FIG. 6.

Developmental competence assays to compare ΔAfclrD, control, and wild-type strains. (A) Diagram of the developmental competence assay and relative timing of conidiophore development in wild-type A. fumigatus. (B) Northern analysis to determine expression of key genes in the conidiogenesis pathway. Expression of a critical activator, AfbrlA, is delayed in ΔAfclrD. (C) Microscopic analysis of tissue from a developmental competence assay. The ΔAfclrD mutant (TJMP1.11) does not start to produce phialides until ∼9 h after reaching competence, while wild type with pyrG (TJW55.1) and the complemented control (TRMP4.40) strains produced phialides by the 6-hour time point.