crispr-cas9-mediated-genome-editing-filamentous-ascomycete-huntiella

CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in the Filamentous Ascomycete <em>Huntiella omanensis</em>

The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system is a molecular tool that can be used to introduce precise changes into the genomes of model and non-model species ...

University of Pretoria

Homothallism (self-fertility) describes a wide variety of sexual strategies that enable a fungus to reproduce in the absence of a mating partner. Unisexual reproduction, a form of homothallism, is a process whereby a fungus can progress through sexual reproduction in the absence of mating genes previously considered essential for self-fertility. In this study, we consider the molecular mechanisms that allow for this unique sexual behaviour in the saprotrophic ascomycete; Huntiella moniliformis. These molecular mechanisms are also compared to the underlying mechanisms that control sex in Huntiella omanensis, a closely related, but self-sterile, species. The main finding was that H. omanensis displayed mating-type dependent expression of the a- and α-pheromones. This was in contrast to H. moniliformis where both pheromones were co-expressed during vegetative growth and sexual development. Furthermore, H. moniliformis also expressed the receptors of both pheromones. Consequently, this fungus is likely able to recognize and respond to the endogenously produced pheromones, allowing for self-fertility in the absence of other key mating genes. Overall, these results are concomitant with those reported for other unisexual species, but represent the first detailed study considering the unisexual behaviour of a filamentous fungus.

Pheromone expression reveals putative mechanism of unisexuality in a saprobic ascomycete fungus.

Sexual reproduction in filamentous ascomycete fungi results in the production of highly specialized sexual tissues, which arise from relatively simple, vegetative mycelia. This conversion takes place after the recognition of and response to a variety of exogenous and endogenous cues, and relies on very strictly regulated gene, protein, and metabolite pathways. This makes studying sexual development in fungi an interesting tool in which to study gene-gene, gene-protein, and protein-metabolite interactions. This review provides an overview of some of the most important genes involved in this process; from those involved in the conversion of mycelia into sexually-competent tissue, to those involved in the development of the ascomata, the asci, and ultimately, the ascospores.

It's All in the Genes: The Regulatory Pathways of Sexual Reproduction in Filamentous Ascomycetes.

Sexual reproduction is a highly conserved feature of the eukaryotes, yet sexual compatibility is determined by a wide variety of mechanisms. In ascomycete fungi, sexual development is controlled by genes at the mating type (MAT) locus that confer either MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 mating identity. Although the locus harbours, at minimum, a single gene, the individual MAT loci of certain species, including Huntiella omanensis, encode for two or more genes. The MAT1-2 idiomorph of H. omanensis is made up of MAT1-2-1, a primary MAT gene that is highly conserved in the Pezizomycotina and possesses a well-characterized DNA binding motif, the HMG-box domain. The idiomorph also harbours a novel secondary MAT gene, named MAT1-2-7, with no recognizable functional domains. In this study, we developed a transformation and CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing protocol to characterize the MAT1-2-7 gene with respect to its function in mating. We have shown that MAT1-2-7 is essential for sexual reproduction and that isolates carrying the truncated MAT1-2-7 gene are incapable of ascomatal maturation and further sexual development. MAT1-2-7 was also shown to influence the vegetative radial growth rate of H. omanensis, illustrating the pleiotropic effects often associated with MAT genes.

Andi M. Wilson

Department of Biochemistry,
Genetics & Microbiology,
Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI),
Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology

University of Pretoria

CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in the Filamentous Ascomycete Huntiella omanensis

Andi M. Wilson

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Biochemistry,Genetics & Microbiology,Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI),Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology

University of Pretoria

CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in the Filamentous Ascomycete Huntiella omanensis

Department of Biochemistry,
Genetics & Microbiology,
Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI),
Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology