SPA2 — Fusarium graminearum PH-1

Summary

FgSPA2 (FGRAMPH1_01G02349) on chromosome 1 of Fusarium graminearum PH-1 encodes a protein with MAP kinase scaffold activity, belonging to the Spa2/Sph1 and GIT_SHD domain families. The gene is associated with bipolar bud site selection, microtubule assembly, sexual reproduction, cell polarization, actin cytoskeleton organization, pseudohyphal and invasive growth, hyphal growth, and secretion. Its product localizes to the hyphal tip polarisome, cell cortex of growing cell tips, sites of polarized growth, cellular bud tips, mitotic actomyosin contractile rings, incipient cellular bud sites, mating projection tips, and division septa. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence and fusarium head blight, though this has not been established for FgSPA2 itself.