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Introduction
The main focus of our research is on developmental pathways resulting from conidial germination in Neurospora crassa. We have identified three specialized hyphal types produced during conidial germination in this model fungus: (1) germ tubes involved in colony establishment, (2) conidial anastomosis tubes involved in initiating the hyphal network of the colony, and (3) conidial sex tubes involved in sexual mating (this is a new hyphal type that we have recently discovered). We are particularly interested in the signalling processes that are involved in the formation and functioning of these different hyphal types, and their importance in human and plant fungal pathogens.
A revolutionary new perspective of the cell biology of fungal hyphae is arising as a result of using live-cell imaging and measurement techniques to analyse organelle and molecular dynamics [49, 51, 74]. This has become possible because of the development of (a) a wide range of fluorescent and luminescent probes (vital dyes, and recombinant fluorescent and luminescent proteins) that can be used to non-invasively image and measure the activities of living cells, (b) microscope technologies (e.g. confocal and two-photon microscopy), and (c) powerful computer software and hardware for digital image processing and analysis. In addition, other techniques (e.g. optical tweezers) can be integrated with live-cell imaging to experimentally manipulate and interrogate living cells. Our group is using all of these techniques to analyse fungal hyphae with considerable emphasis placed on interdisciplinary research.
Interdisciplinary research
Much of the work presently being
undertaken in the Fungal Cell Biology Group involves collaboration with
physicists and chemists in the Collaborative, Optical Spectroscopy, Micromanipulation
and Imaging Centre (COSMIC) at Edinburgh University.
Contact Address
Fungal Cell Biology Group,
Institute of Cell
Biology,
University of Edinburgh,
Rutherford Building,
Edinburgh, EH9 3JH, UK.
Email: Nick@fungalcell.org
Telephone +44 (0)131 650 5335
Fax +44 (0)131 650 5392 |
