Participating Faculty

Research focuses on the reproductive biology of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans.  This organism, along with Neurospora crassa and the budding and fission yeasts, has long been an important model organism used in classical genetic analysis.  A. nidulans has provided many firsts in our understanding of genetic mechanisms controlling multicellular development and the regulation of cell polarity and cell cycle.  We are finding novel mechanisms that trigger sexual reproduction, meiosis and gametogenesis in this important class of fungi. Projects include studies of the regulation and functions of the HMG box mating type regulator, a homolog of the human sex-determining factor hSRY. We are also investigating interspecies exchanges of the mating type genes (master regulators of sexual reproduction) using fertile A. nidulans and the sterile human pathogen A. fumigatus. In addition, we are performing a functional analysis of the A. nidulans and A.fumigatus  DopA (Dopey), a novel protein conserved thorughout all eucaryotes. This protein is essential for cell polarity and null mutants are lethal in A. nidulans, budding yeast and C. elegans.  Based upon localization studies and upon genetic and proteomic analysis, this large protein plays an important role in linking signal transduction, the endomembrane system and the establisment of cell polarity.  

Galagan, JE et al.  (2005)  Sequencing of Aspergillus nidulans and comparative analysis with A. fumigatus and A. oryzae.  Nature 438: 1105-1115.

 

Nierman, WC et al.  (2005) Genomic sequence of the pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.  Nature 438: 1151-1156.

WSU

UI