title: Fusarium sambucinum astA gene expressed during potato infection is a functional orthologue of Aspergillus nidulans astA.
abstract: Sulfate assimilation plays a vital role in prototrophic organisms. Orthologues of the alternative sulfate transporter (AstA) gene from Aspergillus nidulans were identified in the fungal plant pathogens Fusarium sambucinum and Fusarium graminearum. By physiological and biochemical analyses, the AstA orthologues were determined to be able to uptake sulfate from the environment. Similarly to astA in A. nidulans, the FsastA gene was found to be regulated by sulfur metabolite repression (SMR) in a sulfur-dependent manner. In contrast, the FgastA transcript was undetectable, however, when the FgastA gene was expressed heterologously in A. nidulans, the translated FgAstA protein acted as a sulfate transporter. Interestingly, F. sambucinum astA expression was remarkably augmented in infected potato tubers, despite the presence abundant sulfate and was found not to be correlated with plant resistance.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5A str., 02-106 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: Seba@ibb.waw.pl.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piłsyk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5A str., 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Natorff
authors.affiliation: The Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR), 76-009 Bonin, Poland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gawińska-Urbanowicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5A str., 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kruszewska
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005670:Fusarium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: Alternative sulfate transporter; Gibberella pulicaris; Plant pathogen; Sulfur starvation