Spatio-temporal MAPK dynamics mediate cell behavior coordination during fungal somatic cell fusion.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are conserved regulators of proliferation, differentiation and adaptation in eukaryotic cells. Their activity often involves changes in their subcellular localization, indicating an important role for these spatio-temporal dynamics in signal transmission. A striking model illustrating these dynamics is somatic cell fusion in Germinating spores of this fungus rapidly alternate between signal sending and receiving, thereby establishing a cell-cell dialog, which involves the alternating membrane recruitment of the MAPK MAK-2 in both fusion partners.