MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT IN NEUROSPORA

神经孢子虫性发育的分子分析

• 批准号: 2184779
• 负责人: MARY A NELSON
• 金额: $ 11.38万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1992
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1992-05-01 至 1997-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2184779
• 关键词: DNA footprinting; Neurospora; biochemical evolution; confocal scanning microscopy; fungal genetics; gene expression; gene interaction; gene mutation; genetic mapping; genetic regulatory element; genetic transcription; molecular cloning; northern blottings; nucleic acid sequence; phenotype; protein structure function; sex differentiation; southern blotting

The long term objective of this research is to characterize the sexual development of the filamentous fungi at the molecular level. Although these organisms are of vast economic and social importance, very little is known of their development. The much-studied bread mold Neurospora crassa will be used as the model organism. Neurospora undergoes a complex process of sexual differentiation; a number of the regulatory and target (mating-specific) genes that are involved in this process have already been identified. The structures and functions of these genes will be examined, as will the control of their expression and the interactions between their gene products. The roles of the mating-specific genes in sexual development will be determined using a reverse-genetic approach, and the phenotypes observed when these genes are dysfunctional will be characterized microscopically. The evolutionary conservation of the mating-specific genes will be examined. The factors that cause these genes to be expressed specifically during sexual development will be studied; in preliminary experiments, three control pathways were identified. The interactions between these control pathways will be examined, and a search for other elements involved in the control of gene expression during sexual development will be executed. The structures (nucleotide sequences) of a regular gene (fmf-1) and selected mating-specific target genes will be determined, and the properties of their encoded products examined. An in vitro analysis of the regulatory elements recognized during sexual development will be carried out using mobility shift assays and DNA footprinting experiments; this analysis will serve to identify important control elements and further define the roles played by the regulatory gene products. Finally, the hierarchy of events required for normal sexual development in Neurospora will be examined, by determining the effects of selected processes on the overall sexual developmental pathway. Some filamentous fungi are exploited for the production of useful compounds, but others cause devastating diseases. Basic information about the control of their life processes will allow judicious use of the beneficial fungi, and will also further efforts to control the pathogens.

这项研究的长期目标是描绘性特征 丝状真菌在分子水平上的发育。 虽然 这些生物具有巨大的经济和社会重要性，但很少 他们的发展是众所周知的。 备受研究的面包霉菌脉孢菌 crassa 将被用作模式生物。 脉孢菌经历了 复杂的性别分化过程；一些监管和 参与此过程的目标（交配特异性）基因 已经被识别出来了。 这些基因的结构和功能 将受到检查，其表达的控制和 它们的基因产物之间的相互作用。 交配特异性基因在性发育中的作用将是 使用反向遗传学方法确定，并观察到表型 当这些基因功能失调时，将通过显微镜进行表征。 交配特异性基因的进化保守性将是 检查了。 导致这些基因表达的因素 特别是在性发育过程中将进行研究；在初步的 实验中，确定了三个控制途径。 相互作用 将检查这些控制途径之间的关系，并寻找其他 参与性过程中基因表达控制的元件 将执行开发。 的结构（核苷酸序列） 常规基因（fmf-1）和选定的交配特异性目标基因将被 确定，并检查其编码产品的特性。 一个在 性过程中识别的调节元件的体外分析 开发将使用迁移率变化分析和 DNA 进行 足迹实验；该分析将有助于确定重要的 控制要素并进一步明确监管机构所扮演的角色 基因产物。 最后，正常所需的事件层次结构 脉孢菌的性发育将通过确定 选定过程对整体性发育的影响 途径。 一些丝状真菌被用来生产有用的物质 化合物，但其他化合物会导致毁灭性的疾病。 基本信息 关于控制他们的生命过程将允许明智地使用 有益真菌的同时，还将进一步加大病原菌的控制力度。