Two components of a velvet-like complex control hyphal morphogenesis, conidiophore development, and penicillin biosynthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum.
Penicillium chrysogenum is the industrial producer of the antibiotic penicillin, whose biosynthetic regulation is barely understood. Here, we provide a functional analysis of two major homologues of the velvet complex in P. chrysogenum, which we have named P. chrysogenum velA (PcvelA) and PclaeA. Data from array analysis using a DeltaPcvelA deletion strain indicate a significant role of PcVelA on the expression of biosynthesis and developmental genes, including PclaeA. Northern hybridization and high-performance liquid chromatography quantifications of penicillin titers clearly show that both PcVelA and PcLaeA play a major role in penicillin biosynthesis in a producer strain that underwent several rounds of UV mutagenesis during a strain improvement program. Both regulators are further involved in different developmental processes. While PcvelA deletion leads to light-independent conidial formation, dichotomous branching of hyphae, and pellet formation in shaking cultures, a DeltaPclaeA strain shows a severe impairment in conidiophore formation under both light and dark conditions. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays provide evidence for a velvet-like complex in P. chrysogenum, with structurally conserved components that have distinct developmental roles, illustrating the functional plasticity of these regulators in genera other than Aspergillus.
Hoff
Birgit
B
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Fungal Biotechnology, Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine und Molekulare Botanik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany.
Kamerewerd
Jens
J
Sigl
Claudia
C
Mitterbauer
Rudolf
R
Zadra
Ivo
I
Kürnsteiner
Hubert
H
Kück
Ulrich
U
D005453:Fluorescence; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D025301:Hyphae / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009024:Morphogenesis; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010406:Penicillins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010408:Penicillium chrysogenum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011485:Protein Binding; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010406:Penicillins