Deficient cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate control in mutants of two genes of Neurospora crassa

Control of filamentous growth by mating and cyclic-AMP inUstilago

Mating between compatible haploid cells of the corn smut fungus, Ustilago maydis, results in a switch from budding to filamentous growth. We are analyzing the multiallelic b incompatibility locus that governs maintenance of the infectious, filamentous dikaryon. Specificity regions have been identified in the N-terminal portions of the bE and bW genes at the b locus. In addition, we have found that heterozygosity at the b locus attenuates fusion. This result suggests that b gene products may exert a negative influence on some processes, in addition to their generally recognized role in maintaining filamentous growth. The b genes have also been characterized in Ustilago hordei. This species has a bipolar mating system in which the b genes are linked to genes required for pheromone production and response to form one large mating-type region (MAT locus) with two allelic specificities. In a separate study, we have discovered that defects in adenylate cyclase result in constitutive filamentous growth and greatly reduce the virulence of U. maydis on corn seedlings. Mutations have been identified that suppress the adenylate cyclase defect and restore budding growth. Sequence analysis revealed that one of the suppressor mutations is in the gene encoding the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Mutants altered in PKA activity have the interesting phenotype of multiple budding and frequent mislocalization of the bud site. Key words: smut, dimorphism, b locus, sex.

Cyclic AMP-dependent, constitutive thermotolerance in the adenylate cyclase-deficient cr-1 (crisp) mutant of Neurospora crassa

We investigated the heat shock response of the adenylate cyclase deficient mutant cr-1 (crisp) of Neurospora crassa. This strain was observed to be much more resistant to a lethal temperature of 50 degrees C than the wild type. This constitutive thermotolerance was absent in cr-1 conidiospores raised on cyclic AMP (cAMP, 2.5 mM) supplemented solid medium, but was partially restored when the conidiospores were germinated at 30 degrees C, a temperature which fails to induce thermotolerance in the wild-type strain. Two other crisp-like Neurospora mutants, cr-2 and cr-3 which, in contrast to cr-1, contain normal levels of cAMP, did not exhibit the thermotolerance phenomenon observed for cr-1. A cr-1, pe, fl (crisp-microconidial) strain also lacked the ability to tolerate a lethal heat treatment. Our results demonstrate that the adenylate cyclase deficient cr-1 mutant of Neurospora crassa expresses a constitutive thermotolerant phenotype as a consequence of its primary genetic defect: low levels of cAMP.

Control of nucleotide and erythroascorbic acid pools by cyclic AMP in Neurospora crassa

UDPglucuronic acid and erythroascorbic acid were identified in extracts of the fungus Neurospora crassa. The concentrations of these two compounds are estimated, in growing wild type N. crassa, to be about 0.10 and 0.28 mumol/ml of cell water, respectively. The pools of these two compounds are regulated by cyclic AMP in Neurospora, both being elevated in the cr-1, adenylate cyclase deficient mutant and both being lowered by exogenous cyclic AMP. The pools of these two compounds are also elevated on nitrogen deprivation. The pools of a large number of other nucleotides are not influenced by cyclic AMP. Possible relationships between the metabolism of UDPglucuronic acid and erythroascorbic acid are discussed. It was found that exogenous cyclic AMP was much more effective in influencing cultures grown at 30-37 degrees C than those grown at 25 degrees C. We suggest that higher temperatures may render Neurospora more permeable to a variety of different compounds.

Is there a general paradigm of cyclic AMP action in eukaryotes?

The cyclic AMP control system in eukaryotes has been highly conserved evolutionarily in four of its central properties. Such conservation suggests conservation of the regulatory function of cyclic AMP. Conservation is seen in the properties of adenylate cyclase, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and, among diverse lower eukaryotes, the control of endogenous cyclic AMP levels. A conserved regulatory response to cyclic AMP is the stimulation of glycolysis and inhibition of gluconeogenesis. The control of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis is proposed to be evidence of general pattern of cyclic AMP action in many lower and higher eukaryotic cells.

Calcium as a branching signal in Neurospora crassa

The divalent cation ionophore A23187 was found to induce apical branching in Neurospora crassa. Optimal effects were obtained by treatment with 0.1 mM ionophore for 30 min. Branching first became manifest during or shortly after treatment; successive rounds of branching could be observed at later times. Calcium starvation of the mycelium markedly reduced its subsequent response to the ionophore, whereas starvation for other divalent cations had no detectable effect. The branching response was markedly reduced in the presence of 10 to 30 mM cyclic AMP or derivatives thereof.