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Sulfate metabolism in Tuber borchii: characterization of a putative sulfate transporter and the homocysteine synthase genes

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Abstract

The homocysteine synthase (tbhos) and putative sulfate transporter (tbsul1) genes have been characterized in order to understand the sulfate metabolism and regulation in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber borchii. The analyses of tbsul1 and tbhos nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences led to the identification of the typical domains shown in homologous proteins. Sulfate starvation condition upregulates both genes. The real-time PCR assay of tbsul1 revealed that gene expression was about threefold higher in mycelia grown under sulfate starvation for 2 days than in the mycelial control and in the same starvation condition, the sulfate uptake increased. Real-time PCR and enzymatic assays showed regulation of tbhos when sulfur sources were lacking, suggesting that a transcriptional regulation of this gene rather than a post-transcriptional one occurred. Furthermore, the tbsul1 and tbhos expression patterns were evaluated during the truffle life cycle, revealing an over-expression in the mature ascomata for both genes. In the ectomycorrhizal tissue, only tbhos was upregulated suggesting its substantial role in T. borchii cysteine synthesis. The regulation of tbsul1 and tbhos occurs primarily at the transcriptional level both during vegetative and fruiting phases and these genes could be directly involved in VOCs production.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Prof. Simone Ottonello from University of Parma, Italy for his critical reading of manuscript and for the constructive suggestions made to improve this paper.

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  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, via I Maggetti 26, 61029, Urbino (PU), Italy

    Sabrina Zeppa, C. Marchionni, R. Saltarelli, C. Guidi, P. Ceccaroli, R. Pierleoni & V. Stocchi

  2. Dipartimento di Protezione e Valorizzazione Agroalimentare, Università degli Studi di Bologna, via Fanin, 46, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    A. Zambonelli

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  1. Sabrina Zeppa
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  2. C. Marchionni
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  3. R. Saltarelli
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Correspondence to Sabrina Zeppa.

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Communicated by U. Kues.

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Zeppa, S., Marchionni, C., Saltarelli, R. et al. Sulfate metabolism in Tuber borchii: characterization of a putative sulfate transporter and the homocysteine synthase genes. Curr Genet 56, 109–119 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-009-0284-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-009-0284-4

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