title: Apical control of conidiation in Aspergillus nidulans.
abstract: The infection cycle of filamentous fungi consists of two main stages: invasion (growth) and dispersion (development). After the deposition of a spore on a host, germination, polar extension and branching of vegetative cells called hyphae allow a fast and efficient invasion. Under suboptimal conditions, genetic reprogramming of hyphae results in the generation of asexual spores, allowing dissemination to new hosts and the beginning of a new infection cycle. In the model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, asexual development or conidiation is induced by the upstream developmental activation (UDA) pathway. UDA proteins transduce signals from the tip, the polarity site of hyphae, to nuclei, where developmental programs are transcriptionally activated. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on this tip-to-nucleus communication mechanism, emphasizing its dependence on hyphal polarity. Future approaches to the topic will also be suggested, as stimulating elements contributing to the understanding of how apical signals are coupled with the transcriptional control of development and pathogenesis in filamentous fungi.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry II Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Manuel de Lardizabal, 3, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain.
authors.forename: Elixabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oiartzabal-Arano
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry II Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Manuel de Lardizabal, 3, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain.
authors.forename: Elixabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perez-de-Nanclares-Arregi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Espeso
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry II Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Manuel de Lardizabal, 3, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain. oier.echeveste@ehu.eus.
authors.forename: Oier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Etxebeste
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000254:growth & development; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D025301:Hyphae; D008018:Life Cycle Stages
keywords: Asexual reproduction; Central developmental pathway; Conidiation; Filamentous fungi; Polar growth; Upstream developmental activation