1
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Cui T, Ma Q, Zhang F, Chen S, Zhang C, Hao J, Liu X. Characterization of PcSTT3B as a Key Oligosaccharyltransferase Subunit Involved in N-glycosylation and Its Role in Development and Pathogenicity of Phytophthora capsici. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087500. [PMID: 37108663 PMCID: PMC10141488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Asparagine (Asn, N)-linked glycosylation is a conserved process and an essential post-translational modification that occurs on the NXT/S motif of the nascent polypeptides in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The mechanism of N-glycosylation and biological functions of key catalytic enzymes involved in this process are rarely documented for oomycetes. In this study, an N-glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin (TM) hampered the mycelial growth, sporangial release, and zoospore production of Phytophthora capsici, indicating that N-glycosylation was crucial for oomycete growth development. Among the key catalytic enzymes involved in N-glycosylation, the PcSTT3B gene was characterized by its functions in P. capsici. As a core subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex, the staurosporine and temperature sensive 3B (STT3B) subunit were critical for the catalytic activity of OST. The PcSTT3B gene has catalytic activity and is highly conservative in P. capsici. By using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene replacement system to delete the PcSTT3B gene, the transformants impaired mycelial growth, sporangial release, zoospore production, and virulence. The PcSTT3B-deleted transformants were more sensitive to an ER stress inducer TM and display low glycoprotein content in the mycelia, suggesting that PcSTT3B was associated with ER stress responses and N-glycosylation. Therefore, PcSTT3B was involved in the development, pathogenicity, and N-glycosylation of P. capsici.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongshan Cui
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Quanhe Ma
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Can Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jianjun Hao
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Xili Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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2
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Su X, Yan S, Zhao W, Liu H, Jiang Q, Wei Y, Guo H, Yin M, Shen J, Cheng H. Self-assembled thiophanate-methyl/star polycation complex prevents plant cell-wall penetration and fungal carbon utilization during cotton infection by Verticillium dahliae. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 239:124354. [PMID: 37028625 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
No effective fungicides are available for the management of Verticillium dahliae, which causes vascular wilt disease. In this study, a star polycation (SPc)-based nanodelivery system was used for the first time to develop a thiophanate-methyl (TM) nanoagent for the management of V. dahliae. SPc spontaneously assembled with TM through hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces to decrease the particle size of TM from 834 to 86 nm. Compared to TM alone, the SPc-loaded TM further reduced the colony diameter of V. dahliae to 1.12 and 0.64 cm, and the spore number to 1.13 × 108 and 0.72 × 108 cfu/mL at the concentrations of 3.77 and 4.71 mg/L, respectively. The TM nanoagents disturbed the expression of various crucial genes in V. dahliae, and contributed to preventing plant cell-wall degradation and carbon utilization by V. dahliae, which mainly impaired the infective interaction between pathogens and plants. TM nanoagents remarkably decreased the plant disease index and the fungal biomass in the root compared to TM alone, and its control efficacy was the best (61.20 %) among the various formulations tested in the field. Furthermore, SPc showed negligible acute toxicity toward cotton seeds. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to design a self-assembled nanofungicide that efficiently inhibits V. dahliae growth and protects cotton from the destructive Verticillium wilt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Su
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, PR China
| | - Shuo Yan
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Weisong Zhao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Baoding 071000, PR China
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, PR China
| | - Qinhong Jiang
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Ying Wei
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Huiming Guo
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, PR China
| | - Meizhen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Lab of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, PR China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Hongmei Cheng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, PR China.
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Lv J, Liu S, Zhang X, Zhao L, Zhang T, Zhang Z, Feng Z, Wei F, Zhou J, Zhao R, Feng H, Zhu H, Li C, Zhang Y. VdERG2 was involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, nutritional differentiation and virulence of Verticillium dahliae. Curr Genet 2023; 69:25-40. [PMID: 36416932 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-022-01257-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The ergosterol biosynthesis pathway plays an important role in model pathogenic bacteria Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but little is known about the biosynthesis of ergosterol in the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae. In this study, we identified the VdERG2 gene encoding sterol C-8 isomerase from V. dahliae and investigated its function in virulence by generating gene deletion mutants (ΔVdERG2) and complemented mutants (C-ΔVdERG2). Knockout of VdERG2 reduced ergosterol content. The conidial germination rate and conidial yield of ΔVdERG2 significantly decreased and abnormal conidia were produced. In spite of VdERG2 did not affect the utilization of carbon sources by V. dahliae, but the melanin production of ΔVdERG2 was decreased in cellulose and pectin were used as the sole carbon sources. Furthermore, the ΔVdERG2 mutants produced less microsclerotia and melanin with a significant decrease in the expression of microsclerotia and melanin-related genes VaflM, Vayg1, VDH1, VdLAC, VdSCD and VT4HR. In addition, mutants ΔVdERG2 were very sensitive to congo red (CR), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) stresses, indicating that VdERG2 was involved in the cell wall and oxidative stress response. The absence of VdERG2 weakened the penetration ability of mycelium on cellophane and affected the growth of mycelium. Although ΔVdERG2 could infect cotton, its pathogenicity was significantly impaired. These phenotypic defects in ΔVdERG2 could be complemented by the reintroduction of a full-length VdERG2 gene. In summary, as a single conservative secretory protein, VdERG2 played a crucial role in ergosterol biosynthesis, nutritional differentiation and virulence in V. dahliae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyuan Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Shichao Liu
- Spice and Beverage Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Wanning, 571533, Hainan, China
| | - Xiaojian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Lihong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- Cotton Sciences Research Institute of Hunan, Changde, 415101, Hunan, China
| | - Zili Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Feng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Jinglong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Ruiyuan Zhao
- Cotton Sciences Research Institute of Hunan, Changde, 415101, Hunan, China
| | - Hongjie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Heqin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Caihong Li
- Cotton Sciences Research Institute of Hunan, Changde, 415101, Hunan, China.
| | - Yalin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China.
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4
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Zhang C, Wang D, Li W, Zhang B, Abdel-Fattah Ouf GM, Su X, Li J. The coat protein p25 from maize chlorotic mottle virus involved in symptom development and systemic movement of tobacco mosaic virus hybrids. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:951479. [PMID: 35992724 PMCID: PMC9389212 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.951479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral coat protein (CP) has numerous critical functions in plant infection, but little is known about p25, the CP of maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV; Machlomovirus), which causes severe yield losses in maize worldwide. Here, we investigated the roles of p25 in pathogenicity and systemic movement, as well as potential interactions with host plants, using a hybrid tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based expression system. Highly conserved protein p25 is predicted to contain a membrane-anchored nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequence and an extracellular sequence. In transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants containing the movement protein (MP) of TMV (TMV-MP), p25 induced severe symptoms, including dwarf and foliar necrosis, and was detected in inoculated and non-inoculated leaves. After the deletion of NLS from nuclear-located p25, the protein was found throughout the host cell, and plant stunting and starch granule deformity were reduced. Systemic movement and pathogenicity were significantly impaired when the C-terminal regions of p25 were absent. Using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), the transcript level of heat shock protein HSP90 was distinctly lower in host plants in association with the absence of leaf necrosis induced by TMV-p25. Our results revealed crucial roles for MCMV p25 in viral pathogenicity, long-distance movement, and interactions with N. benthamiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Di Wang
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baolong Zhang
- Excellence and Innovation Center, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Gamal M. Abdel-Fattah Ouf
- Department of Botany and Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Xiaofeng Su
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
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5
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Potential Antagonistic Bacteria against Verticillium dahliae Isolated from Artificially Infested Nursery. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123588. [PMID: 34944096 PMCID: PMC8699867 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As an ecofriendly biocontrol agent, antagonistic bacteria are a crucial class of highly efficient fungicides in the field against Verticillium dahliae, the most virulent pathogen for cotton and other crops. Toward identifying urgently needed bacterial candidates, we screened bacteria isolated from the cotton rhizosphere soil for antagonisitic activity against V. dahliae in an artificially infested nursery. In preliminary tests of antagonistic candidates to characterize the mechanism of action of on culture medium, 88 strains that mainly belonged to Bacillus strongly inhibited the colony diameter of V. dahliae, with inhibiting efficacy up to 50% in 9 strains. Among the most-effective bacterial strains, Bacillus sp. ABLF-18, and ABLF-50 and Paenibacillus sp. ABLF-90 significantly reduced the disease index and fungal biomass of cotton to 40–70% that of the control. In further tests to elucidate the biocontrol mechanism (s), the strains secreted extracellular enzymes cellulase, glucanase, and protease, which can degrade the mycelium, and antimicrobial lipopeptides such as surfactin and iturin homologues. The expression of PAL, MAPK and PR10, genes related to disease resistance, was also elicited in cotton plants. Our results clearly show that three candidate bacterial strains can enhance cotton defense responses against V. dahliae; the secretion of fungal cell-wall-degrading enzymes, synthesis of nonribosomal antimicrobial peptides and induction of systemic resistance shows that the strains have great potential as biocontrol fungicides.
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6
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Zhao M, Wang C, Wan J, Li Z, Liu D, Yamamoto N, Zhou E, Shu C. Functional validation of pathogenicity genes in rice sheath blight pathogen Rhizoctonia solani by a novel host-induced gene silencing system. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:1587-1598. [PMID: 34453407 PMCID: PMC8578826 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Rice sheath blight, caused by the soilborne fungus Rhizoctonia solani, causes severe yield losses worldwide. Elucidation of the pathogenic mechanism of R. solani is highly desired. However, the lack of a stable genetic transformation system has made it challenging to examine genes' functions in this fungus. Here, we present functional validation of pathogenicity genes in the rice sheath blight pathogen R. solani by a newly established tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) system using the virulent R. solani AG-1 IA strain GD-118. RNA interference constructs of 33 candidate pathogenicity genes were infiltrated into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves with the TRV-HIGS system. Of these constructs, 29 resulted in a significant reduction in necrosis caused by GD-118 infection. For further validation of one of the positive genes, trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (Rstps2), stable rice transformants harbouring the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) construct for Rstps2 were created. The transformants exhibited reduced gene expression of Rstps2, virulence, and trehalose accumulation in GD-118. We showed that the dsRNA for Rstps2 was taken up by GD-118 mycelia and sclerotial differentiation of GD-118 was inhibited. These findings offer gene identification opportunities for the rice sheath blight pathogen and a theoretical basis for controlling this disease by spray-induced gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Zhao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Chenjiaozi Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jun Wan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zanfeng Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Dilin Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice BreedingGuangzhouChina
| | - Naoki Yamamoto
- College of AgronomySichuan Agricultural UniversityChengduChina
| | - Erxun Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Canwei Shu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlDepartment of Plant PathologySouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
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7
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Yong M, Yu J, Pan X, Yu M, Cao H, Song T, Qi Z, Du Y, Zhang R, Yin X, Liu W, Liu Y. Two mating-type genes MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-1-2 with significant functions in conidiation, stress response, sexual development, and pathogenicity of rice false smut fungus Villosiclava virens. Curr Genet 2020; 66:989-1002. [PMID: 32572596 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-020-01085-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Rice false smut caused by Villosiclava virens is one of the destructive diseases on panicles of rice. Sexual development of V. virens, controlled by mating-type locus, plays an important role in the prevalence of rice false smut and genetic diversity of the pathogen. However, how the mating-type genes mediate sexual development of the V. virens remains largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the two mating-type genes, MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-1-2, in V. virens. MAT1-1-1 knockout mutant showed defects in hyphal growth, conidia morphogenesis, sexual development, and increase in the tolerance to salt and osmotic stress. Targeted deletion of MAT1-1-2 not only impaired the sclerotia formation and pathogenicity of V. virens, but also reduced the production of conidia. The MAT1-1-2 mutant showed increases in tolerance to salt and hydrogen peroxide stress, but decreases in tolerance to osmotic stress. Yeast two-hybrid assay showed that MAT1-1-1 interacted with MAT1-1-2, indicating that those proteins might form a complex to regulate sexual development. In addition, MAT1-1-1 localized in the nucleus, and MAT1-1-2 localized in the cytoplasm. Collectively, our results demonstrate that MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-1-2 play important roles in the conidiation, stress response, sexual development, and pathogenicity of V. virens, thus providing new insights into the function of mating-type gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingli Yong
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Junjie Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiayan Pan
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Mina Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Huijuan Cao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianqiao Song
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhongqiang Qi
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Du
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Rongsheng Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaole Yin
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China.
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Qin T, Hao W, Sun R, Li Y, Wang Y, Wei C, Dong T, Wu B, Dong N, Wang W, Sun J, Yang Q, Zhang Y, Yang S, Wang Q. Verticillium dahliae VdTHI20, Involved in Pyrimidine Biosynthesis, Is Required for DNA Repair Functions and Pathogenicity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1378. [PMID: 32085660 PMCID: PMC7073022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae (V. dahliae) infects roots and colonizes the vascular vessels of host plants, significantly reducing the economic yield of cotton and other crops. In this study, the protein VdTHI20, which is involved in the thiamine biosynthesis pathway, was characterized by knocking out the corresponding VdTHI20 gene in V. dahliae via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). The deletion of VdTHI20 resulted in several phenotypic defects in vegetative growth and conidiation and in impaired virulence in tobacco seedlings. We show that VdTHI20 increases the tolerance of V. dahliae to UV damage. The impaired vegetative growth of ΔVdTHI20 mutant strains was restored by complementation with a functional copy of the VdTHI20 gene or by supplementation with additional thiamine. Furthermore, the root infection and colonization of the ΔVdTHI20 mutant strains were suppressed, as indicated by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labelling under microscope observation. When the RNAi constructs of VdTHI20 were used to transform Nicotiana benthamiana, the transgenic lines expressing dsVdTHI20 showed elevated resistance to V. dahliae. Together, these results suggest that VdTHI20 plays a significant role in the pathogenicity of V. dahliae. In addition, the pathogenesis-related gene VdTHI20 exhibits potential for controlling V. dahliae in important crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Qin
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Wei Hao
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Runrun Sun
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Yuqing Li
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Chunyan Wei
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Tao Dong
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Bingjie Wu
- College of Agriculture, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China;
| | - Na Dong
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Weipeng Wang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Jialiang Sun
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Qiuyue Yang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Song Yang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
| | - Qinglian Wang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Sciences and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China; (T.Q.); (R.S.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (C.W.); (N.D.); (W.W.); (J.S.); (Y.Z.); (S.Y.)
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9
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Su X, Lu G, Li X, Rehman L, Liu W, Sun G, Guo H, Wang G, Cheng H. Host-Induced Gene Silencing of an Adenylate Kinase Gene Involved in Fungal Energy Metabolism Improves Plant Resistance to Verticillium dahliae. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E127. [PMID: 31940882 PMCID: PMC7023357 DOI: 10.3390/biom10010127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticillium wilt, caused by the ascomycete fungus Verticillium dahliae (Vd), is a devastating disease of numerous plant species. However, the pathogenicity/virulence-related genes in this fungus, which may be potential targets for improving plant resistance, remain poorly elucidated. For the study of these genes in Vd, we used a well-established host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) approach and identified 16 candidate genes, including a putative adenylate kinase gene (VdAK). Transiently VdAK-silenced plants developed milder wilt symptoms than control plants did. VdAK-knockout mutants were more sensitive to abiotic stresses and had reduced germination and virulence on host plants. Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana plants that overexpressed VdAK dsRNAs had improved Vd resistance than the wild-type. RT-qPCR results showed that VdAK was also crucial for energy metabolism. Importantly, in an analysis of total small RNAs from Vd strains isolated from the transgenic plants, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting VdAK was identified in transgenic N. benthamiana. Our results demonstrate that HIGS is a promising strategy for efficiently screening pathogenicity/virulence-related genes of Vd and that VdAK is a potential target to control this fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Su
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Guoqing Lu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Latifur Rehman
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23561, Pakistan
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Guoqing Sun
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Huiming Guo
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
| | - Guoliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
- Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Hongmei Cheng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (X.S.); (G.L.); (X.L.); (L.R.); (G.S.); (H.G.)
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Li X, Su X, Lu G, Sun G, Zhang Z, Guo H, Guo N, Cheng H. VdOGDH is involved in energy metabolism and required for virulence of Verticillium dahliae. Curr Genet 2019; 66:345-359. [PMID: 31422448 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-01025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae, a soil-borne fungus, can invade plant vascular tissue and cause Verticillium wilt. The enzyme α-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH), catalyzing the oxidation of α-oxoglutarate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), is vital for energy metabolism in the fungi. Here, we identified the OGDH gene in V. dahliae (VdOGDH, VDAG_10018) and investigated its function in virulence by generating gene deletion mutants (ΔVdOGDH) and complementary mutants (ΔVdOGDH-C). When the ΔVdOGDH mutants were supplemented with different carbon sources, vegetative growth on Czapek Dox medium was significantly impaired, suggesting that VdOGDH is crucial for vegetative growth and carbon utilization. Conidia of the ΔVdOGDH mutants were atypically rounded or spherical, and hyphae were irregularly branched and lacked typical whorled branches. Mutants ΔVdOGDH-1 and ΔVdOGDH-2 were highly sensitive to H2O2 in the medium plates and had higher intracellular ROS levels. ΔVdOGDH mutants also had elevated expression of oxidative response-related genes, indicating that VdOGDH is involved in response to oxidative stress. In addition, the disruption of VdOGDH caused a significant increase in the expression of energy metabolism-related genes VdICL, VdICDH, VdMDH, and VdPDH and melanin-related genes Vayg1, VdSCD, VdLAC, VT4HR, and VaflM in the ΔVdOGDH mutants; thus, VdOGDH is also important for energy metabolism and melanin accumulation. Cotton plants inoculated with ΔVdOGDH mutants exhibited mild leaf chlorosis and the disease index was lower compared with wild type and ΔVdOGDH-C strains. These results together show that VdOGDH involved in energy metabolism of V. dahliae, is also essential for full virulence by regulating multiple fungal developmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokang Li
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.,Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xiaofeng Su
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Guoqing Lu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Guoqing Sun
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Hunan Plant Protection Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China
| | - Huiming Guo
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Ning Guo
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Hongmei Cheng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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Jiménez-Ruiz J, Leyva-Pérez MDLO, Gómez-Lama Cabanás C, Barroso JB, Luque F, Mercado-Blanco J. The Transcriptome of Verticillium dahliae Responds Differentially Depending on the Disease Susceptibility Level of the Olive ( Olea europaea L.) Cultivar. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10040251. [PMID: 30934761 PMCID: PMC6523120 DOI: 10.3390/genes10040251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Among biotic constraints affecting olive trees cultivation worldwide, the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae is considered one of the most serious threats. Olive cultivars display differential susceptibility to the disease, but our knowledge on the pathogen’s responses when infecting varieties differing in susceptibility is scarce. A comparative transcriptomic analysis (RNA-seq) was conducted in olive cultivars Picual (susceptible) and Frantoio (tolerant). RNA samples originated from roots during the first two weeks after inoculation with V. dahliae defoliating (D) pathotype. Verticillium dahliae mRNA amount was overwhelmingly higher in roots of the susceptible cultivar, indicating that proliferation of pathogen biomass is favored in ‘Picual’. A significant larger number of V. dahliae unigenes (11 fold) were only induced in this cultivar. Seven clusters of differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified according to time-course expression patterns. Unigenes potentially coding for niche-adaptation, pathogenicity, virulence and microsclerotia development were induced in ‘Picual’, while in ‘Frantoio’ expression remained negligible or null. Verticillium dahliae D pathotype transcriptome responses are qualitatively and quantitatively different, and depend on cultivar susceptibility level. The much larger V. dahliae biomass found in ‘Picual’ roots is a consequence of both host and pathogen DEG explaining, to a large extent, the higher aggressiveness exerted over this cultivar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Jiménez-Ruiz
- Center for Advanced Studies in Olive Grove and Olive Oils, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - María de la O Leyva-Pérez
- Center for Advanced Studies in Olive Grove and Olive Oils, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Carmen Gómez-Lama Cabanás
- Department of Crop Protection, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus 'Alameda del Obispo', Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Juan B Barroso
- Center for Advanced Studies in Olive Grove and Olive Oils, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Francisco Luque
- Center for Advanced Studies in Olive Grove and Olive Oils, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Jesús Mercado-Blanco
- Department of Crop Protection, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus 'Alameda del Obispo', Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004 Córdoba, Spain.
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Su X, Lu G, Rehman L, Li X, Sun L, Guo H, Cheng H. mCherry-Labeled Verticillium dahliae Could Be Utilized to Investigate Its Pathogenicity Process in Nicotiana benthamiana. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E508. [PMID: 30340423 PMCID: PMC6210675 DOI: 10.3390/genes9100508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne phytopathogenic fungus that causes a destructive vascular wilt, but details of the molecular mechanism behind its pathogenicity are not very clear. Here, we generated a red fluorescent isolate of V. dahliae by protoplast transformation to explore its pathogenicity mechanism, including colonization, invasion, and extension in Nicotiana benthamiana, using confocal microscopy. The nucleotide sequences of mCherry were optimized for fungal expression and cloned into pCT-HM plasmid, which was inserted into V. dahliae protoplasts. The transformant (Vd-m) shows strong red fluorescence and its phenotype, growth rate, and pathogenicity did not differ significantly from the wild type V. dahliae (Vd-wt). Between one and three days post inoculation (dpi), the Vd-m successfully colonized and invaded epidermal cells of the roots. From four to six dpi, hyphae grew on root wounds and lateral root primordium and entered xylem vessels. From seven to nine dpi, hyphae extended along the surface of the cell wall and massively grew in the xylem vessel of roots. At ten dpi, the Vd-m was found in petioles and veins of leaves. Our results distinctly showed the pathway of V. dahliae infection and colonization in N. benthamiana, and the optimized expression can be used to deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanism of pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Su
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Guoqing Lu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Latifur Rehman
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23561, Pakistan.
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Lu Sun
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
- College of Life Engineering, Shenyang Institute of Technology, Fushun 113122, China.
| | - Huiming Guo
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Hongmei Cheng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
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