Comparative functional genomics of fungal morphogenesis

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This project aims at identifying evolutionary conserved patterns of gene expression during fungal morphogenesis using a systems biology approach. Large scale analyses of genes that are differentially expressed during fruiting body development will be performed for the ascomycetes Neurospora crassa and Pyronema confluens. The expression results will be compared to available data from the ascomycete Fusarium graminearum to identify genes that are differentially expressed during fruiting body development in all three species. The fruiting bodies of the three species are homologous structures; however, N. crassa and F. graminearum (Sordariomycetes) form an advanced type of fruiting body whereas P. confluens is a member of the basal group of Pezizomycetes and forms a simpler fruiting body. Genes that display conserved expression patterns in all three species should define a core group of factors that might be involved in basic pattern formation of the fungal fruiting body. Suitable candidate genes will be analyzed further using N. crassa knockout mutants to identify novel developmental genes.