Refining the pH response in Aspergillus nidulans: a modulatory triad involving PacX, a novel zinc binuclear cluster protein
File(s)MMI-2015-15295 R1 and Supplementary.pdf (3.56 MB) mmi13173.pdf (23.64 MB)
Accepted version
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The Aspergillus nidulans PacC transcription factor mediates gene regulation in response to alkaline ambient pH which, signalled by the Pal pathway, results in the processing of PacC⁷² to PacC²⁷ via PacC⁵³. Here we investigate two levels at which the pH regulatory system is transcriptionally moderated by pH and identify and characterise a new component of the pH regulatory machinery, PacX. Transcript level analysis and overexpression studies demonstrate that repression of acid-expressed palF, specifying the Pal pathway arrestin, probably by PacC²⁷ and/or PacC⁵³, prevents an escalating alkaline pH response. Transcript analyses using a reporter and constitutively expressed pacC trans-alleles show that pacC preferential alkaline-expression results from derepression by depletion of the acid-prevalent PacC⁷² form. We additionally show that pacC repression requires PacX. pacX mutations suppress PacC processing recalcitrant mutations, in part, through derepressed PacC levels resulting in traces of PacC²⁷ formed by pH-independent proteolysis. pacX was cloned by impala transposon mutagenesis. PacX, with homologues within the Leotiomyceta, has an unusual structure with an amino-terminal coiled-coil and a carboxy-terminal zinc binuclear cluster. pacX mutations indicate the importance of these regions. One mutation, an unprecedented finding in A. nidulans genetics, resulted from an insertion of an endogenous Fot1-like transposon.
Date Issued
2015-10-16
Date Acceptance
2015-08-21
Citation
Molecular Microbiology, 2015, 98 (6), pp.1051-1072
ISSN
1365-2958
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1051
End Page
1072
Journal / Book Title
Molecular Microbiology
Volume
98
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2015 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
Grant Number
067878/Z/02/Z
084660/Z/08/Z
Subjects
Microbiology
06 Biological Sciences
11 Medical And Health Sciences
07 Agricultural And Veterinary Sciences
Publication Status
Published