title: The Aspergillus fumigatus β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase Gel7 plays a compensatory role in maintaining cell wall integrity under stress conditions.
abstract: Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes fatal invasive aspergillosis among immunocompromised patients. The cell wall β-1,3-glucan is mainly elongated by β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase Gel family, which is vital for growth and virulence of A. fumigatus. Although seven members of Gels have been annotated, only Gel1, Gel2 and Gel4 were characterized. In this study, the function of Gel7 was analyzed for the first time, by constructing Δgel7, Δgel7Δcwh41 and Δgel1Δgel7Δcwh41 separately. Disruption of gel7 alone did not result in any obvious phenotype except an abnormality in conidia formation, whereas Δgel7Δcwh41 and Δgel1Δgel7Δcwh41 exhibited abnormal conidiogenesis, a heat-induced delay of germination and a severe decrease in β-1,3-glucan content. Our results suggested that the A. fumigatus β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase Gel7 was involved in conidiation and was compensated for the cell wall β-1,3-glucan defects when Gel1 and Gel2 lost their functions, especially at an elevated temperature.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology.
authors.forename: Wan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chunli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jingnan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Shufeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; C117939:1,3-beta-glucanosyltransferase; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase
keywords: Aspergillus fumigatus; cell wall; compensation; conidiation; β-1, 3-glucanosyltransferase