Resumen de Effect of a heterotrimeric G protein "a" subunit on conidia germination, stress response, and roquefortine C production in "Penicillium roqueforti"
Ramón Ovidio García Rico, Renato Chávez, Francisco Fierro, Juan Francisco Martín Martín
Heterotrimeric G protein signaling regulates many processes in fungi, such as development, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. For example, the Gá subunit Pga1 from Penicillium chrysogenum regulates conidiation and secondary metabolite production in this fungus. The dominant activating allele, pga1G42R, encoding a constitutively active Pga1 Gá subunit, was introduced in Penicillium roqueforti by transformation, resulting in a phenotype characterized by low sporulation and slow growth. In this work, the effect of the constitutively active Pga1G42R Gá subunit on conidial germination, stress tolerance, and roquefortine C production of P. roqueforti was studied. Pga1G42R triggered germination in the absence of a carbon source, in addition to negatively regulating thermal and osmotic stress tolerance. The presence of the Pga1G42R Gá subunit also had an important effect on roquefortine C biosynthesis, increasing production and maintaining high levels of the mycotoxin throughout a culture period of 30 days. Together, the results suggest that G protein-mediated signaling participates in the regulation of these three processes in P. roqueforti. [Int Microbiol 2009; 12(2):123-129]
