AoSO protein accumulates at the septal pore in response to various stresses in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

Filamentous ascomycetes form hyphal networks that are compartmentalized by septa which have a perforated pore allowing the passage of cytoplasm and organelles between adjacent hyphal compartments. Thus, the septal pore may play an important role in the organized growth of multicellular organisms. Upon hyphal injury, the septal pore is plugged by a wound-healing organelle, known as the Woronin body, to prevent excessive cytoplasmic leakage.

Disruption of the Aopex11-1 gene involved in peroxisome proliferation leads to impaired Woronin body formation in Aspergillus oryzae.

The Woronin body, a unique organelle found in the Pezizomycotina, plugs the septal pore upon hyphal damage to prevent excessive cytoplasmic bleeding. Although it was previously shown that the Woronin body buds out from the peroxisome, the relationship between peroxisomal proliferation/division and Woronin body differentiation has not been extensively investigated. In this report, we examined whether Pex11 required for peroxisomal proliferation participates in Woronin body formation in Aspergillus oryzae.