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Mol Microbiol

Title:		"A pheromone receptor gene, pre-1, is essential for mating type-specific directional growth and fusion of trichogynes and female fertility in Neurospora crassa"
Author(s):		Kim H; Borkovich KA;
Address:		"Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, 2338 Webber Hall, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA"
Journal Title:		Mol Microbiol
Year:		2004
Volume:		52
Issue:		6
Page Number:		1781 - 1798
DOI:		10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04096.x
ISSN/ISBN:		0950-382X (Print) 0950-382X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Neurospora crassa is a heterothallic filamentous fungus with two mating types, mat a and mat A. Its mating involves differentiation of female reproductive structures (protoperithecia) and chemotropic growth of female-specific hyphae (trichogynes) towards a cell of the opposite mating type in a pheromone-mediated process. In this study, we characterize the pre-1 gene, encoding a predicted G-protein-coupled receptor with sequence similarity to fungal pheromone receptors. pre-1 is most highly expressed in mat A strains under mating conditions, but low levels can also be detected in mat a strains. Analysis of pre-1 deletion mutants showed that loss of pre-1 does not greatly affect vegetative growth, heterokaryon formation or male fertility in either mating type. Protoperithecia from Deltapre-1 mat A mutants do not undergo fertilization; this defect largely stems from an inability of their trichogynes to recognize and fuse with mat a cells. Previous work has demonstrated that the Galpha subunit, GNA-1, and the Gbeta protein, GNB-1, are essential for female fertility in N. crassa. Trichogynes of Deltagna-1 and Deltagnb-1 mutants displayed severe defects in growth towards and fusion with male cells, similar to that of Deltapre-1 mat A strains. However, the female sterility defect of the Deltapre-1 mat A mutant could not be complemented by constitutive activation of gna-1, suggesting additional layers of regulation. We propose that PRE-1 is a pheromone receptor coupled to GNA-1 that is essential for the mating of mat A strains as females, consistent with a role in launching the pheromone response pathway in N. crassa"
Keywords:		"Fungal Proteins/*genetics/physiology GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/genetics/physiology Gene Deletion Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal Genes, Essential *Genes, Fungal *Genes, Mating Type, Fungal Genetic Complementation Test Mutation Neurospor;"
Notes:		"MedlineKim, Hyojeong Borkovich, Katherine A eng GM48626/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. England 2004/06/10 Mol Microbiol. 2004 Jun; 52(6):1781-98. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04096.x"