# Investigation of uncharacterized fungal-specific genes in dormant conidia

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 2023 · $75,500

## Abstract

Project Summary
Many invasive fungal diseases start when spores inhaled from the environment break dormancy
and begin active growth within the host. Despite their critical importance to the fungal life cycle
and potential as antifungal targets, the establishment and maintenance of spore dormancy are
poorly understood.
The proposed pilot study in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus focuses on fungal-
specific genes of unknown function that have high transcript levels in dormant asexual spores
(conidia) and low levels in actively growing cells. Genes with this particular expression pattern,
designated hic (high in conidia) genes, are likely to be involved in the establishment or
maintenance of spore dormancy. In the proposed pilot study, the 25 hic genes with the most
differential transcript levels in dormant vs nondormant cells will be characterized through
deletion and tagging. Deletion strains will be analyzed for changes in development, dormancy,
and germination using flow cytometry and microscopy. Tagged strains will be analyzed for
localization of Hic proteins during development, dormancy, and germination using fluorescence
microscopy. Tagged strains will also be used in affinity purification and mass spectroscopy to
identify interacting proteins.
Successful completion of the proposed pilot study will identify a set of genes important for
establishing and maintaining dormancy in fungal conidia along with localization and interaction
data for the transition to dormancy during development and from dormancy to active growth.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10648082
- **Project number:** 1R03AI176262-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHELLE MOMANY
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $75,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-01-18 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10648082

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10648082, Investigation of uncharacterized fungal-specific genes in dormant conidia (1R03AI176262-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10648082. Licensed CC0.

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