RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Amphibian mucus triggers a developmental transition in the frog-killing chytrid fungus
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.01.21.477224
DO 10.1101/2022.01.21.477224
A1 Kristyn A Robinson
A1 Sarah M Prostak
A1 Evan H Campbell Grant
A1 Lillian K Fritz-Laylin
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/01/23/2022.01.21.477224.abstract
AB The frog-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) grows within the mucus-coated skin of amphibians. Each lifecycle, Bd transitions from its motile, dispersal form to its sessile growth form in a complex process called encystation. Although encystation is critical to Bd growth, whether and how this developmental transition is triggered by external signals was previously unknown. We discovered that exposure to amphibian mucus triggers rapid and reproducible encystation within minutes. This response can be recapitulated with purified mucin, the bulk component of mucus, but not by similarly-viscous methylcellulose or simple sugars. Mucin-induced encystation does not require gene expression, but does require surface adhesion, calcium signaling, and modulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Mucus-induced encystation may represent a key mechanism for synchronizing Bd development with arrival at the host.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.