NUDF, A NUCLEAR MIGRATION GENE IN ASPERGILLUS-NIDULANS, IS SIMILAR TOTHE HUMAN LIS-1 GENE REQUIRED FOR NEURONAL MIGRATION

During a study of the genetics of nuclear migration in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, we cloned a gene, nudF, which is require d for nuclear migration during vegetative growth as well as developmen t. The NUDF protein level is controlled by another protein NUDC, and e xtra copies of the nudF gene can suppress the nudC3 mutation. nudF enc odes a protein with 42% sequence identity to the human LIS-1 (Miller-D ieker lissencephaly-1) gene, which is required for proper neuronal mig ration during brain development. This strong similarity suggests that the LIS-1 gene product may have a function similar to that of NUDF and supports previous findings to suggest that nuclear migration may play a role in neuronal migration.