Open AccessA dialogue-like cell communication mechanism is conserved in filamentous ascomycete fungi and mediates interspecies interactions
Author(s) -
Hamzeh Haj Hammadeh,
Antonio Serrano,
Valentin Wernet,
Natascha Stomberg,
Davina Hellmeier,
Martin Weichert,
Ulrike Brandt,
Bianca Sieg,
Konstantin Kanofsky,
Reinhard Hehl,
Reinhard Fischer,
André Fleißner
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2112518119
Subject(s) - neurospora crassa , biology , botrytis cinerea , crassa , fungus , fusion mechanism , mycelium , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , botany , mutant , gene , lipid bilayer fusion , virus
Significance This study reveals that a dialogue-like communication mechanism, which mediates cell–cell fusion in filamentous fungi, is a conserved complex trait. It allows the communication and behavioral coordination of cells of distantly related species and mediates their mutual attraction and subsequent physical contact, although interspecies fusion does not occur. Through the activation of this signaling machinery, one species can reprogram the developmental program of the other fungus. These data promote our understanding of microbial communication, illustrate the mechanism of repurposing of existing building blocks in cellular evolution, revive the hypothesis of vegetative fusion as an avenue of horizontal gene transfer in fungi, and establish the idea of developmental reprogramming as a tool for controlling fungi.