Distinct cell cycle regulation during saprophytic and pathogenic growth in fungal pathogens

In a number of dimorphic and hemibiotrophic pathogens, cell cycle regulation has been shown to be important for morphological changes related to infectious growth or infection-related morphogenesis. However, the role of mitotic CDK kinase Cdc2, the key regulator of cell cycle, in pathogenic growth is not clear, because most fungal pathogens have a single CDC2 gene that is essential for cell cycle progression and viability. Interestingly, the wheat scab fungus Fusarium graminearum has two CDC2 genes. Although CDC2A and CDC2B have redundant functions in vegetative growth and asexual production, only CDC2A is required for invasive growth and plant infection. In this study, we showed that Cdc2A and Cdc2B interacted with each other and may form homo- and heterodimers in vegetative hyphae. We also identified sequence and structural differences between Cdc2A and Cdc2B that may be related to their functional divergence. These results, together with earlier studies with cyclins, important for differentiation and infection in Candida albicans and Ustilago maydis, indicated that dimorphic and hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens may have stage-specific cyclin–CDK combinations or CDK targets during saprophytic and pathogenic growth.