LaeA control of velvet family regulatory proteins for light-dependent development and fungal cell-type specificity

• Published in: PLoS genetics Vol. 6; no. 12; p. e1001226
• Main Authors: Sarikaya Bayram, Ozlem, Bayram, Ozgür, Valerius, Oliver, Park, Hee Soo, Irniger, Stefan, Gerke, Jennifer, Ni, Min, Han, Kap-Hoon, Yu, Jae-Hyuk, Braus, Gerhard H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.12.2010; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aspergillus; Aspergillus nidulans; Aspergillus nidulans - genetics; Aspergillus nidulans - growth & development; Aspergillus nidulans - metabolism; Aspergillus nidulans - radiation effects; Biochemistry; Cell Biology/Cell Signaling; Cell Biology/Gene Expression; Cell Biology/Microbial Growth and Development; Cell Biology/Morphogenesis and Cell Biology; Colleges & universities; Developmental Biology; Experiments; Fungal Proteins - genetics; Fungal Proteins - metabolism; Fungi; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - radiation effects; Genetic aspects; Genetics; Hybridization; Light; Metabolites; Microbial metabolism; Molecular Biology; Multigene Family; Physiological aspects; Protein Binding; Proteins; United States; South Korea; Germany
• ISSN: 1553-7404; 1553-7390; 1553-7404
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001226

VeA is the founding member of the velvet superfamily of fungal regulatory proteins. This protein is involved in light response and coordinates sexual reproduction and secondary metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. In the dark, VeA bridges VelB and LaeA to form the VelB-VeA-LaeA (velvet) complex. The VeA-like protein VelB is another developmental regulator, and LaeA has been known as global regulator of secondary metabolism. In this study, we show that VelB forms a second light-regulated developmental complex together with VosA, another member of the velvet family, which represses asexual development. LaeA plays a key role, not only in secondary metabolism, but also in directing formation of the VelB-VosA and VelB-VeA-LaeA complexes. LaeA controls VeA modification and protein levels and possesses additional developmental functions. The laeA null mutant results in constitutive sexual differentiation, indicating that LaeA plays a pivotal role in inhibiting sexual development in response to light. Moreover, the absence of LaeA results in the formation of significantly smaller fruiting bodies. This is due to the lack of a specific globose cell type (Hülle cells), which nurse the young fruiting body during development. This suggests that LaeA controls Hülle cells. In summary, LaeA plays a dynamic role in fungal morphological and chemical development, and it controls expression, interactions, and modification of the velvet regulators.