新生隐球菌一个新的产孢相关蛋白Srp1的鉴定与功能分析

【目的】研究产孢相关蛋白Srp1在新生隐球菌有性产孢和致病性中的作用及机理。【方法】采用基因枪转化技术构建新生隐球菌SRP1基因缺失突变体及其互补菌株,并通过小鼠致病性实验和菌株交配实验检测Srp1在新生隐球菌有性产孢和致病性中的作用。【结果】与野生型菌株相比,srp1Δ突变体小鼠致病性无差异;srp1Δ突变体能够交配并形成双核菌丝,但丧失产生担孢子的能力;初步机理分析表明srp1Δ突变体交配后其减数分裂过程被阻断,从而导致srp1Δ突变体不能产生担孢子。【结论】产孢相关蛋白Srp1不影响新生隐球菌的致病性,但可通过调控减数分裂过程影响新生隐球菌的有性生殖。     

新型隐球菌临床菌株中CNAG_01032基因的鉴定和功能研究

新型隐球菌是一种具有荚膜的重要临床致病真菌。本课题组在前期工作中发现CNAG_01032基因可能引起不同来源菌株的表型差异,本研究在此基础上以新型隐球菌临床来源菌株IFM56800（C1）、IFM56769（C2）为背景构建CNAG_01032基因敲除突变体,并检测突变株和野生型菌株经典毒力因子变化情况;使用API 20C AUX测试系统测试突变株和野生型菌株对19种糖的利用情况;使用尾静脉注射法感染BALB/c雌性小鼠进行致病性检测。结果显示：成功构建以临床株C1、C2为背景的CNAG-01032基因敲除突变株;突变株在37℃生长、黑色素产生与野生型菌株无显著差异,但荚膜厚度分别比C1、C2减少16.4%、18.2%;两基因敲除菌株均不能分解利用纤维二糖;致病性与野生型菌株无显著差异。新型隐球菌CNAG_01032基因可能参与临床来源菌株IFM56800、IFM56769的荚膜合成和纤维二糖的代谢。     

大丽轮枝菌 VdCPMO基因克隆与功能分析

大丽轮枝菌 Verticillium dahliae是一种典型的土传病原真菌,可侵染400多种植物引致黄萎病,造成巨大的经济损失。微菌核是大丽轮枝菌的特殊休眠结构,能够在土壤中存活14年之久,是病害的主要初侵染来源。本研究在前期微菌核萌发表达谱的基础上,选择上调倍数最高的环戊酮1,2-单加氧酶基因（ VDAG_03943）,进行克隆与功能分析。结果表明,该基因全长1 929bp,cDNA序列全长1 668bp,编码555个氨基酸组成的蛋白,命名为 VdCPMO。与野生型菌株JY相比,敲除突变体菌株的菌落生长减慢,微菌核萌发率显著降低,芽管平均长度明显较短,而互补突变体菌株与野生型菌株JY间无显著性差异。致病力测定结果显示,敲除突变体菌株的微菌核丧失了对棉花的致病力。     

液泡分选蛋白CfVps17参与调控果生刺盘孢的生长发育和致病力

果生刺盘孢是油茶炭疽病的主要流行致病菌。本文研究果生刺盘孢中液泡分选蛋白CfVps17的生物学功能,为阐明该蛋白调控致病分子机制提供依据。采用over-lap方法构建CfVPS17基因敲除载体片段,使用PEG介导法将敲除载体片段转化至果生刺盘孢原生质体中,通过验证筛选获得突变体菌株ΔCfvps17。构建目的基因CfVPS17回补载体pYF11::CfVPS17,经转化获得ΔCfvps17-C回补菌株。测定野生型、突变体ΔCfvps17及回补菌株ΔCfvps17-C的生物学表型,结果表明,与野生型和回补菌株相比,突变体ΔCfvps17菌丝生长速率、产孢量和附着胞形成率显著降低,突变体菌丝中糖原积累减少,对氯化钠和刚果红胁迫耐受性增强;致病力测定结果表明,突变体ΔCfvps17丧失了对油茶叶片的致病力。液泡分选蛋白CfVps17参与调控果生刺盘孢糖原积累、生长发育、外界胁迫应答和致病力。     

桦纤孔菌有性生殖相关特征及交配型位点分析

对桦纤孔菌菌株MDJCBS88的显微形态、菌丝及担孢子核相进行了观察。采用棉籽壳培养基对担孢子萌发形成的菌株进行栽培试验,筛选出不形成子实体或子实体发育不完整的菌株,将这些菌株在平板上进行了亲和试验,分析桦纤孔菌的有性生殖方式;并基于基因组序列进行交配型基因克隆验证,分析桦纤孔菌的交配型位点结构。显微观察发现,桦纤孔菌菌丝没有锁状联合结构,菌丝细胞无核到多核;子实层担孢子可含0-4个不等的细胞核,不同时期弹射的担孢子含有的细胞核数量不同。桦纤孔菌担孢子萌发率极低,能萌发的担孢子多为早期弹射的担孢子;培养基也影响担孢子的萌发率,与PDA培养基和CYM培养基相比,桦木屑培养基最适合桦纤孔菌担孢子萌发,萌发率为4.55%。从担孢子萌发的96个菌株中获得了2个不结实菌株和9个结实不产孢菌株,占11.5%,这些菌株间亲和试验出现不同的表现特征,包括形成产孢子实体,产生菌丝纽结,相互融合和相互拮抗等现象,认为桦纤孔菌的有性生殖以次级同宗结合为主,并受交配型基因控制。交配型位点克隆测序后分析发现,桦纤孔菌交配型A位点共14 034 bp,含有一个MIP基因和两组HD1和HD2基因;交配型B位点包含3个疑似信息素受体基因和1个信息素前体编码基因。     

罗伯茨绿僵菌中嘧啶前体合成酶基因MrThi12的功能研究

通过同源基因比对,在罗伯茨绿僵菌中找到了单拷贝的嘧啶前体合成酶基因MAA_02402,命名为MrThi12。该基因MrThi12全长1 234bp,cDNA序列全长1 029bp,编码342个氨基酸。构建同源重组载体,利用农杆菌介导的方法进行基因敲除。突变菌株在维生素B1缺乏的培养基上,生长很慢,菌丝形态异常,多分叉,完全不能产生气生菌丝和分生孢子。但是一旦有外源维生素B1时,生长状态能完全恢复,对家蚕的致死能力没有变化。     

尖孢镰刀菌亚麻专化型Folprp4基因参与调控菌丝生长和分生孢子发生

目的: 通过对尖孢镰刀菌中Folprp4基因的鉴定,揭示其在尖孢镰刀菌中的功能及致病相关性。方法: 基于同源重组原理,根据测定出的Folprp4基因序列,应用Split-Marker重组技术构建含有潮霉素抗性基因(hph)的基因缺失盒。将基因缺失盒经PEG介导转化到野生型原生质体中,在含有潮霉素B的TCC培养基上筛选转化子,通过PCR正负筛查获得Folprp4基因缺失突变株(ΔFolprp4)。构建含有Folprp4基因的载体pZDH1,并将其转化到敲除突变体中进行互补测验。结果: 与野生型(hm)和异位插入突变体(ecFolprp4)相比,敲除突变体菌丝生长受到严重阻碍,当野生型和异位插入突变体长满整个平板时,敲除突变体菌落呈小点状。敲除突变体的另一个显著变化是ΔFolprp4的分生孢子产量显著下降。侵染实验表明,ΔFolprp4对亚麻幼苗的毒力显著降低。互补实验表明,该互补载体的回复子(Folprp4-C)在菌落形态、生长速率、分生孢子产量和毒力方面均恢复到了野生型菌株。结论: Folprp4基因与尖孢镰刀菌的菌丝生长、分生孢子发生和致病性有关。     

苜蓿中华根瘤菌氮代谢调控相关非编码RNA的研究

为了探究非编码RNA（non-coding RNA,ncRNA）在氮代谢调控过程的作用,以苜蓿中华根瘤菌（Sinorhizobium meliloti）为出发菌株,鉴定并获得了与ntrC基因表达相关的ncRNA,利用lncPRO软件分析苜蓿中华根瘤菌中ncRNA与调控蛋白NtrC相互作用的可能性,最终确定了评分较高的4个基因,即SM2011_c06191、SM2011_c06248、SM2011_c07102和SM2011_c07132,并对其中得分最高的SM2011_c06248基因进行研究。利用Northern blot验证ncRNA的表达,发现富氮处理后其表达水平呈先升高后降低的趋势。实验构建了SM2011_c06248基因敲除菌株,通过qRT-PCR发现SM2011_c06248在自然生长条件下表达无明显规律,富氮处理后,野生型菌株ncRNA表达水平呈先降低后升高再降低的趋势,与自然生长相比,ncRNA在20 min后表达水平明显上调;野生型菌株ntrC、nar基因表达水平呈先降低后升高再降低的趋势;与野生型相比,SM2011_c06248基因敲除菌株SM∷248中ntrC、nar基因表达水平明显下调。实验中构建SM2011_c06248、NtrC双突变菌株SM∷248-NtrC和SM2011_c06248过表达菌株SM:dld-248,qRT-PCR分析表明,与野生型相比,富氮处理后,SM∷248-NtrC菌株nar基因表达量无明显变化,SM:dld-248菌株ntrC、nar基因表达水平显著上调。ncRNA SM2011_c06248可响应环境中氮元素信号变化,对ntrC、nar基因的表达有正调控作用,且ntrC对nar有上位基因效应。     

Cmku70基因敲除对蛹虫草生长发育的影响

ku70和ku80是非同源末端连接修复通路的关键基因,在一些丝状真菌中其基因敲除株可作为底盘菌株,提高同源重组效率和基因敲除效率。本研究从蛹虫草基因组中鉴定得到Cmku70及Cmku80基因,分别编码分子量为71.50kDa和80.96kDa的蛋白,均含有Ku core结构域,预测均定位于细胞核。系统进化分析表明Ku70和Ku80蛋白在真菌中广泛存在,且具有保守性。通过农杆菌介导的同源重组法敲除Cmku70,发现不影响蛹虫草菌丝生长、见光转色、分生孢子形成及形态等无性生长过程,但敲除后不能形成子实体,因此Cmku70敲除株不宜用作蛹虫草生长发育相关基因高效敲除的底盘菌株。     

Determinants of Rbp1p localization in specific cytoplasmic mRNA-processing foci, P-bodies

Rbp1p, a yeast RNA-binding protein, decreases the level of mitochondrial porin mRNA by enhancing its degradation, but the intracellular location of the Rbp1p-mediated degradation complex remains unknown. We show here that Rbp1p in xrn1Delta mutant yeast localizes in specific cytoplasmic foci that are known as P-bodies. The N-terminal and RNA recognition motif (RRM) 1 domains of Rbp1p are necessary but not sufficient for its localization in P bodies. Rbp1p forms oligomers through its C-terminal domain in vivo; N-terminal-delete, or RRM1-mutated Rbp1p can be more efficiently recruited to P-bodies in an xrn1Delta strain, expressing a full-length Rbp1p. Although POR1 mRNA is localized to P bodies in an xrn1Delta strain, this localization does not depend on Rbp1p. Decapping activator Dhh1p directly interacts with Rbp1p. However, the recruitment of Rbp1p to P-bodies does not require Dhh1p or Ccr4p. In wild-type cells, Rbp1p can localize to P-bodies under glucose deprivation or treatment with KCl. In addition, Rbp1p-mediated porin mRNA decay is elicited by Xrn1p, a 5 ' to 3 ' exonuclease. These results provide new insight into the mechanism of Rbp1p function.     

The F-Box protein Fbp1 regulates sexual reproduction and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningitis in immunocomprised populations. Although extensive studies have been conducted on signal transduction pathways important for fungal sexual reproduction and virulence, how fungal virulence is regulated during infection is still not understood. In this study, we identified the F-box protein Fbp1, which contains a putative F-box domain and 12 leucine-rich repeats (LRR). Although fbp1 mutants showed normal growth and produced normal major virulence factors, such as melanin and capsule, Fbp1 was found to be essential for fungal virulence, as fbp1 mutants were avirulent in a murine systemic-infection model. Fbp1 is also important for fungal sexual reproduction. Basidiospore production was blocked in bilateral mating between fbp1 mutants, even though normal dikaryotic hyphae were observed during mating. In vitro assays of stress responses revealed that fbp1 mutants are hypersensitive to SDS, but not calcofluor white (CFW) or Congo red, indicating that Fbp1 may regulate cell membrane integrity. Fbp1 physically interacts with Skp1 homologues in both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and C. neoformans via its F-box domain, suggesting it may function as part of an SCF (Skp1, Cullins, F-box proteins) E3 ligase. Overall, our study revealed that the F-box protein Fbp1 is essential for fungal sporulation and virulence in C. neoformans, which likely represents a conserved novel virulence control mechanism that involves the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase-mediated proteolysis pathway.     

Characterization of RNA-binding properties of three types of RNA-binding proteins in Anabaena sp. PPC 7120.

The Rbp proteins in cyanobacteria are RNA-binding proteins with a single RNA recognition motif or RRM. A comprehensive assembly of genomic data suggests that there are two major classes of Rbp proteins (classes I and II) that diverged before the diversification of cyanobacteria. Class I proteins are further classified into two types with or without a C-terminal glycine-rich domain. The results of selection from a random RNA pool suggest that RbpA1 (class I) has affinity to C-rich and G-rich sequences. In vitro RNA binding assay with homopolymers indicated that class II protein has low affinity to poly(G) in contrast with class I proteins. Site-specific mutagenesis analysis of the RRM in RbpA1 showed that the aromatic residues Tyr4 or Phe46 are important in RNA binding as well as maintenance of secondary structure. We also tested various truncated proteins lacking the C-terminal domain as well as point mutants. Most of these proteins exhibited decreased affinity to RNA. Circular dichroism analysis as well as chromatographic analysis showed that Tyr4 and Phe46 are also important in maintaining the structure of RbpA1 protein. The C-terminal glycine-rich domain itself does not contribute much to the RNA-binding, but Arg83 which is located close to the C-terminal end of RRM is important in the RNA-binding.     

Autophagy contributes to regulation of nuclear dynamics during vegetative growth and hyphal fusion in Fusarium oxysporum

In the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, vegetative hyphal fusion triggers nuclear mitotic division in the invading hypha followed by migration of a nucleus into the receptor hypha and degradation of the resident nucleus. Here we examined the role of autophagy in fusion-induced nuclear degradation. A search of the F. oxysporum genome database for autophagy pathway components identified putative orthologs of 16 core autophagy-related (ATG) genes in yeast, including the ubiquitin-like protein Atg8, which is required for the formation of autophagosomal membranes. F. oxysporum Foatg8Δ mutants were generated in a strain harboring H1-cherry fluorescent protein (ChFP)-labeled nuclei to facilitate analysis of nuclear dynamics. The Foatg8Δ mutants did not show MDC-positive staining in contrast to the wild type and the FoATG8-complemented (cFoATG8) strain, suggesting that FoAtg8 is required for autophagy in F. oxysporum. The Foatg8Δ strains displayed reduced rates of hyphal growth, conidiation, and fusion, and were significantly attenuated in virulence on tomato plants and in the nonvertebrate animal host Galleria mellonella. In contrast to wild-type hyphae, which are almost exclusively composed of uninucleated hyphal compartments, the hyphae of the Foatg8Δ mutants contained a significant fraction of hyphal compartments with 2 or more nuclei. The increase in the number of nuclei per hyphal compartment was particularly evident after hyphal fusion events. Time-lapse microscopy analyses revealed abnormal mitotic patterns during vegetative growth in the Foatg8Δ mutants. Our results suggest that autophagy mediates nuclear degradation after hyphal fusion and has a general function in the control of nuclear distribution in F. oxysporum.     

The RNA helicase Dhh1p cooperates with Rbp1p to promote porin mRNA decay via its non-conserved C-terminal domain

The yeast RNA helicase Dhh1p has been shown to associate with components of mRNA decay and is involved in mRNA decapping and degradation. An RNA-binding protein, Rbp1p, is known to bind to the 3'-UTR of porin (POR1) mRNA, and induces mRNA decay by an uncharacterized mechanism. Here, we show that Dhh1p can associate with POR1 mRNA and specifically promote POR1 mRNA decay via its interaction with Rbp1p. As compared to its mammalian homolog RCK/p54/DDX6, Dhh1p has a unique and long extension at its C-terminus. Interestingly, this non-conserved C-terminal region of Dhh1p is required for interaction with Rbp1p and modulating Rbp1p-mediated POR1 mRNA decay. Notably, expression of a C-terminal 81-residue deleted Dhh1p can fully complement the growth defect of a dhh1Δ strain and retains its function in regulating the mRNA level of an RNA-binding protein Edc1p. Moreover, mammalian DDX6 became capable of interacting with Rbp1p and could confer Rbp1p-mediated POR1 mRNA decay in the dhh1Δ strain upon fusion to the C-terminal unique region of Dhh1p. Thus, we propose that the non-conserved C-terminus of Dhh1p plays a role in defining specific interactions with mRNA regulatory factors that promote distinct mRNA decay.     

Roles of Cch1 and Mid1 in Morphogenesis, Oxidative Stress Response and Virulence in Candida albicans

Ca²⁺ channel Cch1, and its subunit Mid1, has been suggested as the protein complex responsible for mediating Ca²⁺ influx, which is often employed by fungal cells to maintain cell survival. The abilities of morphological switch and response to stress conditions are closely related to pathogenicity in Candida albicans. Cch1 and Mid1 activity are required for virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Claviceps purpurea, respectively. To investigate whether Cch1 and Mid1 also play a role in the virulence of C. albicans, we constructed cch1Δ/Δ and mid1Δ/Δ mutant strains for functional analysis of CCH1 and MID1. Although both of the mutants displayed the ability of yeast-to-hypha transition, they were defective in hyphae maintenance and invasive growth. Interestingly, deletion of CCH1 or MID1 in C. albicans led to an obvious defect phenotype in oxidative stress response. Moreover, the virulence of the mutants was reduced in a mouse model. Our results demonstrated that Cch1 and Mid1 activity are related to the virulence of C. albicans and may provide a new antifungal target.     

N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) induction of hyphal morphogenesis and transcriptional responses in Candida albicans are not dependent on its metabolism

N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) stimulates important signaling pathways in a wide range of organisms. In the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, GlcNAc stimulates hyphal cell morphogenesis, virulence genes, and the genes needed to catabolize GlcNAc. Previous studies on the GlcNAc transporter (NGT1) indicated that GlcNAc has to be internalized to induce signaling. Therefore, the role of GlcNAc catabolism was examined by deleting the genes required to phosphorylate, deacetylate, and deaminate GlcNAc to convert it to fructose-6-PO(4) (HXK1, NAG1, and DAC1). As expected, the mutants failed to utilize GlcNAc. Surprisingly, GlcNAc inhibited the growth of the nag1Δ and dac1Δ mutants in the presence of other sugars, suggesting that excess GlcNAc-6-PO(4) is deleterious. Interestingly, both hxk1Δ and an hxk1Δ nag1Δ dac1Δ triple mutant could be efficiently stimulated by GlcNAc to form hyphae. These mutants could also be stimulated to express GlcNAc-regulated genes. Because GlcNAc must be phosphorylated by Hxk1 to be catabolized, and also for it to enter the anabolic pathways that form chitin, N-linked glycosylation, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors, the mutant phenotypes indicate that GlcNAc metabolism is not needed to induce signaling in C. albicans. Thus, these studies in C. albicans reveal a novel role for GlcNAc in cell signaling that may also regulate critical pathways in other organisms.