Macroautophagy-mediated degradation of whole nuclei in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

ABSTRACT: Filamentous fungi consist of continuum of multinucleate cells called hyphae, and proliferate by means of hyphal tip growth. Accordingly, research interest has been focusing on hyphal tip cells, but little is known about basal cells in colony interior that do not directly contribute to proliferation. Here, we show that autophagy mediates degradation of basal cell components in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. In basal cells, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-labeled peroxisomes, mitochondria, and even nuclei were taken up into vacuoles in an autophagy-dependent manner. During this process, crescents of autophagosome precursors matured into ring-like autophagosomes to encircle apparently whole nuclei. The ring-like autophagosomes then disappeared, followed by dispersal of t

SUBMITTER: Shoji JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3004950 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature