KIN1 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_10108 (VdKIN1) in Verticillium dahliae encodes a non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase with protein kinase A activity, ATP binding, and identical protein binding. It contains a KA1 domain and is associated with penetration peg formation, mitotic cytokinesis site selection, pseudohyphal growth regulation, fungal-type cell wall assembly, plasma membrane organization, and the CAMKK-AMPK signaling cascade. The gene is linked to cell cycle control, including positive regulation of the mitotic-to-meiotic switch and negative regulation of cytoplasmic translation. It localizes to growing and non-growing cell tips, the cell cortex, microtubule cytoskeleton, and the nucleotide-activated protein kinase complex. Associations with hyperosmotic stress resistance, desiccation resistance, filamentous growth, budding, mating efficiency, and nitrogen utilization are observed. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to oxidative stress response and loss of pathogenicity.