• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.230-233
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• 2002

Effects of short-chain primary amines on Aspergillus nidulans development were analyzed. Propylamine induced asexual development and inhibited sexual development. Even on medium containing lactose as the sole carbon source, on which little conidial heads are formed and sexual structures are formed preferentially, or when sexual development was induced, propylamine induced asexual development and inhibited sexual development. These effects of propylamine seemed to be due to accumulation of mRNA of the brlA gene, which has been identified as a positive regulator of asexual development, and due to the reduction of the veA mRNA level. The veA gene has been identified as an activator of sexual development and also as an inhibitor of asexual development. Other primary amines, methylamine and ethylamine, showed identical effects on development where short-chain primary amino also promoted asexual development and inhibited sexual development.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.332-337
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• 1994

Under standard condition (Han, et al., 1990: glucose 1%-nitrate 0.1% minimal medium, 30 ml in 9 cm plate, $10^6$ cells of inoculum per plate), wild type of Aspergillus nidulans developed both sexual and asexual organs in ballance, while velA1 mutant developed asexual ones preferentially. Increase of glucose concentration did not significantly affect the asexual sporulation. However, development of sexual organs were largely affected. It was greatly enhanced when favorable nitrogen source, for example, casein hydrolysate was added, which is contrary to the case of Neurospora or Saccharomyces where limitation of N source induces sexual development. On most of moderate C sources asexual development in $velA^+$ strain was largely inhibited except acetate on which only asexual spores were produced, while that in velA1 mutant strain was not affected. Lactose promoted the sexual development even in velA1 mutant indicating that lactose itself or its metabolic intermediate may induce sexual development independent of allelic state of velA gene. On other moderate favorable C sources, glycerol, galactose and ethanol, asexual development was largely inhibited in $velA^+$ strain but not in velA1 mutant strain. Sexual organs were, however, never produced on acetate. These results suggested that asexual development of wild type is largely dependent on C sources and the velA gene is involved in the repression of asexual development in not-enough-grown (non-competent) thalli resulting in preferential progression of sexual development.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2003

Aspergillus nidulans, a homothalic ascomycete, has a complete sexual reproductive cycle as well as an asexual one. Both sexual and asexual development are known to be genetically programmed, but are also strongly affected by environmental factors including nutrients, light, temperature and osmolarity. We have examined these factors to define favored conditions for fruiting body (cleistothecium) formation. In general, fruiting body formation was enhanced where carbon and nitrogen sources were sufficient. Limitation of C-source caused predominant asexual development while inhibiting sexual development. When higher concentrations of glucose were supplied, more cleistothecia were formed. Other carbon sources including lactose, galactose and glycerol made the fungus develop cleistothecia very well, whereas acetate caused asexual sporulation only. Organic nitrogen sources like casein hydrolysate and glycine, and an increase in nitrate or ammonium concentration also enhanced sexual development. In addition to nutrient effects, low levels of aerobic respiration, caused either by platesealing or treatment with various chemicals, favored sexual development. Carbon limitation, light exposure and a high concentration of salts promoted asexual development preferentially, suggesting that stress conditions may drive the cell to develop asexual sporulation while comfortable and wellnourished growth conditions favored sexual development.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.676-685
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• 2021

RNA-binding proteins are involved in RNA metabolism and posttranscriptional regulation of various fundamental biological processes. The PUF family of RNA-binding proteins is highly conserved in eukaryotes, and its members regulate gene expression, mitochondrial biogenesis, and RNA processing. However, their biological functions in Aspergillus species remain mostly unknown in filamentous fungi. Here we have characterized the puf genes in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans. We generated deletion mutant strains for the five putative puf genes present in the A. nidulans genome and investigated their developmental phenotypes. Deletion of pufA or pufE affected fungal growth and asexual development. pufA mutants exhibited decreased production of asexual spores and reduced mRNA expression of genes regulating asexual development. The pufE deletion reduced colony growth, increased formation of asexual spores, and delayed production of sexual fruiting bodies. In addition, the absence of pufE reduced both sterigmatocystin production and the mRNA levels of genes in the sterigmatocystin cluster. Finally, pufE deletion mutants showed reduced trehalose production and lower resistance to thermal stress. Overall, these results demonstrate that PufA and PufE play roles in the development and sterigmatocystin metabolism in A. nidulans.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.310-315
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• 2015

Certain bacterial species associate with plant roots in soil. The plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) stimulate plant growth and yield in greenhouse and field. Here, we examined whether application of known bacilli PGPR strains stimulated growth and asexual reproduction in the succulent plant Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Four PGPR strains B. amyloliquefaciens IN937a, B. cereus BS107, B. pumilus INR7, and B. subtilis GB03 were applied to young plantlets by soil-drenching, and plant growth and development was monitored for three months. Aerial growth was significantly stimulated in PGPR-inoculated plants, which was observed as increases in plant height, shoot weight, and stem width. The stimulated growth influenced plant development by increasing the total number of leaves per plant. Treatment with bacilli also increased the total root biomass compared with that of control plants, and led to a 2-fold increase in asexual reproduction and plantlet formation on the leaf. Collectively, our results firstly demonstrate that Bacillus spp. promote vegetative development of K. daigremontiana, and the enhanced growth stimulates asexual reproduction and plantlet formation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1420-1427
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• 2023

The forkhead domain genes are important for development and morphogenesis in fungi. Six forkhead genes fkhA-fkhF have been found in the genome of the model filamentous Ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans. To identify the fkh gene(s) associated with fungal development, we examined mRNA levels of these six genes and found that the level of fkhB and fkhD mRNA was significantly elevated during asexual development and in conidia. To investigate the roles of FkhB and FkhD, we generated fkhB and fkhD deletion mutants and complemented strains and investigated their phenotypes. The deletion of fkhB, but not fkhD, affected fungal growth and both sexual and asexual development. The fkhB deletion mutant exhibited decreased colony size with distinctly pigmented (reddish) asexual spores and a significantly lower number of conidia compared with these features in the wild type (WT), although the level of sterigmatocystin was unaffected by the absence of fkhB. Furthermore, the fkhB deletion mutant produced sexual fruiting bodies (cleistothecia) smaller than those of WT, implying that the fkhB gene is involved in both asexual and sexual development. In addition, fkhB deletion reduced fungal tolerance to heat stress and decreased trehalose accumulation in conidia. Overall, these results suggest that fkhB plays a key role in proper fungal growth, development, and conidial stress tolerance in A. nidulans.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.457-465
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• 2019

MonA is a subunit of a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is important for vacuole passing and autophagy processes in eukaryotes. In this study, we characterized the function of MonA, an orthologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mon1, in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans and a toxigenic fungus A. flavus. In A. nidulans, the absence of AnimonA led to decreased fungal growth, reduced asexual reproduction, and defective cleistothecia production. In addition, AnimonA deletion mutants exhibited decreased spore viability, had reduced trehalose contents in conidia, and were sensitive to thermal stress. In A. flavus, deletion of AflmonA caused decreased fungal growth and defective production of asexual spores and sclerotia structures. Moreover, the absence of monA affected vacuole morphology in both species. Taken together, these results indicate that MonA plays conserved roles in controlling fungal growth, development and vacuole morphology in A. nidulans and A. flavus.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.314-322
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• 2020

Interplay between histone acetylation and deacetylation is one of the key components in epigenetic regulation of transcription. Here we report the requirement of MoHDA1-mediated histone deacetylation during asexual development and pathogenesis for the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. Structural similarity and phylogenetic analysis suggested that MoHDA1 is an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hda1, which is a representative member of class II histone deacetylases. Targeted deletion of MoHDA1 caused a little decrease in radial growth and large reduction in asexual sporulation. Comparison of acetylation levels for H3K9 and H3K14 showed that lack of MoHDA1 gene led to significant increase in H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation level, compared to the wild-type and complementation strain, confirming that it is a bona fide histone deacetylase. Expression analysis on some of the key genes involved in asexual reproduction under sporulation-promoting condition showed almost no differences among strains, except for MoCON6 gene, which was up-regulated more than 6-fold in the mutant than wild-type. Although the deletion mutant displayed little defects in germination and subsequent appressorium formation, the mutant was compromised in its ability to cause disease. Wound-inoculation showed that the mutant is impaired in invasive growth as well. We found that the mutant was defective in appressorium-mediated penetration of host, but did not lose the ability to grow on the media containing H₂O₂. Taken together, our data suggest that MoHDA1-dependent histone deacetylation is important for efficient asexual development and infection of host plants in M. oryzae.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.155-163
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• 1988

For the laboratory diagnosis of Sarcocystis infections especially in domesticated food animals, several antificial digestion techniques were applied for the musculature specimens and several staining techniques was applied for the bradyzoites of Sarcocystis species isolated. The digestion technique using trypsin(0.5%) and sodium chloride(0.85%) mixed solution was regarded as the most valuable for the detection of asexual stages of Sarcocystis in bovine musculature specimens. Optimal time for digestion was approximately one to four hours. The trypsion digestion technique with Giemsa's stain could be helpful for the detection of Sarcocystis prolferative forms and for the observation of the nucleus of the parasite. A systematic detection was also performed in an autopsy for a bovine carcass naturally infected with Sarcocystis species, and the asexual stages such as metrocytes and bradyzoites were observed in the specific organs, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.225-232
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• 1990

In order to find an useful condition under which the mutants defective in sexual development could be isolated, the effects of several cultural conditions on the developments of Aspergillus nidulans were examined. Among several conditions found to restrict the asexual sporulation but enhance the sexual process, the interference of aeration by sealing the plates with sealing film was the most useful one for the purpose of mutant isolation. Sealing at any time before 20 hours from inoculation prevented both sexual and asexual process. When the seal was removed after 24 hours, however, the mycelia developed only to sexual organs. Using this properity, the early morphogenic process of sexual development could be easily observed and a number of mutants that showed some defects in the process could be isolated. The mutants were divided into 3 groups, NSD (never in sexual development), BSD (block in sexual development) and ASD (abnormal in sexual development). NSD mutants never produced either the $H{\ddot{u}}lle$ cells or cleistothecia and some produced the asexual organs even when the aeration was restricted. BSD mutants were blocked in the process of $H{\ddot{u}}lle$ cell, cleistothecia, crozier, asci or ascospore formation. ASD mutants had defects in the amount of cleistothecia, time of cleistothecial maturation or color of ascospores.