AUTHOR=Zhou Liang , Li Mengfei , Cui Peijie , Tian Mengqing , Xu Ya , Zheng Xi , Zhang Keqin , Li Guohong , Wang Xin 

TITLE=Arrestin-Coding Genes Regulate Endocytosis, Sporulation, Pathogenicity, and Stress Resistance in Arthrobotrys oligospora

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.754333

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.754333

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Arrestins are a family of scaffold proteins that play a crucial role in regulating numerous cellular processes, such as GPCR signaling. The <italic>Arthrobotrys oligospora</italic> arrestin family contains 12 members, which have highly conserved N-terminal and C-terminal domains. In the presence of ammonia, <italic>A. oligospora</italic> can change its lifestyle from saprotrophic to carnivorous. During this transition, the expression pattern of arrestin-coding (<italic>AoArc</italic>) genes was markedly upregulated. Therefore, we disrupted seven <italic>AoArc</italic> genes from <italic>A. oligospora</italic> to identify their functions. Although individual arrestin mutant strains display similar pathogenesis, phenotypes, and stress resistance, the fundamental data on the roles of <italic>AoArc</italic> genes in <italic>A. oligospora</italic> are obtained in this study. Membrane endocytosis in <italic>AoArc</italic> mutants was significantly reduced. Meanwhile, the capacity of trap device formation against nematodes and ammonia was impaired due to <italic>AoArc</italic> deletions. We also found that <italic>AoArc</italic> genes could regulate conidial phenotypes, cell nuclear distribution, pH response, and stress resistance. Results of qRT-PCR assays revealed that sporulation-regulated genes were affected after the deletion of <italic>AoArc</italic> genes. In particular, among the 12 arrestins, <italic>AoArc2</italic> mediates pH signaling in the fungus <italic>A. oligospora</italic>. Notably, combined with the classical paradigm of arrestin–GPCR signal transduction, we suggest that arrestin-regulated trap formation in <italic>A. oligospora</italic> may be directly linked to the receptor endocytosis pathway.</p>