Fungal Morphogenesis and Growth Polarity

本研究计划的长期目标是了解丝状真菌神经孢子菌（Neurospora crassa）在侧枝形成过程中导致极性生长的建立和维持以及新尖端位置的调控的时空信号。作为研究丝状真菌细胞发育的基础，我们分离了大量（100个互补群）温度敏感突变体，这些突变体在生长极性的维持和调节方面存在缺陷。正常生长所需的基因克隆和测序将提供一个分子起点，对理解这一令人着迷的现象至关重要。下一步将是鉴定蛋白质的功能特征，以获得细胞形态发生机制的分子描述。深入了解真菌形态发生将对理解控制高等真核细胞生长的机制产生重要影响，因为可以预期高度的进化守恒。此外，这些信息将有助于我们了解真菌发病机制和蛋白质的工业生产。

The long term goal of this research proposal is to understand the spacial and temporal signals in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa that lead to the establishment and maintenance of polar growth and regulation of the position of new tips during the formation of side branches. As a basis to study cellular development in a filamentous fungus we have isolated a large collection ( 100 complementation groups) of temperaturesensitive mutants defective in the maintenance and regulation of growth polarity. Cloning and sequencing genes required for normal growth will provide a molecular starting point and will be essential for the understanding of this fascinating phenomenon. The next step will be the characterisation of the functions of the identified proteins to obtain a molecular description of the mechanisms involved in cell morphogenesis. Gaining insight into fungal morphogenesis will have important consequences for understanding the mechanisms controlling the growth of higher eukaryotic cells as a high degree of evolutionary conservation can be anticipated. Furthermore, this information will help us to understand the mechanisms contributing to fungal pathogenesis and the industrial production of proteins.