title: Genetic characterization of the Neurospora crassa molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis.
abstract: Molybdenum (Mo) is a trace element that is essential for important cellular processes. To gain biological activity, Mo must be complexed in the molybdenum cofactor (Moco), a pterin derivative of low molecular weight. Moco synthesis is a multi-step pathway that involves a variable number of genes in eukaryotes, which are assigned to four steps of eukaryotic Moco biosynthesis. Moco biosynthesis mutants lack any Moco-dependent enzymatic activities, including assimilation of nitrate (plants and fungi), detoxification of sulfite (humans and plants) and utilization of hypoxanthine as sole N-source (fungi). We report the first comprehensive genetic characterization of the Neurospora crassa (N. crassa) Moco biosynthesis pathway, annotating five genes which encode all pathway enzymes, and compare it with the characterized Aspergillus nidulans pathway. Biochemical characterization of the corresponding knock-out mutants confirms our annotation model, documenting the N. crassa/A. nidulans (fungal) Moco biosynthesis as unique, combining the organizational structure of both plant and human Moco biosynthesis genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ringel
authors.affiliation: Cellular Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boysen
authors.affiliation: Cellular Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Lisette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wirsing
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Mariko Matsuda
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. Electronic address: r.mendel@tu-bs.de.
authors.forename: Ralf R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Mendel
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Braunschweig University of Technology, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kruse
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003067:Coenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090006:Molybdenum Cofactors; D009154:Mutation; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011621:Pteridines
chemical_list: D003067:Coenzymes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008667:Metalloproteins; D008982:Molybdenum; D000090006:Molybdenum Cofactors; D011621:Pteridines; C022261:molybdopterin
keywords: Molybdenum cofactor; Molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis; Neurospora crassa; nit Mutant