Description
- Abstract:
- Sexual reproduction typically involves fusion of haploid gametes to form diploid cells, which subsequently undergo meiosis to regenerate the haploid form. Despite the ubiquity of sex across the eukaryotic kingdom, there remains limited understanding of the diversity of sexual programs between species, as well as the benefits and costs associated with sexual reproduction. These questions can be explored in the Candida clade of yeast, which are a common source of nosocomial infections in humans. In this work, the reproductive cycle of two Candida clade species are analyzed. In C. lusitaniae, sexual reproduction has been rewired so that genes specific to mating or meiosis in the model yeast S. cerevisiae are integral to both processes in C. lusitaniae. The fusion of the programs regulating mating and meiosis has evolved multiple times in diverse fungal lineages, possibly to favor propagation of these species in the haploid state. Curiously, sex in C. albicans has evolved an additional level of regulation, so that cells in the “white” state are sterile whereas cells in the “opaque” state are mating competent. The stark difference in mating competency is shown to be due to differences in the expression of key MAPK components. These findings are discussed in light of the rewiring of MAPK pathways in other systems, and their implications for sexual reproduction eukaryotic species.
- Notes:
- Thesis (Ph. D.)--Brown University, 2018
Access Conditions
- Rights
- In Copyright
- Restrictions on Use
- Collection is open for research.
Citation
Scaduto, Christine Maria,
"Mechanisms of Sexual Reproduction in Human Fungal Pathogens"
(2018).
Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.26300/9vba-ss45
Relations
Collection:
-
Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations for the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry department....