The zygomycete fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus has been
investigated for the variety and sensitivity of its responses to
light, particularly the phototropism of its giant fruiting bodies,
the sporangiophores. Other light responses investigated in detail
are the regulation of sporangiophore development and the regulation
of the biosynthesis of the pigment β-carotene. In addition,
the Phycomyces sporangiophore reacts to a variety of
environmental stimuli, including gravity, touch, wind, and the
presence of nearby objects by changing the speed and direction of
growth.
The Phycomyces genome sequence will help to start a
genomic approach that will complement the current research carried
out with this organism. Moreover, the sequence of the
Phycomyces genome will help to identify genes and proteins
that could participate in the signal transduction pathways for
responses to environmental cues. The identification of the full set
of Phycomyces genes will allow the design of microarrays
for whole-genome assays of gene expression to investigate the
responses of Phycomyces to environmental signals. The
sequence of the Phycomyces genome will significantly
accelerate research into the molecular details of
Phycomyces' precisely regulated responses.
Phycomyces has also served as a model for research on the
regulation of the biosynthesis of the pigment β-carotene in
fungi. The production of β-carotene from natural sources,
including fungi, is being developed as a safe alternative to the
use of chemically synthesized pigments by the food industry.
Nobel laureate Max Delbrück pioneered the use of
Phycomyces as a model organism for sensory physiology
after dropping out from phage research in the mid-fifities of the
last century. The Phycomyces genome will help to
understand the molecular basis of environmental sensing in this
model fungus. In addition, the full description of a zygomycete
genome will provide key information about the evolution of fungal
genomes.
