title: The mating-related loci sexM and sexP of the zygomycetous fungus Mucor mucedo and their transcriptional regulation by trisporoid pheromones.
abstract: The putative mating type locus of mucoralean fungi consists of a single high mobility group (HMG)-domain transcription factor gene, sexM or sexP, flanked by genes for an RNA helicase and a triosephosphate transporter. We used degenerate primers derived from the amino acid sequence of the RNA helicase to sequence a fragment of this gene from Mucor mucedo. This fragment was extended by inverse PCR to obtain the complete sequences of the sex loci from both mating types of M. mucedo. The sex loci in M. mucedo reflect the general picture obtained previously for Phycomyces blakesleeanus, presenting a single HMG-domain transcription factor gene, sexM and sexP in the minus and plus mating types, respectively. These are located next to a gene for RNA helicase. Transcriptional analysis by quantitative real-time PCR showed that only transcription of sexM is considerably stimulated by adding trisporoid pheromones, thus mimicking sexual stimulation, whereas sexP is only slightly affected. These differences in regulation between sexM and sexP are supported by the observation that the promoter sequences controlling these genes show no similarities. The protein structures themselves are considerably different. The SexM, but not the SexP protein harbours a nuclear localization sequence. The SexM protein is indeed transported to nuclei. This was shown by means of a GFP fusion construct that was used to study the localization of SexM in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fusion protein is highly enriched in nuclei.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Microbiology and Microbe Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 24, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wetzel
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Microbiology and Microbe Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 24, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Microbiology and Microbe Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 24, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolbe
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Microbiology and Microbe Genetics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 24, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wöstemeyer
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009089:Mucor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D010675:Pheromones