title: A novel gene, GEA1, is required for ascus cell-wall development in the ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum.
abstract: The ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum is a devastating plant pathogen for major cereal crops. Ascospores are produced via sexual reproduction and forcibly discharged from mature perithecia, which function as the primary inocula. Perithecium development involves complex cellular processes and is under polygenic control. In this study, a novel gene, GEA1, was found to be required for ascus wall development in F. graminearum. GEA1 deletion mutants produced normal-shaped perithecia and ascospores, yet ascospores were observed to precociously germinate inside the perithecium. Moreover, GEA1 deletions resulted in abnormal ascus walls that collapsed prior to ascospore discharge. Based on localization of GEA1 to plasma membrane, GEA1 may be directly involved in ascus wall biogenesis. This is the first report to identify a unique gene required for ascus wall development in F. graminearum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hokyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jungkwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yin-Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins