Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry
Online ISSN : 1347-6947
Print ISSN : 0916-8451
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Regular Papers
A Protein Kinase C-Encoding Gene, pkcA, Is Essential to the Viability of the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus nidulans
Masayuki ICHINOMIYAHirotaka UCHIDAYukako KOSHIAkinori OHTAHiroyuki HORIUCHI
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2007 Volume 71 Issue 11 Pages 2787-2799

Details
Abstract

A protein kinase C (PKC)-encoding gene (pkcA) was isolated from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Although we attempted to isolate pkcA deletion mutants, we obtained only heterokaryons that had both ΔpkcA and pkcA+ nuclei. Conidia produced by the heterokaryon germinated. The germ tubes, however, lysed frequently and no colony formation was observed, indicating that the pkcA gene is essential to the viability of A. nidulans. We constructed conditional mutants (alcA(p)-pkcA mutants) that expressed pkcA under the control of the alcA promoter (alcA(p)). Under alcA(p)-repressing conditions, their colonies were smaller than those of the wild-type strains and their hyphae lysed frequently. These phenotypes were not remedied under moderate- or high-osmolarity conditions; the growth defect deteriorated further under the latter. Under alcA(p)-inducing conditions, the alcA(p)-pkcA mutants also showed growth-sensitivity to cell wall destabilizing agents. These results indicate that pkcA plays an important role in the maintenance of cell integrity.

Content from these authors

This article cannot obtain the latest cited-by information.

© 2007 by Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry
Previous article Next article
feedback
Top