Functional characterization of two survival factor 1 genes in Mucor lusitanicus

Jáger, Olivér and Szebenyi, Csilla and Abu Saleem, Tammam Khaliefeh Siliman and Molnár, Anna and Kovács, Vanda and Kiss, Karina and Homa, Mónika and Vágó, Bernadett and Kiss-Vetráb, Sándor and Varga, Mónika and Sinka, Rita and Vágvölgyi, Csaba and Nagy, Gábor and Papp, Tamás (2024) Functional characterization of two survival factor 1 genes in Mucor lusitanicus. MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM, 12 (10). No.-e01103-24. ISSN 2165-0497

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Abstract

Survival factor 1 (Svf1) protein has been described in some ascomycetous fungi where it was found to be contributing to several essential physiological pro cesses, such as response to osmotic, oxidative and cold stresses, sphingolipid biosyn thesis, morphogenesis, sporulation, antifungal resistance, and pathogenicity. It was also suggested that it can be a novel central regulator affecting the expression of various genes. In the present study, function of this protein and the encoding genes is described for the first time in a fungus (i.e., in Mucor lusitanicus) belonging to the order Mucorales. M. lusitanicus has two putative svf1 genes named svf1a and svf1b. Expression of both genes was proven. Although the expression of svf1a was affected by several environmental stresses and knocking out the gene affected adaptation to low temperatures and the sporulation ability, the main survival factor functions, such as participation in the maintenance of the viability, the response to oxidative and cold stresses, and the sphingolipid biosynthesis, could be associated with Svf1b, suggesting a central regulatory role to this protein. Interestingly, knockout of both genes affected the pathogenicity of the fungus in a Drosophila model.

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