Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE37942: Comparison of gene expression during meiosis between wild-type and rad50-deficient strains of Coprinopsis cinerea GSE37943: Comparison of gene expression during meiosis between wild-type and msh5-deficient strains of Coprinopsis cinerea Refer to individual Series
Project description:We have recently shown that the coprophilous model mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea transcribes a broad array of genes encoding defense proteins in the vegetative mycelium and fruiting bodies that target bacterial competitors and animal predators challenging the respective tissues of this fungus. In addition, we have demonstrated in previous work that two nematotoxic defense proteins from Coprinopsis, CGL1 and CGL2, were induced in vegetative mycelium challenged with the predatory nematode Aphelenchus avenae; however, the specificity and broadness of this response remained unclear. In order to resolve these issues, we sequenced the poly(A)-positive transcriptome of vegetative mycelium of C. cinerea confronted with nematode predation, hyphal mechanical damage or bacterial co-culture.
Project description:Meiosis was compared in msh5-22 and wild type strains of C. cinerea at 6 time points spanning the meiotic timecourse. Abstract: The basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea is well-suited to studies of meiosis because meiosis progresses synchronously in ten million cells within each mushroom cap. Approximately 20% of C. cinerea genes exhibit changing expression during meiosis, but meiosis and mushroom development happen concurrently so differentially expressed genes might not be directly involved in meiotic processes. Using microarrays, we examined global gene expression across a meiotic time course in two mutants in which meiosis arrests but mushrooms develop normally. Genes differentially expressed in the mutants compared to wild type are likely to be involved in meiosis and sporulation as opposed to mushroom development. In rad50-1, which arrests in late prophase, RNA abundance for a group of early meiotic genes remains high, while the expression of a group of late meiotic genes is never induced. In contrast, in msh5-22 (which fails to undergo pre-meiotic DNA replication), both early and late meiotic genes are underexpressed relative to wild type at late meiotic time points as the cells die. Genes that are differentially expressed in both mutants are particularly strong candidates for playing roles in meiosis and sporulation.
