Grant: Canada Research Chairs

The goal of my research program is to better understand factors that control fungal cell shape generation. Fungal impacts on humans and on general ecology include both major beneficial and detrimental effects, ranging from recycling and biotechnology to pathogenesis. In order to better use or control fungal activities, we need improved understanding of their growth, metabolism, reproduction, and environmental responses. In addition, although fungi have few cell types and simple cell structures compared to animals, fungal and animal physiology are fundamentally similar. This facilitates medically relevant knowledge transfer from experimental studies using fungi. My research uses complementary approaches 1) characterization of cell shape mutants in the bread mold fungus, Aspergillus nidulans, and 2) high resolution structural and biochemical studies to develop better tools for understanding ther relationship between cell form, function, and composition. My research group has made major strides in understanding two key genes, A. nidulans hypA and hypB that control related but distinct pathways in cell growth and shape controls. These genes are particularly important because both have been shown to coordinate cell growth and nuclear division. In animals, which are physiologically related to fungi, loss of control of cell shape or cell proliferation leads to cancer. The human genome has genes related to hypA and hypB. Basic experiments can be done easily and quickly in fungi, so that the results can be used in medical research. In the coming funding cycle we will clarify relationships and functions of these genes, and explore how they cause death versus growth in the two distinct cell types that form A. nidulans colonies. We will apply our newly-developed bioanalytical tools (atomic force microscopy, and synchrotron infrared spectroscopy) to characterizatio of critical stages in the fungal life cycle, and to exploration of the biochemical consequences of fungal growth in diverse environments.