Blastomyces dermatitidis septins CDC3, CDC10, and CDC12 impact the morphology of yeast and hyphae, but are not required for the phase transition.

ABSTRACT: Blastomyces dermatitidis, the etiologic agent of blastomycosis, belongs to a group of thermally dimorphic fungi that change between mold (22°C) and yeast (37°C) in response to temperature. The contribution of structural proteins such as septins to this phase transition in these fungi remains poorly understood. Septins are GTPases that serve as a scaffold for proteins involved with cytokinesis, cell polarity, and cell morphology. In this study, we use a GFP sentinel RNA interference system to investigate the impact of CDC3, CDC10, CDC12, and ASPE on the morphology and phase transition of B. dermatitidis. Targeting CDC3, CDC10, and CDC12 by RNA interference resulted in yeast with aberrant morphology at 37°C with defects in cytokinesis. Downshifting the temperature to 22°C promoted the conver

SUBMITTER: Marty AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3607453 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature