mpkA — Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4

Summary

ANIA_10731 (mpkA) on chromosome 5 of Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4 encodes a protein kinase domain-containing protein with MAP kinase and serine/threonine kinase activity, including ERK1-type and ATP-dependent protein binding functions. The gene is associated with stress-activated MAPK (SAPK) signaling, regulation of cellular respiration, and cellular thermotolerance. It is linked to regulation of melanin and chitin anabolism, siderophore anabolism, cell wall organization or biogenesis, cell shape regulation, and calcium-mediated signaling and import. The product localizes to the mitotic spindle pole body, cell division site, cytoplasm, cytosol, and nucleus. Related genes in other species link the family to virulence phenotypes, including reduced virulence, loss of pathogenicity, and hypervirulence, as well as associations with plant diseases such as black sigatoka, green mold, and septoria leaf blotch.