ArticlePloS one2008
A cytosine methyltransferase homologue is essential for sexual development in Aspergillus nidulans.
Article in PloS one, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers.
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Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 64 citations in OpenAlex.
- Phylogenomic signatures of repeat-induced point mutations across the fungal kingdom.PLoS biology · 2025Article
- Tandem repeat-induced sexual silencing: A Rid-dependent RNAi mechanism for fungal genome defense via translational repression.Science advances · 2025Article
- DNA cytosine methyltransferases differentially regulate genome-wide hypermutation and interhomolog recombination in Trichoderma reesei meiosis.Nucleic acids research · 2024Article
- The Role of Chromatin and Transcriptional Control in the Formation of Sexual Fruiting Bodies in Fungi.Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR · 2022Review
- Post-translational modifications drive secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Aspergillus: a review.Environmental microbiology · 2022Review
- DNA methylation across the tree of life, from micro to macro-organism.Bioengineered · 2022Article
- Updates on the Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of the Genes Involved inJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- DNA Methyltransferases Regulate Pathogenicity ofJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- The master regulator MAT1-1-1 of fungal mating binds to its targets via a conserved motif in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus.G3 (Bethesda, Md.) · 2021Article
- Article
- Diversity of Fungal DNA Methyltransferases and Their Association With DNA Methylation Patterns.Frontiers in microbiology · 2020Review
- Article
- DNA Methylation: Shared and Divergent Features across Eukaryotes.Trends in genetics : TIG · 2019Review
- A RID-like putative cytosine methyltransferase homologue controls sexual development in the fungus Podospora anserina.PLoS genetics · 2019Article
- Partition of Repeat-Induced Point Mutations Reveals Structural Aspects of Homologous DNA-DNA Pairing.Biophysical journal · 2018Article
- Repeat-Induced Point Mutation and Other Genome Defense Mechanisms in Fungi.Microbiology spectrum · 2017Review
- Comparative genomics reveals high biological diversity and specific adaptations in the industrially and medically important fungal genus Aspergillus.Genome biology · 2017Article
- KdmB, a Jumonji Histone H3 Demethylase, Regulates Genome-Wide H3K4 Trimethylation and Is Required for Normal Induction of Secondary Metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans.PLoS genetics · 2016Article
- The DmtA methyltransferase contributes to Aspergillus flavus conidiation, sclerotial production, aflatoxin biosynthesis and virulence.Scientific reports · 2016Article
- Epigenetic Segregation of Microbial Genomes from Complex Samples Using Restriction Endonucleases HpaII and McrB.PloS one · 2016Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe genome defense processes RIP (repeat-induced point mutation) in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, and MIP (methylation induced premeiotically) in the fungus Ascobolus immersus depend on proteins with DNA methyltransferase (DMT) domains. Nevertheless, these proteins, RID and Masc1, respectively, have not been demonstrated to have DMT activity. We discovered a close homologue in Aspergillus nidulans, a fungus thought to have no methylation and no genome defense system comparable to RIP or MIP. PRINCIPAL
findingsWe report the cloning and characterization of the DNA methyltransferase homologue A (dmtA) gene from Aspergillus nidulans. We found that the dmtA locus encodes both a sense (dmtA) and an anti-sense transcript (tmdA). Both transcripts are expressed in vegetative, conidial and sexual tissues. We determined that dmtA, but not tmdA, is required for early sexual development and formation of viable ascospores. We also tested if DNA methylation accumulated in any of the dmtA/tmdA mutants we constructed, and found that in both asexual and sexual tissues, these mutants, just like wild-type strains, appear devoid of DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that a DMT homologue closely related to proteins implicated in RIP and MIP has an essential developmental function in a fungus that appears to lack both DNA methylation and RIP or MIP. It remains formally possible that DmtA is a bona fide DMT, responsible for trace, undetected DNA methylation that is restricted to a few cells or transient but our work supports the idea that the DMT domain present in the RID/Masc1/DmtA family has a previously undescribed function.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.