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Title: WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex

Abstract

The formation of the fungal mycelial network is facilitated by somatic cell fusion of germinating asexual spores (or germlings). Neurospora crassa germlings in close proximity display chemotropic growth that is dependent upon an intracellular network of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. Approximately 80 genes involved in intercellular communication and fusion have been identified, including three mutants with similar morphological phenotypes: Δwhi-2, Δcsp-6, and Δamph-1. Here we show that WHI-2 localizes to the cell periphery and regulates endocytosis, mitochondrial organization, sporulation, and cell fusion. WHI-2 was required to transduce signals through a conserved MAPK pathway (NRC-1/MEK-2/MAK-2) and target transcription factors (PP-1/ADV-1). The amph-1 locus encodes a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain-containing protein and mis-expression of whi-2 compensated for the cell fusion and endocytosis deficiencies of a Δamph-1 mutant. The csp-6 locus encodes a haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase whose activity was essential for cell fusion. Although fusion-deficient with themselves, cells that lacked whi-2, csp-6, or amph-1 showed a low frequency of chemotropic interactions with wild type cells. We hypothesize that WHI-2 could be important for signal perception during chemotropic interactions via a role in endocytosis.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1593162
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1604661
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231; MCB1412411
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Frontiers in Microbiology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Frontiers in Microbiology Journal Volume: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 1664-302X
Publisher:
Frontiers Research Foundation
Country of Publication:
Switzerland
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; cell fusion; WHI-2; CSP-6; AMPH-1; endocytosis; MAPK

Citation Formats

Gonçalves, A. Pedro, Chow, Karen M., Cea-Sánchez, Sara, and Glass, N. Louise. WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex. Switzerland: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162.
Gonçalves, A. Pedro, Chow, Karen M., Cea-Sánchez, Sara, & Glass, N. Louise. WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex. Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162
Gonçalves, A. Pedro, Chow, Karen M., Cea-Sánchez, Sara, and Glass, N. Louise. Wed . "WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex". Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162.
@article{osti_1593162,
title = {WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex},
author = {Gonçalves, A. Pedro and Chow, Karen M. and Cea-Sánchez, Sara and Glass, N. Louise},
abstractNote = {The formation of the fungal mycelial network is facilitated by somatic cell fusion of germinating asexual spores (or germlings). Neurospora crassa germlings in close proximity display chemotropic growth that is dependent upon an intracellular network of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. Approximately 80 genes involved in intercellular communication and fusion have been identified, including three mutants with similar morphological phenotypes: Δwhi-2, Δcsp-6, and Δamph-1. Here we show that WHI-2 localizes to the cell periphery and regulates endocytosis, mitochondrial organization, sporulation, and cell fusion. WHI-2 was required to transduce signals through a conserved MAPK pathway (NRC-1/MEK-2/MAK-2) and target transcription factors (PP-1/ADV-1). The amph-1 locus encodes a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain-containing protein and mis-expression of whi-2 compensated for the cell fusion and endocytosis deficiencies of a Δamph-1 mutant. The csp-6 locus encodes a haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase whose activity was essential for cell fusion. Although fusion-deficient with themselves, cells that lacked whi-2, csp-6, or amph-1 showed a low frequency of chemotropic interactions with wild type cells. We hypothesize that WHI-2 could be important for signal perception during chemotropic interactions via a role in endocytosis.},
doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162},
journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
number = ,
volume = 10,
place = {Switzerland},
year = {Wed Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Wed Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162

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