GAS1 — Aspergillus fumigatus

Summary

AFU2G05340 (GAS1, also known as gel4) in Aspergillus fumigatus encodes a glucanosyltransferase with 1,3-beta-glucanosyltransferase activity, belonging to the glycoside hydrolase superfamily and containing an X8 domain. The gene is associated with fungal-type cell wall assembly and biogenesis, cell wall 1,3-beta-glucan metabolism and anabolism, host invasion and interaction with host, adhesion of symbiont to host, single-species biofilm formation on or in the host organism and on inanimate substrates, cell-substrate adhesion, division septum assembly, establishment or maintenance of cell polarity, cell morphogenesis, and cellular responses to pH and calcium ions. The protein localizes to sites of polarized growth, new and old growing cell tips, the external side of the plasma membrane, cell septum edging, primary cell septum, cellular bud membrane and scar, vesicles, and lipid rafts. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence.