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Fungal Development
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Fungal Development

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Pathogenesis and Disease Control".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2020) | Viewed by 18006

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Philippe Silar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain (LIED), Université de Paris, F-75006 Paris, France
Interests: fungal development; fungal diversity; fungal evolution; mycelium growth; Podospora anserina; Sordariales; biomass degradation; spore killer; Lasiosphaeriaceae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After an eclipse during several decades, fungal development, especially that of the sporophores (e.g., the sexually-produced fruiting bodies), is regaining an interest among mycologists. In the last ten years, with the advance of next-generation sequencing technologies, new methods of global gene expression analysis have been used extensively to identify key genes regulating development but also old methods involving mutant screens are now used again, since mutation identification is no longer a limiting step thanks to rapid genome resequencing. This has led to new and exciting findings in the field, especially the discovery of conserved pathways regulating development in phylogenetically-diverse fungi.

This Special Issue on Fungal Development intends to cover subjects ranging from fruiting body formation, to mycelium network formation and spore production and morphogenesis. Papers with molecular, genetic, genomic, phylogenetic, biochemical, and/or cytological approache(s) will be considered. We welcome reviews and original research articles. Articles dealing with the depiction and use of fungi in art will also be welcome.

Prof. Dr. Philippe Silar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fungal development
  • sporophores
  • spores
  • mycelium

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 4864 KiB  
Article
Developmental Roles of the Hog1 Protein Phosphatases of the Maize Pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus
by Rina Zuchman, Roni Koren and Benjamin A. Horwitz
J. Fungi 2021, 7(2), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7020083 - 26 Jan 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2856
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation cascades are universal in cell signaling. While kinome diversity allows specific phosphorylation events, relatively few phosphatases dephosphorylate key signaling proteins. Fungal mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), in contrast to their mammalian counterparts, often show detectable basal phosphorylation levels. Dephosphorylation, therefore, could [...] Read more.
Protein phosphorylation cascades are universal in cell signaling. While kinome diversity allows specific phosphorylation events, relatively few phosphatases dephosphorylate key signaling proteins. Fungal mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), in contrast to their mammalian counterparts, often show detectable basal phosphorylation levels. Dephosphorylation, therefore, could act as a signal. In Cochliobolus heterostrophus, the Dothideomycete causing Southern corn leaf blight, ferulic acid (FA)—an abundant phenolic found in plant host cell walls—acts as a signal to rapidly dephosphorylate the stress-activated MAP kinase Hog1 (High Osmolarity Glycerol 1). In order to identify the protein phosphatases responsible, we constructed mutants in Hog1 phosphatases predicted from the genome by homology to yeast and other species. We found that Cochliobolus heterostrophus mutants lacking PtcB, a member of the PP2C family, exhibited altered growth, sporulation, and attenuated dephosphorylation in response to FA. The loss of the dual-specificity phosphatase CDC14 led to slow growth, decreased virulence, and attenuated dephosphorylation. Mutants in two predicted tyrosine phosphatase genes PTP1 and PTP2 showed normal development and virulence. Our results suggest that a network of phosphatases modulate Hog1’s dual phosphorylation levels. The mutants we constructed in this work provide a starting point to further unravel the signaling hierarchy by which exposure to FA leads to stress responses in the pathogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Development)
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17 pages, 4506 KiB  
Article
The Glyoxysomal Protease LON2 Is Involved in Fruiting-Body Development, Ascosporogenesis and Stress Resistance in Sordaria macrospora
by Antonia Werner, Kolja Otte, Gertrud Stahlhut, Leon M. Hanke and Stefanie Pöggeler
J. Fungi 2021, 7(2), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7020082 - 26 Jan 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2686
Abstract
Microbodies, including peroxisomes, glyoxysomes and Woronin bodies, are ubiquitous dynamic organelles that play important roles in fungal development. The ATP-dependent chaperone and protease family Lon that maintain protein quality control within the organelle significantly regulate the functionality of microbodies. The filamentous ascomycete Sordaria [...] Read more.
Microbodies, including peroxisomes, glyoxysomes and Woronin bodies, are ubiquitous dynamic organelles that play important roles in fungal development. The ATP-dependent chaperone and protease family Lon that maintain protein quality control within the organelle significantly regulate the functionality of microbodies. The filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora is a model organism for studying fruiting-body development. The genome of S. macrospora encodes one Lon protease with the C-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) serine-arginine-leucine (SRL) for import into microbodies. Here, we investigated the function of the protease SmLON2 in sexual development and during growth under stress conditions. Localization studies revealed a predominant localization of SmLON2 in glyoxysomes. This localization depends on PTS1, since a variant without the C-terminal SRL motif was localized in the cytoplasm. A ΔSmlon2 mutant displayed a massive production of aerial hyphae, and produced a reduced number of fruiting bodies and ascospores. In addition, the growth of the ΔSmlon2 mutant was completely blocked under mild oxidative stress conditions. Most of the defects could be complemented with both variants of SmLON2, with and without PTS1, suggesting a dual function of SmLON2, not only in microbody, but also in cytosolic protein quality control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Development)
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23 pages, 13928 KiB  
Article
Lignin Degradation and Its Use in Signaling Development by the Coprophilous Ascomycete Podospora anserina
by Moussa Dicko, Roselyne Ferrari, Narumon Tangthirasunun, Valérie Gautier, Christophe Lalanne, Farida Lamari and Philippe Silar
J. Fungi 2020, 6(4), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040278 - 11 Nov 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2963
Abstract
The filamentous fungus Podospora anserina is a good model to study the breakdown of lignocellulose, owing to its ease of culture and genetical analysis. Here, we show that the fungus is able to use a wide range of lignocellulosic materials as food sources. [...] Read more.
The filamentous fungus Podospora anserina is a good model to study the breakdown of lignocellulose, owing to its ease of culture and genetical analysis. Here, we show that the fungus is able to use a wide range of lignocellulosic materials as food sources. Using color assays, spectroscopy and pyrolysis–gas chromatography mass spectrometry, we confirm that this ascomycete is able to degrade lignin, primarily by hydrolyzing β–O-4 linkages, which facilitates its nutrient uptake. We show that the limited weight loss that is promoted when attacking Miscanthus giganteus is due to a developmental blockage rather than an inefficiency of its enzymes. Finally, we show that lignin, and, more generally, phenolics, including degradation products of lignin, greatly stimulate the growth and fertility of the fungus in liquid cultures. Analyses of the CATΔΔΔΔΔ mutant lacking all its catalases, pro-oxidants and antioxidants indicate that improved growth and fertility of the fungus is likely caused by augmented reactive oxygen species levels triggered by the presence of phenolics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Development)
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17 pages, 1333 KiB  
Article
Basidiospores from Wood-Decay Fungi Transform Laccase Substrates in the Absence of Glucose and Nitrogen Supplements
by Gerhard Gramss and Klaus-Dieter Voigt
J. Fungi 2020, 6(2), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6020062 - 14 May 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3567
Abstract
Preparations of bacterial endospores and fungal conidia are applied in biocontrols, biocatalyses, and lignocellulose fermentations. The biocatalytic abilities of basidiospores from mushrooms of the order Agaricales are unknown. To assess their potential in colonizing recalcitrant substrates solely with their inherent resources, spores of [...] Read more.
Preparations of bacterial endospores and fungal conidia are applied in biocontrols, biocatalyses, and lignocellulose fermentations. The biocatalytic abilities of basidiospores from mushrooms of the order Agaricales are unknown. To assess their potential in colonizing recalcitrant substrates solely with their inherent resources, spores of the white-rot fungi Stropharia rugoso-annulata (Stru) and Kuehneromyces mutabilis (Kmt, Strophariaceae) were analyzed for surface-bound and internal total carbohydrates, phenols, proteins, minerals, and oxidoreductases to estimate their chemistry and the preconditions to transform the laccase substrates guaiacol and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) independent of external glucose and nitrogen. Surfaces of Stru/Kmt spores released (mg kg−1) hexoses, 7300/9700; phenols, >62/220; proteins, 21/168; and laccases, 42/0–0.15 µmol ABTS•+ kg−1 min−1 that mimicked oxidative activities of the resting spores. Milled-spore extracts contained pentoses, 96,600/6750; hexoses, 160,000/15,130; phenols, 452/767; protein, 12,600/924; true laccase, 688/0.30; and enzyme-protein-activating transition metals such as Cu in concentrations typical of wheat grains. Independent of external N and C supply, spores (<1‰) germinated in bideionized water, supported by their surface resources. Kmt spores germinated, too, at comparable rates in N-free solutions of glucose and the not immediately metabolizable ABTS and guaiacol. The release of proteins and oxidoreductase(s) by Kmt spores starting upon germination was higher in guaiacol-incubated idiophase- than in glucose-incubated trophophase-spores and led to the 3–4-fold formation of guaiacol polymerizates and ABTS•+. Constitutive aromatic ring-cleaving dioxygenases in the dormant spore that could be involved in the intrinsic metabolization of guaiacol were not detected. It is concluded that intrinsic resources enable (germinating) spores to release the highly efficient laccases of basidiomycetes and to transform aromatic compounds in the absence of sugar amendments. Spores show therefore plant seed-like autonomy in nutrient modification and acquisition during the early stages of the colonization of inert substrates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Development)
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Review

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30 pages, 3157 KiB  
Review
Dynamic Regulation of Peroxisomes and Mitochondria during Fungal Development
by Raful Navarro-Espíndola, Fernando Suaste-Olmos and Leonardo Peraza-Reyes
J. Fungi 2020, 6(4), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040302 - 20 Nov 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5237
Abstract
Peroxisomes and mitochondria are organelles that perform major functions in the cell and whose activity is very closely associated. In fungi, the function of these organelles is critical for many developmental processes. Recent studies have disclosed that, additionally, fungal development comprises a dynamic [...] Read more.
Peroxisomes and mitochondria are organelles that perform major functions in the cell and whose activity is very closely associated. In fungi, the function of these organelles is critical for many developmental processes. Recent studies have disclosed that, additionally, fungal development comprises a dynamic regulation of the activity of these organelles, which involves a developmental regulation of organelle assembly, as well as a dynamic modulation of the abundance, distribution, and morphology of these organelles. Furthermore, for many of these processes, the dynamics of peroxisomes and mitochondria are governed by common factors. Notably, intense research has revealed that the process that drives the division of mitochondria and peroxisomes contributes to several developmental processes—including the formation of asexual spores, the differentiation of infective structures by pathogenic fungi, and sexual development—and that these processes rely on selective removal of these organelles via autophagy. Furthermore, evidence has been obtained suggesting a coordinated regulation of organelle assembly and dynamics during development and supporting the existence of regulatory systems controlling fungal development in response to mitochondrial activity. Gathered information underscores an important role for mitochondrial and peroxisome dynamics in fungal development and suggests that this process involves the concerted activity of these organelles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Development)
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