Crosstalk between Ca2+-signaling and the light-sensing pathway during stress responses and hyphal polar growth in Aspergillus nidulans and A. fumigatus

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Reinhard Fischer
• Subject Area: Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 410129668

• Final Report Year: 2023

Final Report Abstract

Fungi use different photoreceptors to sense ambient light conditions. Phytochrome is a prominent photoreceptor in Aspergillus nidulans and in Alternaria alternata. In both fungi, phytochrome is also able to sense temperature changes. In contrast, A. fumigatus contains two phytochromes, but they appeared not to be very important for growth, sporulation or pathogenicity. In this project we characterized the two A. fumigatus phytochromes, FphA and FphB and found that FphA works as light and as temperature sensor. FphB is not photoactive but plays a role in pathogenicity. Interestingly, both phytochromes interact with each other and localize in the nucleus. This raises the question of how phytochromes modulate gene expression. In comparison, A. nidulans FphA localizes in the cytoplasm and uses the HOG pathway to transmit the light signal into the nucleus. FphA has a second function in nuclei and modifies the chromatin structure. It will be the challenge for future research to unravel the signaling cascades and their interplay with other signaling modules in the future.

Publications

• Light sensing and responses in fungi. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 17(1), 25-36.
  Yu, Zhenzhong & Fischer, Reinhard
  
• Aspergillus nidulans als Modellsystem für filamentöse Pilze. Modellorganismen, 93-115. Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
  Fischer, Reinhard
  
• Mitochondrial dysfunctions trigger the calcium signaling-dependent fungal multidrug resistance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(3), 1711-1721.
  Li, Yeqi; Zhang, Yuanwei; Zhang, Chi; Wang, Hongchen; Wei, Xiaolei; Chen, Peiying & Lu, Ling
  
• Two hybrid histidine kinases, TcsB and the phytochrome FphA, are involved in temperature sensing in Aspergillus nidulans. Molecular Microbiology, 112(6), 1814-1830.
  Yu, Zhenzhong; Ali, Arin; Igbalajobi, Olumuyiwa Ayokunle; Streng, Christian; Leister, Kai; Krauß, Norbert; Lamparter, Tilman & Fischer, Reinhard
  
• On the role of the global regulator RlcA in red-light sensing in Aspergillus nidulans. Fungal Biology, 124(5), 447-457.
  Yu, Zhenzhong; Hübner, Jennifer; Herrero, Satur; Gourain, Victor & Fischer, Reinhard
  
• A Transient Receptor Potential-like Calcium Ion Channel in the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Journal of Fungi, 7(11), 920.
  Wang, Hongchen; Chen, Qiuyi; Zhang, Shizhu & Lu, Ling
  
• Calcineurin-mediated intracellular organelle calcium homeostasis is required for the survival of fungal pathogens upon extracellular calcium stimuli. Virulence, 12(1), 1091-1110.
  Zhang, Chi; Ren, Yiran; Gu, Huiyu; Gao, Lu; Zhang, Yuanwei & Lu, Ling
  
• Comprehensive analysis of the regulatory network of blue‐light‐regulated conidiation and hydrophobin production in Trichoderma guizhouense. Environmental Microbiology, 23(10), 6241-6256.
  Li, Yifan; Sun, Tingting; Guo, Degang; Gao, Jia; Zhang, Jian; Cai, Feng; Fischer, Reinhard; Shen, Qirong & Yu, Zhenzhong
  
• Genome-wide analyses of light-regulated genes in Aspergillus nidulans reveal a complex interplay between different photoreceptors and novel photoreceptor functions. PLOS Genetics, 17(10), e1009845.
  Yu, Zhenzhong; Streng, Christian; Seibeld, Ramon F.; Igbalajobi, Olumuyiwa A.; Leister, Kai; Ingelfinger, Julian & Fischer, Reinhard
  
• The C 2 H 2 Transcription Factor SltA Contributes to Azole Resistance by Coregulating the Expression of the Drug Target Erg11A and the Drug Efflux Pump Mdr1 in Aspergillus fumigatus. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 65(4).
  Du, Wenlong; Zhai, Pengfei; Wang, Tingli; Bromley, Michael J.; Zhang, Yuanwei & Lu, Ling
  
• The Heterotrimeric Transcription Factor CCAAT-Binding Complex and Ca 2+ -CrzA Signaling Reversely Regulate the Transition between Fungal Hyphal Growth and Asexual Reproduction. mBio, 12(6).
  Ren, Yiran; Zhang, Chi; Chen, Ziqing & Lu, Ling
  
• The sulfur metabolism regulator MetR is a global regulator controlling phytochrome-dependent light responses in Aspergillus nidulans. Science Bulletin, 66(6), 592-602.
  Yu, Zhenzhong; Gao, Jia; Igbalajobi, Olumuyiwa; Skoneczny, Marek; Sieńko, Marzena; Maciejewska, Agnieszka M.; Brzywczy, Jerzy & Fischer, Reinhard
  
• Subunit C of V-ATPase-VmaC Is Required for Hyphal Growth and Conidiation in A. fumigatus by Affecting Vacuolar Calcium Homeostasis and Cell Wall Integration. Journal of Fungi, 8(11), 1219.
  Sun, Congcong; Li, Xingyue; Zhang, Yuanwei & Lu, Ling
  
• Synergistic Antifungal Effect of a Combination of Iron Deficiency and Calcium Supplementation. Microbiology Spectrum, 10(3).
  Ye, Jing; Wang, Yamei; Li, Xinyu; Wan, Qinyi; Zhang, Yuanwei & Lu, Ling
  
• Fungal calcineurin complex as an antifungal target: From past to present to future. Fungal Biology Reviews, 43, 100290.
  Li, Xingyue; Zhang, Chi & Lu, Ling