HMGB proteins are required for sexual development in Aspergillus nidulans

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 25;14(4):e0216094. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216094. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Aspergillus nidulans has three high mobility group box (HMGB) proteins, HmbA, HmbB and HmbC that are chromatin-associated architectural proteins involved in DNA-related functions. By creating and studying deletion strains in both veA+ and veA1 background, we have characterized the role of HmbA, HmbB and HmbC in sexual development. Expression of the mating-type MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 coding genes were found to be extremely down-regulated in all three mutants on day 4 of sexual development, which results in deficient ascospore production and/or ascospore viability in the mutants. In addition, we found that HmbA and HmbB play also a role in sensing of and response to environmental signals, while HmbC functionally interacts with VeA, a key regulator of the coordination of asexual and sexual development, as well as of secondary metabolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillus nidulans / genetics
  • Aspergillus nidulans / growth & development*
  • Aspergillus nidulans / metabolism*
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Genes, Mating Type, Fungal
  • HMGB Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Spores, Fungal / physiology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • HMGB Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger

Grants and funding

Work was supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH-K16 119516) to ZH and by the Széchenyi 2020 Programme (GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00012) to CV. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.