Septins in fungal development

University Of Georgia Research Foundation Inc, Athens GA

Investigators

Abstract

Septins are an important part of the cytoskeleton, an intricate and tightly-regulated network that organizes and supports structures and directs traffic of building materials inside cells. Even though they were discovered relatively recently, it is already clear that septins are critical for orderly cell division and for development, the process by which cells take on specialized roles within multicellular organisms. Much has been learned about how septins work through studies in the simple single-celled fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast). Questions about how septins coordinate development in more complex, multi-cellular organisms cannot be addressed in yeast. In this project, the role of septins in the multicellular fungus Aspergillus nidulans will be investigated using genetic, cellular biology and biochemical approaches. The focus will be on finding out how septins work with each other and with other parts of the cytoskeleton during early stages of multicellular development. This project is expected to identify new ways in which the individual cells within multicellular organisms communicate with each other and coordinate growth and development across different cell types. Since much of the cell division machinery is the same in animals and fungi, the project will have a broad scientific impact. The project will provide outstanding training opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels. Trainees will be mentored in the conduct of research, have opportunities to present their work in a variety of settings and develop their skills as communicators and teachers.