SPN4 — Aspergillus fumigatus

Summary

AFU5G03080 (symbol SPN4, also known as aspC or AfCDC12) in Aspergillus fumigatus encodes a septin, a structural constituent of the cytoskeleton with GTPase activity and the ability to bind phosphatidylinositol phosphates. The gene is associated with fundamental cell cycle processes including cytokinesis, septin ring assembly and disassembly, contractile ring assembly, and the G1/S transition. It is linked to chitin localization, ER polarization, nuclear movement, division septum assembly, and filamentous growth. Associations with cell cycle phenotypes include delayed cytokinesis, premature G2/M transition, increased rate of passage through START, and arrested anaphase progression. The gene is also connected to bipolar budding pattern abnormalities, decreased spore germination, absent cell fusion, and altered mating efficiency. In pathogenesis contexts, SPN4 is associated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and has been studied in Galleria mellonella and Mus musculus models.