POSTERS - BLAST X - University of Utah
POSTERS - BLAST X - University of Utah
POSTERS - BLAST X - University of Utah
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<strong>BLAST</strong> X Poster #78<br />
PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ALL SINGLE MUTANTS OF TWO COMPONENT<br />
SYSTEM PROTEINS IN NEUROSPORA CRASSA<br />
Barba C., Chavez-Canales M., Salas G., Hernandez C., Sanchez O and Georgellis D.<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Molecular Genetics, Instituto de Fisiologia Celular, UNAM<br />
Perception and response to environmental stimuli is essential for the growth and survival<br />
<strong>of</strong> all organisms. The sensing and processing <strong>of</strong> these stimuli are carried out by molecular<br />
circuits within the cell, which detect, amplify and integrate them into a specific response. In<br />
prokaryotes these molecular circuits are typically organized by protein pairs, "sensory kinase"<br />
proteins (SK) and "response regulator" proteins (RR) that belong to the large family <strong>of</strong> two<br />
component systems (TCS). This organization implies that each SK activates its cognate RR,<br />
and thus providing specificity to signal propagation and output. However, an interesting variation<br />
<strong>of</strong> TCS architecture is observed in filamentous fungi where multiple SKs appear to use a single<br />
phosphotransfer protein to relay signals to a few RRs. Therefore, the question <strong>of</strong> whether a<br />
specific signal can generate a specific response, or whether the various signals sensed by<br />
individual SKs result in the same response, is raised. To explore this intriguing question we<br />
used Neurospora crassa, which has eleven SKs, one phosphotransfer protein and three RRs,<br />
as our model. Here, by using single mutants <strong>of</strong> all SKs and RRs, we demonstrate that these<br />
signaling cascades are involved in the regulation <strong>of</strong> various developmental processes, and in<br />
responses to environmental conditions, such as osmotic, oxidative and fungicide stress.<br />
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