A Gene of Neurospora crassa that Encodes a Protein Containing TPR Motifs

Analysis of the Neurospora crassa genome data reveals at least 14 proteins that contain tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) motifs. One of them shows over $60\%$ homology with SSN6 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a global repressor that mediates repression of genes involved in various cellular processes. Sequence analysis of its cDNA shows that it encodes a putative 102kDa protein. Mutant strains generated by RIP (repeat induced point mutation) process show four distinctive patterns of vegetative growth at various rates. They are male-fertile, yet all female-sterile and produced little or no perithecium. These results indicate that this gene is pleiotropic and involved in several cellular processes of vegetative growth, conidiation and sexual cycle. It is designated rcm-1(regulation of conidiation and morphology).