CHS5 — Aspergillus fumigatus

Summary

AFU2G13440 (symbol CHS5, also known as chsE) on chromosome 2 of Aspergillus fumigatus encodes a protein with chitin synthase activity (EC 2.4.1.16) and cytoskeletal motor activity, and contains myosin motor, chitin synthase, and cytochrome b5-like domains. The gene is associated with cell wall biogenesis, hyphal growth, cell tip growth, conidiophore development, asexual sporulation, conidia formation, morphogenesis, the cellular osmotic response, amino acid anabolism, and the inflammatory and immune responses. Its product localizes to the hyphal tip, cross wall, cell periphery, cell tip, plasmalemma, and myosin complex. The gene has been connected to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mouse and Galleria mellonella models. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to vascular wilt pathogens such as Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum.