The WOPR family protein Ryp1 is a key regulator of gene expression, development, and virulence in the thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen Coccidioides posadasii
Fig 2
C. posadasii Δryp1 does not produce normal spherules in vitro.
(A, B) Spherules of WT, a Δryp1 mutant and an ectopic transformed strain, grown in Converse medium at 37°C with 20% CO2 and aliquots analyzed during in vitro spherulation. (A) Images at 24 h show that while the WT and ectopic strains are rounding up to form early spherules, Δryp1 does not form round structures. At 96 h, the WT and ectopic strains produced mature spherules, while the Δryp1 exhibited limited polar hyphal growth. (B) Images stained with lactophenol blue at 120 h show mature spherules produced by WT and polar hyphal growth by Δryp1. Black bars represent 10 μm. (C) Percentage of spore viabilities for WT and ectopic strains, and Δryp1 mutants (1563.7 and 1563.10) were determined based on the growth on 2X GYE plates at 37°C and 25°C.