The fle1 gene encoding a C2H2 zinc finger protein co-ordinates male and female sexual differentiation in Podospora anserina

Molecular Microbiology
Evelyne Coppin

Abstract

The flexuosa (fle1-1) mutant, isolated in Podospora anserina, displays vegetative defects and two antagonistic sexual phenotypes: it produces several 1000-fold fewer microconidia (male gametes) than the wild-type strain and, conversely, more abundant protoperithecia (female organs). Cloning and sequencing of the fle1 gene and of cDNA identified an open reading frame encoding a 382-amino-acid polypeptide with two C2H2 zinc finger motifs. The predicted FLE1 protein shares 46% identity with the FlbC protein of Aspergillus nidulans and 68% identity with a putative protein identified by a search in the Neurospora crassa database. The nuclear localization of FLE1 was demonstrated by fusion with the green fluorescent protein. Sequencing of the fle1-1 mutant allele revealed a frameshift mutation upstream of the zinc finger domain. The fle1-1 mutant was a null mutant, as targeted disruption of fle1 sequence led to the same pleiotropic phenotype. When fle1 was overexpressed by introduction of a transgenic copy of the native fle1 gene or a fusion with a strong promoter, formation of protoperithecia was impaired, leading to partial or complete female sterility. We propose that fle1 acts as a repressor of female sexual differentiation in or...Continue Reading

References

May 1, 1992·Molecular & General Genetics : MGG·R Debuchy, E Coppin
Dec 1, 1991·Trends in Biochemical Sciences·C Dingwall, R A Laskey
Sep 1, 1985·Molecular and Cellular Biology·R A Akins, A M Lambowitz
Jun 5, 1983·Journal of Molecular Biology·D Hanahan
Jun 1, 1993·BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology·M L Springer
Mar 14, 1998·Molecular Biology of the Cell·Q WuJ R Aist
Apr 8, 1998·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR·T H AdamsJ H Yu

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 20, 2011·Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP·Rodrigo Duarte GonçalvesMaria Célia Bertolini
Jun 23, 2012·Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B·Frédérique BidardPhilippe Silar
Nov 21, 2012·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·B P S Nieuwenhuis, D K Aanen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Bacterial Respiration

This feed focuses on cellular respiration in bacteria, known as bacterial respiration. Discover the latest research here.