CEK1 — Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4

Summary

ANIA_03719 (CEK1, also known as mpkB) on chromosome 2 of Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4 encodes a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase of the ERK1 type, possessing protein serine/threonine kinase activity and ATP binding. This gene is associated with a wide range of biological processes including tube fusion, stem cell differentiation, invasive hyphae formation, sexual sporulation, syngamy, karyogamy, cell wall modification, autolysis, and positive regulation of penicillin metabolism and ascospore formation. It is linked to carbon catabolite repression and the mitotic cell cycle G1 arrest in response to pheromone. The encoded protein localizes to the hyphal tip, nuclear envelope, cytoplasm, and nucleus. Phenotypic associations include abnormal biofilm formation, absent mating efficiency and cell fusion, abnormal spore germination, and altered cell cycle progression. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to virulence and pathogenicity traits.