Early-Mid Pleistocene genetic differentiation and range expansions as exemplified by invasive Eurasian Bunias orientalis (Brassicaceae) indicates the Caucasus as key region.

Turkish Warty cabbage, Bunias orientalis L. (Brassicaceae) is a perennial herb known for its 250 years of invasion history into Europe and worldwide temperate regions. Putative centers of origin were debated to be located in Turkey, the Caucasus or Eastern Europe.

An Arf-GAP promotes endocytosis and hyphal growth of Ashbya gossypii.

The ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family of GTPases are highly conserved from yeast to human and regulate vesicle budding. Sec7 domain containing proteins stimulate the guanine nucleotide exchange on Arf proteins, while ARF-GTPase activating proteins stimulate the hydrolysis of GTP. Since vesicle trafficking is important for hyphal growth, we studied the Ashbya gossypii homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARF3 along with its putative GEF and GTPase-activating protein (GAP) encoded by YEL1 and GTS1, respectively.

The APSES protein Sok2 is a positive regulator of sporulation in Ashbya gossypii.

Ashbya gossypii is a homothallic, flavinogenic, filamentous ascomycete that starts overproduction of riboflavin and fragments its mycelium quantitatively into spore producing sporangia at the end of a growth phase. Mating is not required for sporulation and the standard homothallic laboratory strain is a MATa strain. Here we show that ectopic expression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MATα2 in A.

Development of brewing science in (and since) the late 19th century: molecular profiles of 110-130year old beers.

The 19th century witnessed many advances in scientific enzymology and microbiology that laid the foundations for modern biotechnological industries. In the current study, we analyze the content of original lager beer samples from the 1880s, 1890s and 1900s with emphasis on the carbohydrate content and composition. The historic samples include the oldest samples brewed with pure Saccharomyces carlsbergensis yeast strains.

Developmental Growth Control Exerted via the Protein A Kinase Tpk2 in Ashbya gossypii.

Sporulation in Ashbya gossypii is induced by nutrient-limited conditions and leads to the formation of haploid spores. Using RNA-seq, we have determined a gene set induced upon sporulation, which bears considerable overlap with that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae but also contains A. gossypii-specific genes.

Fungal model systems and the elucidation of pathogenicity determinants.

Fungi have the capacity to cause devastating diseases of both plants and animals, causing significant harvest losses that threaten food security and human mycoses with high mortality rates. As a consequence, there is a critical need to promote development of new antifungal drugs, which requires a comprehensive molecular knowledge of fungal pathogenesis. In this review, we critically evaluate current knowledge of seven fungal organisms used as major research models for fungal pathogenesis.

Major contribution of the Ehrlich pathway for 2-phenylethanol/rose flavor production in Ashbya gossypii.

Aroma alcohols of fermented food and beverages are derived from fungal amino acids catabolism via the Ehrlich pathway. This linear pathway consists of three enzymatic reactions to form fusel alcohols. Regulation of some of the enzymes occurs on the transcriptional level via Aro80.

Chromosome number reduction in Eremothecium coryli by two telomere-to-telomere fusions.

The genus Eremothecium belongs to the Saccharomyces complex of pre-whole-genome duplication (WGD) yeasts and contains both dimorphic and filamentous species. We established the 9.1-Mb draft genome of Eremothecium coryli, which encodes 4,682 genes, 186 tRNA genes, and harbors several Ty3 transposons as well as more than 60 remnants of transposition events (LTRs).

Genome sequence of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, the world's first pure culture lager yeast.

Lager yeast beer production was revolutionized by the introduction of pure culture strains. The first established lager yeast strain is known as the bottom fermenting Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, which was originally termed Unterhefe No. 1 by Emil Chr.

An indirect assay for volatile compound production in yeast strains.

Traditional flavor analysis relies on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Here we describe an indirect method coupling volatile compound formation to an ARO9-promoter-LacZ reporter gene. The resulting β-galactosidase activity correlated well with headspace solid phase micro extraction (HS/SPME) GC-MS data, particularly with respect to the formation of rose flavor.

Reliable computation of roots in analytical waveguide modeling using an interval-Newton approach and algorithmic differentiation.

For the modeling and simulation of wave propagation in geometrically simple waveguides such as plates or rods, one may employ the analytical global matrix method. That is, a certain (global) matrix depending on the two parameters wavenumber and frequency is built. Subsequently, one must calculate all parameter pairs within the domain of interest where the global matrix becomes singular.

Analysis of the cell wall integrity pathway of Ashbya gossypii.

Fungal cells are exposed to rapidly changing environmental conditions, in particular with regard to the osmotic potential. This requires constant remodeling of the cell wall and, therefore, the cell wall integrity (CWI) MAP-kinase pathway plays a major role in shaping the fungal cell wall to protect from adverse external stresses. To provide a comprehensive functional analysis of the Ashbya gossypii CWI pathway we generated a set of ten deletion mutants in conserved components including the cell surface sensors AgWSC1 and AgMID2, a putative Rho1-guanine nucleotide exchange factor, AgTUS1, the protein kinase C, AgPKC1, the MAP-kinases AgBCK1, AgMKK1 and AgMPK1, and transcription factors known to be involved in CWI signaling AgRLM1, AgSWI4 and AgSWI6.

Molecular determinants of sporulation in Ashbya gossypii.

Regulation of development and entry into sporulation is critical for fungi to ensure survival of unfavorable environmental conditions. Here we present an analysis of gene sets regulating sporulation in the homothallic ascomycete Ashbya gossypii. Deletion of components of the conserved pheromone/starvation MAP kinase cascades, e.

Subcellular localization of the fatty acyl reductase involved in pheromone biosynthesis in the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera).

Sex pheromone components are produced in specialized glands of female moths via well-characterized biosynthetic pathways, where a Fatty Acyl Reductase (FAR) is often essential for producing the specific ratio of the different pheromone components. The subcellular localization and membrane topology of FARs is important for understanding how pheromones are synthesized and exported to the exterior for release. We investigated the subcellular localization of HvFAR from the noctuid moth Heliothis virescens by producing recombinant fusion proteins with green fluorescent protein (GFP) in yeast.

Yap1-dependent oxidative stress response provides a link to riboflavin production in Ashbya gossypii.

Ashbya gossypii is a natural overproducer of riboflavin. Overproduction of riboflavin can be induced by environmental stress, e.g.

Genome evolution in the eremothecium clade of the Saccharomyces complex revealed by comparative genomics.

We used comparative genomics to elucidate the genome evolution within the pre-whole-genome duplication genus Eremothecium. To this end, we sequenced and assembled the complete genome of Eremothecium cymbalariae, a filamentous ascomycete representing the Eremothecium type strain. Genome annotation indicated 4712 gene models and 143 tRNAs.

Characterization of α-factor pheromone and pheromone receptor genes of Ashbya gossypii.

The genome of Ashbya gossypii contains homologs of most of the genes that are part of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pheromone-signal transduction cascade. However, we currently lack understanding of a potential sexual cycle for this pre-whole genome duplication hemiascomycete. The sequenced strain bears three identical copies encoding MATa.

Dual-colour fluorescence microscopy using yEmCherry-/GFP-tagging of eisosome components Pil1 and Lsp1 in Candida albicans.

PCR-based gene targeting technologies have previously been developed for Candida albicans molecular genetic manipulation. Modular marker plasmids for the functional analysis of C. albicans genes have been generated to delete genes, exchange promoters and tag genes with GFP.

The Ashbya gossypii fimbrin SAC6 is required for fast polarized hyphal tip growth and endocytosis.

Ashbya gossypii has been an ideal system to study filamentous hyphal growth. Previously, we identified a link between polarized hyphal growth, the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and endocytosis with our analysis of the A. gossypii Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP)-homolog encoded by the AgWAL1 gene.

Candida albicans Vrp1 is required for polarized morphogenesis and interacts with Wal1 and Myo5.

Recently, a link between endocytosis and hyphal morphogenesis has been identified in Candida albicans via the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome gene homologue WAL1. To get a more detailed mechanistic understanding of this link we have investigated a potentially conserved interaction between Wal1 and the C. albicans WASP-interacting protein (WIP) homologue encoded by VRP1.

Functional analysis of Candida albicans genes encoding SH3-domain-containing proteins.

Postgenomic gene-function analyses with Candida albicans are hindered by its constitutive diploidy and the lack of a sexual cycle. Rapid generation of mutant strains can be achieved using PCR-based techniques for directed gene alterations. Here, we report the analyses of nine C.

Analysis of flocculins in Ashbya gossypii reveals FIG2 regulation by TEC1.

For 95% of the Ashbya gossypii protein-encoding genes there is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog. Out of these 90% are arranged in a conserved, syntenic, gene order. Interestingly, A.

Forward genetics in Candida albicans that reveals the Arp2/3 complex is required for hyphal formation, but not endocytosis.

Candida albicans is a diploid fungal pathogen lacking a defined complete sexual cycle, and thus has been refractory to standard forward genetic analysis. Instead, transcription profiling and reverse genetic strategies based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae have typically been used to link genes to functions. To overcome restrictions inherent in such indirect approaches, we have investigated a forward genetic mutagenesis strategy based on the UAU1 technology.

N-acetylglucosamine utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on expression of Candida albicans NAG genes.

Synthesis of chitin de novo from glucose involves a linear pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several of the pathway genes, including GNA1, are essential. Genes for chitin catabolism are absent in S.

PCR-based gene targeting in Candida albicans.

PCR-based gene-targeting approaches have increased the speed of gene function analyses in ascomycetous fungi, for example, in the diploid human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Here we describe a protocol that utilizes Rapid-PCR to amplify all cassettes available with the previously reported pFA modules. With this protocol, sufficient quantities of any cassette for use in C.