PHASE-TRANSITION AND STAGE-SPECIFIC PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN THE DIMORPHIC FUNGUS PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS

Morphological and molecular aspects of the dimorphic pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, strain Pb 01, were investigated in vit ro. Morphological alterations during temperature shifts were preceded by significant changes in protein synthesis during the yeast --> mycel ium (36 degrees C --> 26 degrees C) transition. The reverse process, m ycelium --> yeast differentiation (26 degrees C --> 36 degrees C) is c haracterized by alterations in the synthesis of few proteins. We have also reported the occurrence of some stage-specific proteins in both y east and mycelium forms; the classical heat shock protein hsp70 is det ected only in yeast cells. The dimorphic characteristics of P. brasili ensis make it an attractive model for gene expression and cellular dif ferentiation studies. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.