A pericentrin-related protein homolog in Aspergillus nidulans plays important roles in nucleus positioning and cell polarity by affecting microtubule organization.

ABSTRACT: Pericentrin is a large coiled-coil protein in mammalian centrosomes that serves as a multifunctional scaffold for anchoring numerous proteins. Recent studies have linked numerous human disorders with mutated or elevated levels of pericentrin, suggesting unrecognized contributions of pericentrin-related proteins to the development of these disorders. In this study, we characterized AnPcpA, a putative homolog of pericentrin-related protein in the model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, and found that it is essential for conidial germination and hyphal development. Compared to the hyphal apex localization pattern of calmodulin (CaM), which has been identified as an interactive partner of the pericentrin homolog, GFP-AnPcpA fluorescence dots are associated mainly with nuclei, while the

SUBMITTER: Chen P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3536274 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature