the gene encoding Pex2 in Aspergillus nidulans. The phenotypes resulting from this deletion are no different from those of previously isolated pex mutants affected in peroxisomal protein import, and viable ascospores are produced in selfed crosses. Therefore, the role of the RING-finger peroxins in meiosis is not conserved in filamentous ascomycetes.
Department of Genetics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. mjhynes@unimelb.edu.au
Michael J
MJ
Hynes
Sandra L
SL
Murray
Freya K
FK
Kahn
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D008540:Meiosis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048468:Podospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins