An endoplasmic reticulum domain is associated with the polarized growing cells of Podospora anserina hyphae

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is composed of distinct structural domains that perform diverse essential functions, including the synthesis of membrane lipids and proteins of the cell endomembrane system. The polarized growth of fungal hyphal cells depends on a polarized secretory system, which delivers vesicles to the hyphal apex for localized cell expansion, and that involves a polarized distribution of the secretory compartments, including the ER. Here we show that, additionally, the ER of the ascomycete Podospora anserina possesses a peripheral ER domain consisting of highly dynamic pleomorphic ER sub-compartments, which are specifically associated with the polarized growing apical hyphal cells.