Cytoplasmic Streaming in Neurospora Disperse the Plug To Increase the Flow 英文参考文献.docVIP

Perspective CytoplasmicStreaminginNeurospora:DispersethePlug ToIncreasetheFlow? MichaelPlamann* SchoolofBiologicalSciences,UniversityofMissouri–KansasCity,KansasCity,Missouri,UnitedStatesofAmerica Filamentous fungi grow as extending and branching tubular cells (hyphae) that generate radially symmetric colonies. As colonies expand, hyphal tips at the pe- riphery avoid each other to allow maxi- mum coverage of the medium, while hyphal tips at the colony center actively fuse to generate an interconnected net- work of hyphae that allows the bulk movementofcytoplasmtowardthecolony edge [1]. Hyphal growth is a wonderful adaptation for efficient penetration and acquisition of nutrients from live or dead organisms,especiallyplants.Unlikemulti- cellulareukaryotesthatexistascollections of distinct cells, the syncytial mode of growthplacesfilamentousfungiatserious risk of ‘‘bleeding’’ to death if there is a break in the cell wall. To avoid this fate, fungal hyphae have cross-walls or septa that are perforated to allow the flow of cytoplasm,butcanbepluggedinresponse to cellular wounding [2–4]. The septal ‘‘plug’’ used by filamentous ascomycete fungiisknownastheWoroninbody,and it is typically tethered to the rim of the septalpore[4–8]. large organelles such as nuclei through septa. However, in this issue of PLoS Genetics, Seng Kah Ng et al. describe a cortex in N. crassa keeps the septal pores clear and allows unrestricted cytoplasmic streaming. As a test of their model, the authorsfusedthelah-1andlah-2genesto mimicthelahgeneorganizationseenwith other filamentous ascomycetes. Interest- ingly,thestraincontainingthelah-1/lah-2 gene fusion showed localization of Wor- oninbodiestobothsidesofseptalporesas inotherfilamentousascomycetes,andthe fusion protein appeared functional as protoplasmic ‘‘bleeding’’ of damaged hy- phaewassignificantlyreduced.Consistent with the authors’ prediction that such an arrangement would restrict cytoplasmic streaming, the lah-1/lah-2 strain grew a