Selected Publications
- Heilig, Y., Dettmann, A., Mourino-Pérez, R.R., Schmitt, K., Valerius, O., and Seiler, S. (2014). Proper actin ring formation and septum constriction requires coordinated regulation of SIN and MOR pathways through the germinal centre kinase MST1. PLOS Genetics, 10, e1004306.
- Dettmann, A., Heilig, Y., Valerius, O., Ludwig, S., and Seiler, S. (2014). Fungal communication requires the MAK-2 pathway elements STE-20 and RAS-2, the NRC-1 adapter STE-50 and the MAP kinase scaffold HAM-5. PLOS Genetics, 10, e1004762.
- Dettmann, A., Illgen, J, März, S., Schürg, T., Fleissner, A., and Seiler, S. (2012). The NDR kinase scaffold HYM1/MO25 is essential for MAK2 MAP kinase signaling in Neurospora crassa. PLOS Genetics, 8:e1002950.
- März, S., Dettmann, A., and Seiler, S. (2012). Hydrophobic motif phosphorylation coordinates activity and polar localization of the Neurospora crassa nuclear Dbf2-related kinase COT1. Mol. Cell. Biol., 32:2083-2098.
- Richthammer, C., Enseleit, M., Sanchez-Leon, E., März, S., Heilig, Y., Riquelme, M., and Seiler, S. (2012). RHO1 and RHO2 share partially overlapping functions in the regulation of cell wall integrity and hyphal polarity in Neurospora crassa. Mol. Microbiol. 85:716-733.
- März, S., Funakoshi, Y., Negishi, Y., Suzuki, T., and Seiler, S. (2010). The Neurospora peptide:N-glycanase ortholog PNG1 is essential for cell polarity despite its lack of enzymatic activity. J. Biol. Chem. 285:2326-2332.
- März, S., and Seiler. S. (2010). Tales of RAM and MOR: NDR kinase signaling and fungal morphogenesis. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 13, 663-671.
FRIAS Project
The chemotropic compass of fungi: understanding pulsatile MAK2 MAP kinase signaling in Neurospora.
Communication among microbes is a fundamental biological phenomenon. Filamentous fungi that secrete a vast array of metabolites and putative signaling molecules are excellent model systems to address this problem. Moreover, the connection between chemical gradient sensing and regulation of cell polarity is only poorly understood in any eukaryotic system. In Neurospora crassa an unknown chemical ligand mediates chemotropic interactions resulting in cell fusion of genetically identical cells. This process of self-signaling is based on the oscillatory recruitment of the MAK2 MAP kinase cascade to the opposing tips of communicating cells. The aim of this FRIAS project is the mechanistic understanding of pulsatile MAK2 signaling.
Hyphal fusion is comparable to cell fusion between genetically identical cells of higher eukaryotes, which results in the formation of multinuclear syncytia. Moreover, intercellular communication and somatic cell fusion is important for establishment and function of the fungal colony by sharing nutrients and organelles of individual cells. Hyphal anastomosis is also critical for host colonization and virulence of pathogenic fungi. Understanding this process will have significant implications on our ability to intervene in this process by either inhibiting it in cases of detrimental fungi or enhancing it when beneficial growth is desired.