U.S.-Mexico Cooperative Research: Regulation of Fungal Dimorphism by pH and cAMP; Two Pathways or One

这个美洲项目奖将支持斯科特·e·戈尔德博士，佐治亚大学和斯科特·e·戈尔德博士之间的合作研究项目。何塞·鲁伊斯·埃雷拉和阿尔弗雷多·马丁内斯·埃斯皮诺萨，西班牙研究中心，（CINVESTAV）， Irapuato，墨西哥。该项目的目的是阐明控制玉米黑穗病病原菌黑穗病菌（Ustilago maydis）二态性的潜在机制。这些真菌以两种形态生长，作为芽殖酵母形式或长管状细胞或长丝。酵母细胞不会攻击植物，但菌丝可以。这种真菌二态性已知受遗传程序和环境条件的影响。这两组研究人员各自发现了控制真菌在两种形式之间交替能力的基因突变，并且都观察到相似的表型结果。他们这次合作的总体目标是确定两种形态形成触发器之间的相互作用。为了实现这一目标，他们设计了一个实验程序来研究两种信号响应途径之间的关系，特别是确定环境如何调节二态性。形态发生转换的课题在植物病理学和整个生物学中都具有基础和应用意义。研究结果可为制定有效的植物真菌病害防治策略提供指导。＊＊＊

9802638 Gold This Americas Program award will support a cooperative research project between Dr. Scott E. Gold, University of Georgia, and Drs. Jose Ruiz Herrera and Alfredo Martinez Espinoza, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados, (CINVESTAV), Irapuato, Mexico. The objective of the project is to elucidate underlying mechanisms controlling dimorphism in the fungus Ustilago maydis, the causal agent of corn smut disease. These fungi grow in two morphologies, as a budding yeast form or as long tubular cells or filaments. The yeast cells do not attack the plants, but the filaments can. This fungus dimorphism is known to be affected by genetic programming and by environmental conditions. The two groups of researchers have independently discovered mutations in genes that control the ability of the fungus to alternate between the two forms, and both have observed similar phenotypic results. Their overall goal for this collaboration is to determine the interaction between the two morphogenic triggers. To accomplish this, they have designed an experimental program to investigate the relationship between the two signal response pathways and, specifically, to determine how the environment regulates dimorphism. The topic of morphogenic switching has fundamental and applied significance, both within plant pathology and across biology. Results of the proposed research could provide guidance for effective strategies for the control of fungal diseases in plants. ***