ERG4 — Fusarium graminearum PH-1

Summary

FGRAMPH1_01G07045 (ERG4) on chromosome 1 of Fusarium graminearum PH-1 encodes a sterol reductase with D24-sterol reductase, D24(24-1)-sterol reductase, and D14-sterol reductase activities, and NADP binding, placing it in the ERG24/DHCR-like family with a sterol_reductase_CS domain. The product is associated with ergosterol and sterol anabolism, membrane transport, and cellular response to xenobiotic stimulus, and localises to the ER membrane. It is linked to filamentous growth in response to biotic stimulus. Phenotypic associations include abnormal bipolar budding, decreased endocytosis, abnormal plasma membrane and cell wall morphology, sterile mating, decreased cell fusion, absent or decreased pheromone-induced cell cycle arrest and shmoo formation, decreased invasive growth, increased cell death, and altered nutrient and iron utilisation. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence.