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Wang B, Lei X, Chen J, Li W, Long Y, Wang W. Antifungal Activities of Bacillus mojavensis BQ-33 towards the Kiwifruit Black Spot Disease Caused by the Fungal Pathogen Didymella glomerata. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10102085. [PMID: 36296359 PMCID: PMC9611226 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10102085] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
‘Hongyang’ kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis, cultivar ‘Hongyang’) black spot disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Didymella glomerata, and is a serious disease, causing considerable losses to the kiwifruit industry during growth of the fruit. Hence, we aimed to identify a potential biocontrol agent against D. glomerata. In this study, bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere soil of kiwifruit were tested for their potential antifungal activity against selected fungal pathogens. Based on a phylogenetic tree constructed using sequences of 16S rDNA and the gyrA gene, BQ-33 with the best antifungal activity was identified as Bacillus mojavensis. We evaluated the antagonistic activity and inhibitory mechanism of BQ-33 against D. glomerata. Confrontation experiments showed that both BQ-33 suspension and the sterile supernatant (SS) produced by BQ-33 possessed excellent broad-spectrum antifungal activity. Furthermore, the SS damaged the cell membrane and cell wall of the mycelia, resulting in the leakage of a large quantity of small ions (Na+, K+), soluble proteins and nucleic acids. Chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activities in SS increased in correlation with incubation time and remained at a high level for several days. An in vivo control efficacy assay indicated that 400 mL L−1 of SS completely inhibited kiwifruit black spot disease caused by D. glomerata. Therefore, BQ-33 is a potential biocontrol agent against kiwifruit black spot and plant diseases caused by other fungal pathogens. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of a rhizosphere microorganism as a biocontrol agent against kiwifruit black spot disease caused by D. glomerata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingce Wang
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xia Lei
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jia Chen
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Wenzhi Li
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Youhua Long
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (W.W.)
| | - Weizhen Wang
- Research Center for Engineering Technology of Kiwifruit, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Crop Protection, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (W.W.)
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Dalonso N, Petkowicz CLO, Lugones LG, Silveira MLL, Gern RMM. Comparison of cell wall polysaccharides in Schizophyllum commune after changing phenotype by mutation. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20210047. [PMID: 34730621 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120210047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Agaricomycetes fungi produce various compounds with pharmaceutical, medicinal, cosmetic, environmental and biotechnological properties. In addition, some polysaccharides extracted from the fungal cell wall have antitumor and immunomodulatory actions. The aim of this study was to use genetic modification to transform Schizophyllum commune and identify if the phenotype observed (different from the wild type) resulted in changes of the cell wall polysaccharides. The plasmid pUCHYG-GPDGLS, which contains the Pleurotus ostreatus glucan synthase gene, was used in S. commune transformations. Polysaccharides from cell wall of wild (ScW) and mutants were compared in this study. Polysaccharides from the biomass and culture broth were extracted with hot water. One of the mutants (ScT4) was selected for further studies and, after hydrolysis/acetylation, the GLC analysis showed galactose as the major component in polysaccharide fraction from the mutant and glucose as the major monomer in the wild type. Differences were also found in the elution profiles from HPSEC and NMR analyses. From the monosaccharide composition it was proposed that mannogalactans are components of S. commune cell wall for both, wild and mutant, but in different proportions. To our knowledge, this is the first time that mannogalactans are isolated from S. commune liquid culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Dalonso
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente, Universidade da Região de Joinville/UNIVILLE, Rua Paulo Malschitzki, 10, Zona Industrial Norte, 89201-972 Joinville, SC, Brazil
| | - Carmen L O Petkowicz
- Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro Politécnico, Av. Coronel Francisco H. dos Santos, 100, Caixa Postal 19046, Jardim das Américas, 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Luis G Lugones
- Utrecht University, Molecular Microbiology Department, Padualaan n° 8, Utrecht Science Park, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcia L L Silveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente, Universidade da Região de Joinville/UNIVILLE, Rua Paulo Malschitzki, 10, Zona Industrial Norte, 89201-972 Joinville, SC, Brazil
| | - Regina M M Gern
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Meio Ambiente, Universidade da Região de Joinville/UNIVILLE, Rua Paulo Malschitzki, 10, Zona Industrial Norte, 89201-972 Joinville, SC, Brazil
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Gay EJ, Soyer JL, Lapalu N, Linglin J, Fudal I, Da Silva C, Wincker P, Aury JM, Cruaud C, Levrel A, Lemoine J, Delourme R, Rouxel T, Balesdent MH. Large-scale transcriptomics to dissect 2 years of the life of a fungal phytopathogen interacting with its host plant. BMC Biol 2021; 19:55. [PMID: 33757516 PMCID: PMC7986464 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00989-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fungus Leptosphaeria maculans has an exceptionally long and complex relationship with its host plant, Brassica napus, during which it switches between different lifestyles, including asymptomatic, biotrophic, necrotrophic, and saprotrophic stages. The fungus is also exemplary of "two-speed" genome organisms in the genome of which gene-rich and repeat-rich regions alternate. Except for a few stages of plant infection under controlled conditions, nothing is known about the genes mobilized by the fungus throughout its life cycle, which may last several years in the field. RESULTS We performed RNA-seq on samples corresponding to all stages of the interaction of L. maculans with its host plant, either alive or dead (stem residues after harvest) in controlled conditions or in field experiments under natural inoculum pressure, over periods of time ranging from a few days to months or years. A total of 102 biological samples corresponding to 37 sets of conditions were analyzed. We show here that about 9% of the genes of this fungus are highly expressed during its interactions with its host plant. These genes are distributed into eight well-defined expression clusters, corresponding to specific infection lifestyles or to tissue-specific genes. All expression clusters are enriched in effector genes, and one cluster is specific to the saprophytic lifestyle on plant residues. One cluster, including genes known to be involved in the first phase of asymptomatic fungal growth in leaves, is re-used at each asymptomatic growth stage, regardless of the type of organ infected. The expression of the genes of this cluster is repeatedly turned on and off during infection. Whatever their expression profile, the genes of these clusters are enriched in heterochromatin regions associated with H3K9me3 or H3K27me3 repressive marks. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that part of the fungal genes involved in niche adaptation is located in heterochromatic regions of the genome, conferring an extreme plasticity of expression. CONCLUSION This work opens up new avenues for plant disease control, by identifying stage-specific effectors that could be used as targets for the identification of novel durable disease resistance genes, or for the in-depth analysis of chromatin remodeling during plant infection, which could be manipulated to interfere with the global expression of effector genes at crucial stages of plant infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise J Gay
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Jessica L Soyer
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Nicolas Lapalu
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Juliette Linglin
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Isabelle Fudal
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Corinne Da Silva
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Jean-Marc Aury
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Corinne Cruaud
- Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Anne Levrel
- INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, IGEPP, 35653, Le Rheu, France
| | - Jocelyne Lemoine
- INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, IGEPP, 35653, Le Rheu, France
| | - Regine Delourme
- INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, IGEPP, 35653, Le Rheu, France
| | - Thierry Rouxel
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Balesdent
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR BIOGER, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France.
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Chambers KR, Van de Wouw AP, Gardiner DM, Elliott CE, Idnurm A. A conserved Zn 2Cys 6 transcription factor, identified in a spontaneous mutant from in vitro passaging, is involved in pathogenicity of the blackleg fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. Fungal Biol 2021; 125:541-550. [PMID: 34140150 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Continuous passaging in vitro can lead to the accumulation of changes in DNA sequence that potentially affect the properties of microbes, making them different from the original isolates. The identification of such genetic alterations is rare in fungi. A set of insertional mutants in the plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaeria maculans, all derived from the same transformation experiment, had independent Agrobacterium T-DNA insertions and reduced pathogenicity on canola (Brassica napus). None of the insertions co-segregated in progeny from crosses with the reduction in pathogenicity. Genome sequences of three strains were analysed, and a mutation identified in a gene (ptf1, for pathogenicity-associated transcription factor 1) encoding a putative Zn2(II)Cys6 transcription factor. Homologs are found in other ascomycetes, and are required for pathogenicity by Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium oxysporum and Magnaporthe oryzae. The mutation in the L. maculans ptf1 gene co-segregates in progeny from crosses with the reduction in pathogenicity, a strain with an independent mutant allele isolated using CRISPR-Cas9 editing has reduced pathogenicity, and addition of wild type copies of the gene restores pathogenicity. Thus, this work defines a base pair substitution that occurred during in vitro passaging of a fungus that contributed to an attenuation of pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie R Chambers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Northam, WA, 6401, Australia
| | | | - Donald M Gardiner
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Candace E Elliott
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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Urquhart AS, Idnurm A. Limitations of transcriptome-based prediction of pathogenicity genes in the plant pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2020; 366:5475121. [PMID: 30998236 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of pathogenicity determinants in Leptosphaeria maculans, a major cause of disease of oilseed crops, has been a focus of research for many years. A wealth of gene expression information from RNA sequencing promises to illuminate the mechanisms by which the fungus is able to cause blackleg disease. However, to date, no studies have tested the hypothesis that high gene transcript levels during infection correlate with importance to disease progression. In this study, we use CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt 11 genes that are highly expressed during the early stages of disease and show that none of these genes are crucial for fungal pathogenicity on Brassica napus. This finding suggests that in order to understand the pathogenicity of this fungus more sophisticated techniques than simple expression analysis will need to be employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Urquhart
- School of BioSciences, 1929 Botany Building, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, 1929 Botany Building, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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6
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Lei R, Kong J, Qiu Y, Chen N, Zhu S, Wang X, Wu P. Rapid detection of the pathogenic fungi causing blackleg of Brassica napus using a portable real-time fluorescence detector. Food Chem 2019; 288:57-67. [PMID: 30902315 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The fungus Leptosphaeria maculans leading to Phoma stem canker (blackleg) of Brassica napus (oilseed rape, canola) produces the phytotoxin sirodesmin PL, which is responsible for major yield losses of oilseed rape worldwide. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains the gold standard diagnostic tool for L. maculans, but the required expensive equipment and long time make it inappropriate for fast field test. Herein, a portable system for rapid assaying L. maculans and L. biglobosa is designed around recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) with fluorescent probe as the signal indicator, which allowed the real-time assay of amplification performed on a portable device between 37 and 42 °C. The time needed to observe the positive reaction results is controlled within 30 min. The proposed assay system is a good choice for on-site disease screening of oilseed rape plant where rapid detection is valuable, including port quarantine, agriculture quality testing, and pathogen spreading control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Lei
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Jun Kong
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Yanhong Qiu
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Naizhong Chen
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Shuifang Zhu
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- College of Sciences, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110161, China.
| | - Pinshan Wu
- Institute of Plant Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, China.
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Choi K, Marek SM. Unique gene Pmhyp controlling melanization of pycnidia in Phoma medicaginis. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 125:53-59. [PMID: 30710747 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.01.007] [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: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Phoma medicaginis (syn. Ascochyta medicaginicola Qchen & L. Cai) causes spring black stem and leaf spot of alfalfa and the model legume Medicago truncatula. Phoma medicaginis produces uninucleate conidia in melanized pycnidia and is genetically tractable through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT), which can result in insertional mutants. One T-DNA-tagged mutant, P1A17 produced conidia in non-melanized (hyaline) pycnidia. Pycnidial melanization recovered if the mutant was supplemented with melanin precursors or allowed to age. DNA sequences flanking the insertion did not predict any disrupted open reading frames (ORF) unless a Coccidioides prediction algorithm was used. Pmhyp gene was expressed in the wild type, but not the mutant, and has not been annotated in any genomes, to date. Expression of two conserved genes flanking the T-DNA disrupted Pmhyp was unchanged from the wild type. Knockout of Pmhyp strain displayed same cultural phenotype (non-melanized pycnidia). Complementation of Pmhyp strains with wild type PmHYP partially recovered pycnidial melanization. Both knockout and complementation transformants were confirmed using RT-PCR and southern blot analysis. Taken together, PmHYP appears to be a novel regulator of pycnidium specific melanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihyuck Choi
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA; Department of Applied Bioscience, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Stephen M Marek
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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Sun J, Xu R, Xiao S, Lu Y, Zhang Q, Xue C. Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated transformation as an efficient tool for insertional mutagenesis of Kabatiella zeae. J Microbiol Methods 2018; 149:96-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Choi K, Marek SM. A noncanonical poly(A) RNA polymerase gene affects morphology in Phoma medicaginis. Fungal Genet Biol 2017; 111:47-59. [PMID: 29155068 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Phoma medicaginis (syn. Ascochyta medicaginicola Qchen & L. Cai) causes spring black stem and leaf spot, an important disease of alfalfa and annual medics. P. medicaginis forms uninucleate conidia in melanized pycnidia and is genetically tractable using Agrobacterium mediated transformation (ATMT), resulting in random integration of T-DNA that occasionally generates pycnidial mutants. The T-DNA tagged mutant, P265 displayed smaller pycnidia and more aerial hyphae than the wild type. A single T-DNA disrupted a putative noncanonical poly(A) RNA polymerase gene, Pmncpap1, which in yeast interacts with ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). As in yeast mutants, P265 showed sensitivity to hydroxyurea (HU), a RNR inhibitor. To characterize the role of Pmncpap1, targeted ΔPmncpap1 mutants were created using a hygromycin selectable marker flanked by 1 Kbp regions of Pmncpap1. ΔPmncpap1 mutants possessed similar morphological features to those of P265. The plasmid for rescue of PmncPAP1, pCAM-Nat1 (nourseothricin selection) was constructed and used to introduce full-length PmncPAP1 into mutants. Rescued P265 showed partial recovery of wild type and the original T-DNA was lost due to homologous integration. To our knowledge, this is the first ncPAP to be examined in a filamentous fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihyuck Choi
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA; Department of Applied Bioscience, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Stephen M Marek
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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10
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Idnurm A, Bailey AM, Cairns TC, Elliott CE, Foster GD, Ianiri G, Jeon J. A silver bullet in a golden age of functional genomics: the impact of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of fungi. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2017; 4:6. [PMID: 28955474 PMCID: PMC5615635 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-017-0035-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The implementation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a transformation tool revolutionized approaches to discover and understand gene functions in a large number of fungal species. A. tumefaciens mediated transformation (AtMT) is one of the most transformative technologies for research on fungi developed in the last 20 years, a development arguably only surpassed by the impact of genomics. AtMT has been widely applied in forward genetics, whereby generation of strain libraries using random T-DNA insertional mutagenesis, combined with phenotypic screening, has enabled the genetic basis of many processes to be elucidated. Alternatively, AtMT has been fundamental for reverse genetics, where mutant isolates are generated with targeted gene deletions or disruptions, enabling gene functional roles to be determined. When combined with concomitant advances in genomics, both forward and reverse approaches using AtMT have enabled complex fungal phenotypes to be dissected at the molecular and genetic level. Additionally, in several cases AtMT has paved the way for the development of new species to act as models for specific areas of fungal biology, particularly in plant pathogenic ascomycetes and in a number of basidiomycete species. Despite its impact, the implementation of AtMT has been uneven in the fungi. This review provides insight into the dynamics of expansion of new research tools into a large research community and across multiple organisms. As such, AtMT in the fungi, beyond the demonstrated and continuing power for gene discovery and as a facile transformation tool, provides a model to understand how other technologies that are just being pioneered, e.g. CRISPR/Cas, may play roles in fungi and other eukaryotic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Andy M. Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Timothy C. Cairns
- Department of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Candace E. Elliott
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Gary D. Foster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Junhyun Jeon
- College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
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11
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Urquhart AS, Idnurm A. Sit4-Associated Protein is Required for Pathogenicity of Leptosphaeria maculans on Brassica napus. Curr Microbiol 2017; 74:1438-1446. [PMID: 28840344 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-017-1338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
An insertional mutant with reduced pathogenicity on Brassica napus was identified in the plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. The transfer-DNA molecule from Agrobacterium tumefaciens inserted into a gene encoding a protein with similarity to Sit4-associated proteins (SAPs). In contrast to Saccharomyces cerevisiae which has four members of the SAP family, there is a single copy of the gene in L. maculans. The mutant had normal spore production and spore germination, but altered hyphal branching, suggesting that nutrient signaling is impaired in the strain. This is the first time that a SAP gene has been mutated in a filamentous fungus and links the function of SAP proteins to plant pathogenesis and hyphal branching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Urquhart
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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12
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Chambers K, Lowe RG, Howlett BJ, Zander M, Batley J, Van de Wouw AP, Elliott CE. Next-generation genome sequencing can be used to rapidly characterise sequences flanking T-DNA insertions in random insertional mutants of Leptosphaeria maculans. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2014; 1:10. [PMID: 28955452 PMCID: PMC5611616 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-014-0010-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Banks of mutants with random insertions of T-DNA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens are often used in forward genetics approaches to identify phenotypes of interest. Upon identification of mutants of interest, the flanking sequences of the inserted T-DNA must be identified so that the mutated gene can be characterised. However, for many fungi, this task is not trivial as widely used PCR-based methods such as thermal asymmetric interlaced polymerase chain reaction (TAIL-PCR) are not successful. Findings Next-generation Illumina sequencing was used to locate T-DNA insertion sites in four mutants of Leptosphaeria maculans, a fungal plant pathogen. Sequence reads of up to 150 bp and coverage ranging from 6 to 24 times, were sufficient for identification of insertion sites in all mutants. All T-DNA border sequences were truncated to different extents. Additionally, next-generation sequencing revealed chromosomal rearrangements associated with the insertion in one of the mutants. Conclusions Next-generation sequencing is a cost-effective and rapid method of identifying sites of T-DNA insertions, and associated genomic rearrangements in Leptosphaeria maculans and potentially in other fungal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie Chambers
- School of Botany, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
| | - Rohan Gt Lowe
- School of Botany, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia.,Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 Victoria Australia
| | - Barbara J Howlett
- School of Botany, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
| | - Manuel Zander
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland Australia
| | - Jacqueline Batley
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, 4072 Queensland Australia.,School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009 Western Australia Australia
| | - Angela P Van de Wouw
- School of Botany, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
| | - Candace E Elliott
- School of Botany, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
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13
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Feng J, Zhang H, Strelkov SE, Hwang SF. The LmSNF1 gene is required for pathogenicity in the canola blackleg pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92503. [PMID: 24638039 PMCID: PMC3956939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptosphaeria maculans is a fungal pathogen causing blackleg in canola. Its virulence has been attributed, among other factors, to the activity of hydrolytic cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs). Studies on the pathogenicity function of CWDEs in plant pathogenic fungi have been difficult due to gene redundancy. In microorganisms many CWDE genes are repressed by glucose and derepressed by the function of the sucrose non-fermenting protein kinase 1 gene (SNF1). To address the molecular function of SNF1 in L. maculans, the ortholog of SNF1 (LmSNF1) was cloned and functionally characterized using a gene knockout strategy. Growth of the LmSNF1 knockout strains was severely disrupted, as was sporulation, spore germination and the ability to attach on the plant surface. When inoculated on canola cotyledons, the LmSNF1 knockout strains could not cause any symptoms, indicating the loss of pathogenicity. The expression of 11 selected CWDE genes and a pathogenicity gene (LopB) was significantly down-regulated in the LmSNF1 knockout strains. In conclusion, knockout of LmSNF1 prevents L. maculans from properly derepressing the production of CWDEs, compromises the utilization of certain carbon sources, and impairs fungal pathogenicity on canola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Feng
- Crop Diversification Centre North, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hui Zhang
- The Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Stephen E. Strelkov
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sheau-Fang Hwang
- Crop Diversification Centre North, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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14
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Abstract
The identification of the fungal genes essential for disease underpins the development of disease control strategies. Improved technologies for gene identification and functional analyses, as well as a plethora of sequenced fungal genomes, have led to the characterization of hundreds of genes, denoted as pathogenicity genes, which are required by fungi to cause disease. We describe recent technologies applied to characterize the fungal genes involved in disease and focus on some genes that are likely to attract continuing research activity.
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15
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Dagley MJ, Gentle IE, Beilharz TH, Pettolino FA, Djordjevic JT, Lo TL, Uwamahoro N, Rupasinghe T, Tull DL, McConville M, Beaurepaire C, Nantel A, Lithgow T, Mitchell AP, Traven A. Cell wall integrity is linked to mitochondria and phospholipid homeostasis in Candida albicans through the activity of the post-transcriptional regulator Ccr4-Pop2. Mol Microbiol 2010; 79:968-89. [PMID: 21299651 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07503.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The cell wall is essential for viability of fungi and is an effective drug target in pathogens such as Candida albicans. The contribution of post-transcriptional gene regulators to cell wall integrity in C. albicans is unknown. We show that the C. albicans Ccr4-Pop2 mRNA deadenylase, a regulator of mRNA stability and translation, is required for cell wall integrity. The ccr4/pop2 mutants display reduced wall β-glucans and sensitivity to the echinocandin caspofungin. Moreover, the deadenylase mutants are compromised for filamentation and virulence. We demonstrate that defective cell walls in the ccr4/pop2 mutants are linked to dysfunctional mitochondria and phospholipid imbalance. To further understand mitochondrial function in cell wall integrity, we screened a Saccharomyces cerevisiae collection of mitochondrial mutants. We identify several mitochondrial proteins required for caspofungin tolerance and find a connection between mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis and caspofungin sensitivity. We focus on the mitochondrial outer membrane SAM complex subunit Sam37, demonstrating that it is required for both trafficking of phospholipids between the ER and mitochondria and cell wall integrity. Moreover, in C. albicans also Sam37 is essential for caspofungin tolerance. Our study provides the basis for an integrative view of mitochondrial function in fungal cell wall biogenesis and resistance to echinocandin antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Dagley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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