mus-52 disruption and metabolic regulation in Neurospora crassa: Transcriptional responses to extracellular phosphate availability

PLoS One. 2018 Apr 18;13(4):e0195871. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195871. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Advances in the understanding of molecular systems depend on specific tools like the disruption of genes to produce strains with the desired characteristics. The disruption of any mutagen sensitive (mus) genes in the model fungus Neurospora crassa, i.e. mus-51, mus-52, or mus-53, orthologous to the human genes KU70, KU80, and LIG4, respectively, provides efficient tools for gene targeting. Accordingly, we used RNA-sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction amplification techniques to evaluate the effects of mus-52 deletion in N. crassa gene transcriptional modulation, and thus, infer its influence regarding metabolic response to extracellular availability of inorganic phosphate (Pi). Notably, the absence of MUS-52 affected the transcription of a vast number of genes, highlighting the expression of those coding for transcription factors, kinases, circadian clocks, oxi-reduction balance, and membrane- and nucleolus-related proteins. These findings may provide insights toward the KU molecular mechanisms, which have been related to telomere maintenance, apoptosis, DNA replication, and gene transcription regulation, as well as associated human conditions including immune system disorders, cancer, and aging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Energy Metabolism / genetics
  • Extracellular Space / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics*
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Ontology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Mutation*
  • Neurospora crassa / genetics*
  • Neurospora crassa / metabolism*
  • Phosphates / metabolism
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Phosphates

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the following Brazilian Funding Agencies: São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, http://www.fapesp.br/en/) grant No. 2014/03847-7 and Postdoctoral Fellowship to EVG No. 2016/04274-6; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, http://www.cnpq.br/) grant Nos. 305252/2013-5 and 304222/2013-5; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, http://www.capes.gov.br/) fellowships to MPM, and WRP; and Fundação de Apoio ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Assistência (FAEPA, http://www.faepa.br/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.