Project description:Fungi exhibit a large variety of morphological forms. Here, we examine the functions of a deeply conserved regulator of morphology in three fungal species: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Histoplasma capsulatum. We show that, despite an estimated 600 million years since those species diverged from a common ancestor, Wor1 in C. albicans, Ryp1 in H. capsulatum, and Mit1 in S. cerevisiae are transcriptional regulators that recognize the same DNA sequence. Previous work established that Wor1 regulates white-opaque switching in C. albicans and that its ortholog Ryp1 regulates the yeast to mycelial transition in H. capsulatum. Here we show that the ortholog Mit1 in S. cerevisiae is also a master regulator of a morphological transition, in this case pseudohyphal growth. Full-genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Mit1 binds to the control regions of the previously known regulators of pseudohyphal growth as well as those of many additional genes. Through a comparison of binding sites for Mit1 in S. cerevisiae, Wor1 in C. albicans, and Wor1 ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae, we conclude that the genes controlled by the orthologous regulators overlap only slightly between these two species despite the fact that the DNA binding specificity of the regulators has remained largely unchanged. We suggest that the ancestral Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 protein controlled aspects of cell morphology and that movement of genes in and out of the Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 regulon is responsible, in part, for the differences of morphological forms among these species.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE32550: A conserved transcriptional regulator governs fungal morphology in widely diverged species [expression data] GSE32557: A conserved transcriptional regulator governs fungal morphology in widely diverged species [ChIP-chip, Transcriptional regulation by Mit1 and orthologs] Refer to individual Series
Project description:In this paper, we examine orthologs of a transcriptional regulator in three fungal species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Histoplasma capsulatum. We show that, despite an estimated 600 million years since those species diverged from a common ancestor, Wor1 in C. albicans, Ryp1 in H. capsulatum, and Mit1 in S. cerevisiae recognize the same DNA motif. Previous work established that Wor1 regulates white-opaque switching in C. albicans and that its ortholog Ryp1 regulates the yeast to mycelial transition in H. capsulatum. Here we show that the ortholog Mit1 in S. cerevisiae also regulates a morphological transition, in this case pseudohyphal growth. Full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Mit1 binds to the control regions of approximately 94 genes including the previously known regulators of pseudohyphal growth. Through a comparison of full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments for Mit1 in S. cerevisiae, Wor1 in C. albicans, and Wor1 ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae, we conclude that genes controlled by the orthologous regulators overlap only slightly between these two species. We suggest that the ancestral Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 protein controlled aspects of cell morphology and that evolutionary movement of genes in and out of the Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 regulon is responsible, in part, for the differences of morphological forms among these species. Consistent with this idea, ectopic expression of C. albicans Wor1 or H. capsulatum Ryp1 can drive the pseudohyphal growth program in S. cerevisiae. Replicate experiments for each of four strains compared with reference sample - WT, a Mit1 deletion haploid A strain, a Yhr177w deletion haploid A strain, and a double deletion haploid A strain. All were in the sigma 2000 background.
Project description:In this paper, we examine orthologs of a transcriptional regulator in three fungal species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Histoplasma capsulatum. We show that, despite an estimated 600 million years since those species diverged from a common ancestor, Wor1 in C. albicans, Ryp1 in H. capsulatum, and Mit1 in S. cerevisiae recognize the same DNA motif. Previous work established that Wor1 regulates white-opaque switching in C. albicans and that its ortholog Ryp1 regulates the yeast to mycelial transition in H. capsulatum. Here we show that the ortholog Mit1 in S. cerevisiae also regulates a morphological transition, in this case pseudohyphal growth. Full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Mit1 binds to the control regions of approximately 94 genes including the previously known regulators of pseudohyphal growth. Through a comparison of full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments for Mit1 in S. cerevisiae, Wor1 in C. albicans, and Wor1 ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae, we conclude that genes controlled by the orthologous regulators overlap only slightly between these two species. We suggest that the ancestral Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 protein controlled aspects of cell morphology and that evolutionary movement of genes in and out of the Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 regulon is responsible, in part, for the differences of morphological forms among these species. Consistent with this idea, ectopic expression of C. albicans Wor1 or H. capsulatum Ryp1 can drive the pseudohyphal growth program in S. cerevisiae.
Project description:In this paper, we examine orthologs of a transcriptional regulator in three fungal species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Histoplasma capsulatum. We show that, despite an estimated 600 million years since those species diverged from a common ancestor, Wor1 in C. albicans, Ryp1 in H. capsulatum, and Mit1 in S. cerevisiae recognize the same DNA motif. Previous work established that Wor1 regulates white-opaque switching in C. albicans and that its ortholog Ryp1 regulates the yeast to mycelial transition in H. capsulatum. Here we show that the ortholog Mit1 in S. cerevisiae also regulates a morphological transition, in this case pseudohyphal growth. Full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Mit1 binds to the control regions of approximately 94 genes including the previously known regulators of pseudohyphal growth. Through a comparison of full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments for Mit1 in S. cerevisiae, Wor1 in C. albicans, and Wor1 ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae, we conclude that genes controlled by the orthologous regulators overlap only slightly between these two species. We suggest that the ancestral Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 protein controlled aspects of cell morphology and that evolutionary movement of genes in and out of the Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 regulon is responsible, in part, for the differences of morphological forms among these species. Consistent with this idea, ectopic expression of C. albicans Wor1 or H. capsulatum Ryp1 can drive the pseudohyphal growth program in S. cerevisiae. IP strains were compared to untagged or deletion control strains
Project description:In this paper, we examine orthologs of a transcriptional regulator in three fungal species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Histoplasma capsulatum. We show that, despite an estimated 600 million years since those species diverged from a common ancestor, Wor1 in C. albicans, Ryp1 in H. capsulatum, and Mit1 in S. cerevisiae recognize the same DNA motif. Previous work established that Wor1 regulates white-opaque switching in C. albicans and that its ortholog Ryp1 regulates the yeast to mycelial transition in H. capsulatum. Here we show that the ortholog Mit1 in S. cerevisiae also regulates a morphological transition, in this case pseudohyphal growth. Full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Mit1 binds to the control regions of approximately 94 genes including the previously known regulators of pseudohyphal growth. Through a comparison of full genome chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments for Mit1 in S. cerevisiae, Wor1 in C. albicans, and Wor1 ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae, we conclude that genes controlled by the orthologous regulators overlap only slightly between these two species. We suggest that the ancestral Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 protein controlled aspects of cell morphology and that evolutionary movement of genes in and out of the Wor1/Mit1/Ryp1 regulon is responsible, in part, for the differences of morphological forms among these species. Consistent with this idea, ectopic expression of C. albicans Wor1 or H. capsulatum Ryp1 can drive the pseudohyphal growth program in S. cerevisiae.
Project description:The STORR gene fusion event is considered essential for the evolution of the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) in opium poppy as the resulting bi-modular protein performs the isomerization of (S)- to (R)-reticuline essential for their biosynthesis. Here, we show that of the 12 Papaver species analysed those containing the STORR gene fusion also contain promorphinans/morphinans with one important exception. P. californicum encodes a functionally conserved STORR but does not produce promorphinans/morphinans. We also show that the gene fusion event occurred only once, between 16.8-24.1 million years ago before the separation of P. californicum from other Clade 2 Papaver species. The most abundant BIA in P. californicum is (R)-glaucine, a member of the aporphine subclass of BIAs, raising the possibility that STORR, once evolved, contributes to the biosynthesis of more than just the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of BIAs in the Papaveraceae.
Project description:Divergence in sperm phenotype and female reproductive environment may be a common source of postmating prezygotic (PMPZ) isolation between species. However, compared to other reproductive barriers it has received much less attention. In this study, we examined sperm morphology and velocity in two hybridizing passerine species, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and thrush nightingale (L. luscinia). In addition, we for the first time characterized a passerine female reproductive tract fluid proteome. We demonstrate that spermatozoa of the common nightingale have significantly longer and wider midpiece (proximal part of the flagellum containing mitochondria) and longer tail compared to spermatozoa of thrush nightingale. On the other hand, they have significantly shorter and narrower acrosome. Importantly, these differences did not have any effect on sperm velocity. Furthermore, the fluid from the reproductive tract of common nightingale females did not differentially affect velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm. Our results indicate that the observed changes in the flagellum and acrosome size are unlikely to contribute to PMPZ isolation through differential sperm velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm in the female reproductive tract. However, they could affect other postcopulatory processes, which might be involved in PMPZ isolation, such as sperm storage, longevity or sperm-egg interaction.