A kinase-encoding gene from Colletotrichum trifolii complements a colonial growth mutant of Neurospora crassa

T. L. Buhr*, S. Oved, G. M. Truesdell, C. Huang, O. Yarden, M. B. Dickman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Colletotrichum trifolii is a fungal path which is responsible for anthracnose disease of alfalfa. To initiate research on molecular communication in this fungus, a kinase-encoding gene (TB3) and the corresponding cDNA were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of TB3 closely resembles that of a Neurospora crassa serine/threonine protein kinase, COT1, required for hyphal elongation and branching. The C-terminal catalytic domains of TB3 and COT1 are highly conserved but the N-terminal regions are divergent, particularly in the homopolymeric glutamine repeats of TB3. Northern analysis indicated that TB3 expression was highest 1 h after inducing conidial germination and 1 h before germ tubes were first observed. Expression of TB3 transcripts returned to constitutive levels by 4 h after induction of germination. TB3 complemented the cot-1 mutant of Neurospora crassa, demonstrating the functional conservation of this kinase between a pathogenic and a saprophytic fungus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)565-572
Number of pages8
JournalMolecular and General Genetics
Volume251
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1996

Keywords

  • Fungal pathogen
  • Germination
  • Protein kinase

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