Photo morphogenesis and photo response of the blue-light receptor gene Cmwc-1 in different strains of Cordyceps militaris.
Light is a necessary environmental factor for stroma formation and development of Cordyceps militaris, a well-known edible and medicinal fungus. In this study, photo morphogenesis and the blue-light receptor gene were studied using five representative strains of C. militaris. The results suggest that light was essential for colony pigmentation and could promote conidia production. Cmwc-1, the homologe of the blue-light photoreceptor of Neurospora crassa, was cloned from the genome of C. militaris by Hi-tail PCR. The protein CmWC-1 was characterized by the presence of the LOV and PAS domains and a GATA-type Znf domain. Genetic variation analysis of Cmwc-1 in different strains showed that 15-bp deletions occurred in three strains that resulted in 5-Gln deletions in the transcription activation domain. Phylogenetic analysis based on the Sordariomycetes WC-1-like proteins suggested that the sequence of WC-1 could be used as a candidate marker for phylogenetic analysis in fungi. Cmwc-1 mRNA was light inducible and the expression level increased significantly after irradiation in all tested strains. The sequence of CmWC-1 and the relative expressions responding to irradiation in degenerate and albino strains were similar as the cultivated one. This report will help to open the still-unexplored field of stroma development for this fungus.
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Tao
T
Yang
Caihong
C
Dong
D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
Cordyceps mushroom; albino; degenerate strain; light; white collar-1