Sex-specific homeodomain proteins Sxi1α and Sxi2a coordinately regulate sexual development in Cryptococcus neoformans
Sex-specific homeodomain proteins Sxi1α and Sxi2a coordinately regulate sexual development in Cryptococcus neoformans
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DOI：
10.1128/ec.4.3.526-535.2005
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发表时间：
2005-03-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Heitman, J
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hull, CM;Boily, MJ;Heitman, J
同源结构域蛋白是真核生物发育的重要调控因子。在真菌中，同源结构域蛋白已被证明控制细胞身份和性发育。新型隐球菌是一种人类真菌病原体，具有明确的性周期，产生孢子，疑似感染性颗粒。以前，只有一个单一的同源结构域调控蛋白参与性发育，Sxi 1 α，已被确定。在这里，我们提出了Sxi2a的发现，预测，但迄今难以捉摸的细胞类型特异性同源结构域蛋白质的性发育的调控至关重要。我们的研究表明，Sxi2a是正常性发育所必需的，并且足以在其他单倍体a细胞中驱动这种发育。我们进一步表明，Sxi1 α和Sxi2a相互作用，并赋予两个关键交配基因相似的表达模式。Sxi2a的发现及其与Sxi1 alpha的关系为新型隐球菌性周期的控制提供了一个新的模型，并对毒力产生了影响。
Homeodomain proteins are central regulators of development in eukaryotes. In fungi, homeodomain proteins have been shown to control cell identity and sexual development. Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen with a defined sexual cycle that produces spores, the suspected infectious particles. Previously, only a single homeodomain regulatory protein involved in sexual development, Sxi1 alpha, had been identified. Here we present the discovery of Sxi2a, a predicted but heretofore elusive cell-type-specific homeodomain protein essential for the regulation of sexual development. Our studies reveal that Sxi2a is necessary for proper sexual development and sufficient to drive this development in otherwise haploid a cells. We further show that Sxi1 alpha and Sxi2a interact with one another and impart similar expression patterns for two key mating genes. The discovery of Sxi2a and its relationship with Sxi1 alpha leads to a new model for how the sexual cycle is controlled in C neoformans, with implications for virulence.