Fungal Morphogenesis and Growth Polarity

这项研究计划的长期目标是了解丝状真菌粗毛脉孢菌中导致极地生长的建立和维持以及侧枝形成过程中新尖端位置的调节的空间和时间信号。作为研究丝状真菌细胞发育的基础，我们分离了一大批(100个互补组)温度敏感突变株，这些突变株在维持和调节生长极性方面存在缺陷。克隆和测序正常生长所需的基因将提供一个分子起点，并将对理解这一迷人的现象至关重要。下一步将是对识别出的蛋白质的功能进行表征，以获得涉及细胞形态发生的机制的分子描述。深入了解真菌的形态发生将对理解高等真核细胞生长的控制机制具有重要意义，因为可以预见高度进化保守。此外，这些信息将有助于我们理解真菌致病机制和蛋白质的工业化生产。

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.