Functional characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus protein phosphatase encoding genes

Abstract

Aspergillus fumigatus is a saprophytic filamentous fungus that can be found worldwide. Because of this, it is commonly found in the soil, plant surfaces and it is a key role in recycling the carbon and nitrogen from deceased organisms. Aspergillus fumigatus is also considered to be an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised individuals and cause the disease known as aspergillosis. Reversible phosphorylation of proteins is a major mechanism regulating many biological processes such as metabolism, gene transcription and cell cycle. Most phosphorylation events in eukaryotes involve protein phosphatases enzymes. Distinct enzyme families were identified on the bases of the primary structures of the catalytic subunits/domains: protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), phosphoprotein phosphatase (PPP), and metal ion dependent protein phosphatase (PPM). Although proteins phosphatase had its biological function well characterized for some filamentous fungi, much is not known in Aspergillus fumigatus. The purpose of this project is to investigate and to phenotypically characterize the protein phosphatase in A. fumigatus.