title: Transcriptomic analysis of the role of Rim101/PacC in the adaptation of Ustilago maydis to an alkaline environment.
abstract: Alkaline pH triggers an adaptation mechanism in fungi that is mediated by Rim101/PacCp, a zinc finger transcription factor. To identify the genes under its control in Ustilago maydis, we performed microarray analyses, comparing gene expression in a wild-type strain versus a rim101/pacC mutation strain of the fungus. In this study we obtained evidence of the large number of genes regulated mostly directly, but also indirectly (probably through regulation of other transcription factors), by Rim101/PacCp, including proteins involved in a large number of physiological activities of the fungus. Our analyses suggest that the response to alkaline conditions under the control of the Pal/Rim pathway involves changes in the cell wall and plasma membrane through alterations in their lipid, protein and polysaccharide composition, changes in cell polarity, actin cytoskeleton organization, and budding patterns. Also as expected, adaptation involves regulation by Rim101/PacC of genes involved in meiotic functions, such as recombination and segregation, and expression of genes involved in ion and nutrient transport, as well as general vacuole functions.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Av. Pedro de Alba S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, C.P. 66451, Mexico.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franco-Frías
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Herrera
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Unidad de Manipulación Genética, Av. Pedro de Alba S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, C.P. 66451, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elva T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Aréchiga-Carvajal
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000468:Alkalies / Q000633:toxicity*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014588:Ustilago / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies