Molecular mechanisms of mechanosensing and their roles in fungal contact sensing

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Abstract
Fungal plant pathogens undergo differentiation in response to contact with a surface. Specific features of the surface are sensed. Candida albicans, an opportunistic human pathogen, exhibits contact-dependent filamentous growth, which might promote invasion of host tissue during infection. The well-studied mechanosensitive ion channel MscL is activated by lipid-bilayer deformation. Mechanosensitive ion channels that might use a similar molecular mechanism for activation are involved in some of the contact-dependent responses of fungi. Another mechanism for contact sensing involves fungal members of the G-protein coupled receptor family of proteins.