1
|
Yu M, Song T, Yu J, Cao H, Pan X, Qi Z, Du Y, Liu W, Liu Y. UvVelC is important for conidiation and pathogenicity in the rice false smut pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens. Virulence 2024; 15:2301243. [PMID: 38240294 PMCID: PMC10802205 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2301243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Rice false smut disease is one of the most significant rice diseases worldwide. Ustilaginoidea virens is the causative agent of this disease. Although several developmental and pathogenic genes have been identified and functionally analyzed, the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of U. virens remain elusive. The velvet family regulatory proteins are involved in fungal development, conidiation, and pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrated the function of the VelC homolog UvVELC in U. virens. We identified the velvet family protein UvVELC and characterized its functions using a target gene deletion-strategy. Deletion of UvVELC resulted in conidiation failure and pathogenicity. The UvVELC expression levels during infection suggested that this gene might be involved in the early infection process. UvVELC is also important in resistance to abiotic stresses, the utilization efficiency of glucose, stachyose, raffinose, and other sugars, and the expression of transport-related genes. Moreover, UvVELC could physically interact with UvVEA in yeast, and UvVELC/UvVEA double-knockout mutants also failed in conidiation and pathogenicity. These results indicate that UvVELC play a critical role in the conidiation and pathogenicity in U. virens. Functional analysis indicated that UvVELC-mediated conidiation and nutrient acquisition from rice regulates the pathogenicity of U. virens. Understanding the function of the UvVELC homolog could provide a potential molecular target for controlling rice false smut disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mina Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianqiao Song
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Junjie 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
| | - Xiayan Pan
- 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
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Insistant of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Morikawa S, Verdonk C, John E, Lenzo L, Sbaraini N, Turo C, Li H, Jiang D, Chooi YH, Tan KC. The Velvet transcription factor PnVeA regulates necrotrophic effectors and secondary metabolism in the wheat pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:299. [PMID: 39127645 PMCID: PMC11316297 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03454-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The fungus Parastagonospora nodorum causes septoria nodorum blotch on wheat. The role of the fungal Velvet-family transcription factor VeA in P. nodorum development and virulence was investigated here. Deletion of the P. nodorum VeA ortholog, PnVeA, resulted in growth abnormalities including pigmentation, abolished asexual sporulation and highly reduced virulence on wheat. Comparative RNA-Seq and RT-PCR analyses revealed that the deletion of PnVeA also decoupled the expression of major necrotrophic effector genes. In addition, the deletion of PnVeA resulted in an up-regulation of four predicted secondary metabolite (SM) gene clusters. Using liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry, it was observed that one of the SM gene clusters led to an accumulation of the mycotoxin alternariol. PnVeA is essential for asexual sporulation, full virulence, secondary metabolism and necrotrophic effector regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shota Morikawa
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Callum Verdonk
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Evan John
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115201, Taiwan
| | - Leon Lenzo
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Nicolau Sbaraini
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Chala Turo
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Hang Li
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - David Jiang
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Yit-Heng Chooi
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Kar-Chun Tan
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu Y, Han S, Wang Y, Li Q, Kong L. Velvet Family Protein FpVelB Affects Virulence in Association with Secondary Metabolism in Fusarium pseudograminearum. Cells 2024; 13:950. [PMID: 38891082 PMCID: PMC11171821 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Fusarium pseudograminearum causes destructive crown disease in wheat. The velvet protein family is a crucial regulator in development, virulence, and secondary metabolism of fungi. We conducted a functional analysis of FpVelB using a gene replacement strategy. The deletion of FpVelB decreased radial growth and enhanced conidial production compared to that of wild type. Furthermore, FpVelB modulates the fungal responses to abiotic stress through diverse mechanisms. Significantly, virulence decreased after the deletion of FpVelB in both the stem base and head of wheat. Genome-wide gene expression profiling revealed that the regulation of genes by FpVelB is associated with several processes related to the aforementioned phenotype, including "immune", "membrane", and "antioxidant activity", particularly with regard to secondary metabolites. Most importantly, we demonstrated that FpVelB regulates pathogen virulence by influencing deoxynivalenol production and modulating the expression of the PKS11 gene. In conclusion, FpVelB is crucial for plant growth, asexual development, and abiotic stress response and is essential for full virulence via secondary metabolism in F. pseudograminearum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lingxiao Kong
- Plant Protection Institute, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Integrated Pest Management Center of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of IPM on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture, Baoding 071000, China; (Y.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Essadik I, Boucher C, Bobée C, Cabet É, Gautier V, Lalucque H, Silar P, Chapeland-Leclerc F, Ruprich-Robert G. Mutations in Podospora anserina MCM1 and VelC Trigger Spontaneous Development of Barren Fruiting Bodies. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:79. [PMID: 38276025 PMCID: PMC10819945 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010079] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The ascomycete Podospora anserina is a heterothallic filamentous fungus found mainly on herbivore dung. It is commonly used in laboratories as a model system, and its complete life cycle lasting eight days is well mastered in vitro. The main objective of our team is to understand better the global process of fruiting body development, named perithecia, induced normally in this species by fertilization. Three allelic mutants, named pfd3, pfd9, and pfd23 (for "promoting fruiting body development") obtained by UV mutagenesis, were selected in view of their abilities to promote barren perithecium development without fertilization. By complete genome sequencing of pfd3 and pfd9, and mutant complementation, we identified point mutations in the mcm1 gene as responsible for spontaneous perithecium development. MCM1 proteins are MADS box transcription factors that control diverse developmental processes in plants, metazoans, and fungi. We also identified using the same methods a mutation in the VelC gene as responsible for spontaneous perithecium development in the vacua mutant. The VelC protein belongs to the velvet family of regulators involved in the control of development and secondary metabolite production. A key role of MCM1 and VelC in coordinating the development of P. anserina perithecia with gamete formation and fertilization is highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Philippe Silar
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 8236—LIED, F-75013 Paris, France (C.B.); (É.C.); (V.G.); (H.L.); (F.C.-L.)
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Meng FZ, Wang ZQ, Luo M, Wei WK, Yin LF, Yin WX, Schnabel G, Luo CX. The velvet family proteins mediate low resistance to isoprothiolane in Magnaporthe oryzae. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011011. [PMID: 37276223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Isoprothiolane (IPT) resistance has emerged in Magnaporthe oryzae, due to the long-term usage of IPT to control rice blast in China, yet the mechanisms of the resistance remain largely unknown. Through IPT adaptation on PDA medium, we obtained a variety of IPT-resistant mutants. Based on their EC50 values to IPT, the resistant mutants were mainly divided into three distinct categories, i.e., low resistance (LR, 6.5 ≤ EC50 < 13.0 μg/mL), moderate resistance 1 (MR-1, 13.0 ≤ EC50 < 25.0 μg/mL), and moderate resistance 2 (MR-2, 25.0 ≤ EC50 < 35.0 μg/mL). Molecular analysis of MoIRR (Magnaporthe oryzae isoprothiolane resistance related) gene demonstrated that it was associated only with the moderate resistance in MR-2 mutants, indicating that other mechanisms were associated with resistance in LR and MR-1 mutants. In this study, we mainly focused on the characterization of low resistance to IPT in M. oryzae. Mycelial growth and conidial germination were significantly reduced, indicating fitness penalties in LR mutants. Based on the differences of whole genome sequences between parental isolate and LR mutants, we identified a conserved MoVelB gene, encoding the velvet family transcription factor, and genetic transformation of wild type isolate verified that MoVelB gene was associated with the low resistance. Based on molecular analysis, we further demonstrated that the velvet family proteins VelB and VeA were indispensable for IPT toxicity and the deformation of the VelB-VeA-LaeA complex played a vital role for the low IPT-resistance in M. oryzae, most likely through the down-regulation of the secondary metabolism-related genes or CYP450 genes to reduce the toxicity of IPT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Zhu Meng
- The Hubei Key Lab of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zuo-Qian Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Luo
- The Hubei Key Lab of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-Kai Wei
- The Hubei Key Lab of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Liang-Fen Yin
- The Experimental Teaching Center of Crop Science, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei-Xiao Yin
- The Hubei Key Lab of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guido Schnabel
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Chao-Xi Luo
- The Hubei Key Lab of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Experimental Teaching Center of Crop Science, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gao J, Zhou S, Tang W, Wang J, Liu H, Zhang Y, Wang L, Li X, Liu Z. The velvet proteins CsVosA and CsVelB coordinate growth, cell wall integrity, sporulation, conidial viability and pathogenicity in the rubber anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum siamense. Microbiol Res 2023; 268:127290. [PMID: 36571920 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Colletotrichum siamense, a member of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex species, is the primary pathogen causing rubber anthracnose, which leads to significant economic loss in natural rubber production. Velvet family proteins are fungal-specific proteins and play an essential role in regulating development and secondary metabolism. In this study, we characterized two velvet proteins CsVosA and CsVelB in C. siamense as the orthologs of VosA and VelB in Aspergillus nidulans. CsVosA is located in the nucleus, and CsVelB displays a localization in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Deleting CsvosA or CsvelB results in a slow growth rate, and the CsvelB-knockout mutants also exhibit low mycelial density. CsVosA and CsVelB are involved in regulating chitin metabolism and distribution, leading to the variation in the cell wall integrity of C. siamense. Furthermore, disruption of CsvosA or CsvelB can decrease conidial production and viability, and the ΔCsvosA and ΔCsvelB mutants also lose the ability to produce fruiting bodies. Pathogenicity assays show that deleting CsvosA or CsvelB can lower the virulence, and the two velvet genes are essential for the full virulence of C. siamense. Based on the results of the yeast two-hybrid analysis and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, CsVosA can interact with CsVelB and form the complex CsVosA-CsVelB in the conidia of C. siamense, which may play essential roles in maintaining the cell wall integrity and conidial viability. In addition, CsVelB is also involved in regulating melanin production of C. siamense. In conclusion, CsVosA and CsVelB regulate vegetative growth, cell wall integrity, asexual/sexual sporulation, conidial viability and virulence in C. siamense.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | | | - Wen Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China; One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jinhong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Huanqing Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Liya Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China; One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China; One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shi W, Yang J, Chen D, Yin C, Zhang H, Xu X, Pan X, Wang R, Fei L, Li M, Qi L, Bhadauria V, Liu J, Peng YL. The rice blast fungus SR protein 1 regulates alternative splicing with unique mechanisms. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1011036. [PMID: 36480554 PMCID: PMC9767378 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins are well known as splicing factors in humans, model animals and plants. However, they are largely unknown in regulating pre-mRNA splicing of filamentous fungi. Here we report that the SR protein MoSrp1 enhances and suppresses alternative splicing in a model fungal plant pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. Deletion of MoSRP1 caused multiple defects, including reduced virulence and thousands of aberrant alternative splicing events in mycelia, most of which were suppressed or enhanced intron splicing. A GUAG consensus bound by MoSrp1 was identified in more than 94% of the intron or/and proximate exons having the aberrant splicing. The dual functions of regulating alternative splicing of MoSrp1 were exemplified in enhancing and suppressing the consensus-mediated efficient splicing of the introns in MoATF1 and MoMTP1, respectively, which both were important for mycelial growth, conidiation, and virulence. Interestingly, MoSrp1 had a conserved sumoylation site that was essential to nuclear localization and enhancing GUAG binding. Further, we showed that MoSrp1 interacted with a splicing factor and two components of the exon-joining complex via its N-terminal RNA recognition domain, which was required to regulate mycelial growth, development and virulence. In contrast, the C-terminus was important only for virulence and stress responses but not for mycelial growth and development. In addition, only orthologues from Pezizomycotina species could completely rescue defects of the deletion mutants. This study reveals that the fungal conserved SR protein Srp1 regulates alternative splicing in a unique manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Yang
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, Department of Plant Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Deng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Changfa Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Huixia Zhang
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, Department of Plant Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaozhou Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Pan
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, Department of Plant Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ruijin Wang
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Management for Plant Quarantine Pests, Department of Plant Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Liwang Fei
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Linlu Qi
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Vijai Bhadauria
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - You-Liang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- MARA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu C, Liu T, Lv Z, Qin M, Qu Z, Zhang Z, Li F, Chen D, Zhang X, Chen XL, Shen M. A Calcineurin Regulator MoRCN1 Is Important for Asexual Development, Stress Response, and Plant Infection of Magnaporthe oryzae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:925645. [PMID: 35783935 PMCID: PMC9244802 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.925645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and virulence of plant pathogenic fungi, but the regulation of this signaling pathway is still not clear. In this study, we identified a calcineurin regulator MoRCN1 in the plant pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and found it is important for virulence by regulating the calcineurin pathway. MoRCN1 deletion mutants were severely decreased in colony growth and conidia formation. More importantly, the deletion of MoRCN1 led to a significant reduction in virulence due to defects in appressorium formation and invasive growth. The ΔMorcn1 mutants were more sensitive to different stresses and induced host ROS accumulation, suggesting a role of MoRCN1 in stress adaptation. We found that MoRCN1 directly interacted with the calcineurin catalytic subunit MoCNA and affected its protein stability, which was therefore important for regulating the calcineurin pathway. Transcriptome analysis showed that MoRCN1 significantly activated 491 genes and suppressed 337 genes in response to calcium ion, partially overlapped with the MoCRZ1-bound genes. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses indicated that MoRCN1-regulated genes were enriched in stress adaptation, lipid metabolism, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, reflecting a function of MoRCN1 in host cell adaptation. Altogether, these results suggest MoRCN1 functions as a regulator of the calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway for fungal development and infection of host cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caiyun Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tiangu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziwei Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyuan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiguang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fuyan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Deng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinrong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mi Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Economic Forest Germplasm Improvement and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, College of Biology and Agricultural Resources, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yu M, Yu J, Cao H, Pan X, Song T, Qi Z, Du Y, Huang S, Liu Y. The Velvet Protein UvVEA Regulates Conidiation and Chlamydospore Formation in Ustilaginoidea virens. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8050479. [PMID: 35628735 PMCID: PMC9148152 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rice false smut, caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, is a serious disease of rice worldwide, severely reducing the quantity and quality of rice production. The conserved fungal velvet proteins are global regulators of diverse cellular processes. We identified and functionally characterized two velvet genes, UvVEA and UvVELB, in U. virens. The deletion of these genes affected the conidiation of U. virens but had no effect on the virulence of this pathogen. Interestingly, the ΔUvVEA mutants appeared in the form of smaller false smut balls with a reduced number of chlamydospores compared with the wide-type strains. In addition, the deletion of UvVEA affected the expression of some transmembrane transport genes during chlamydospore formation and rice false smut balls development. Furthermore, the ΔUvVEA mutants were shown to be defective in the utilization of glucose. These findings proved the regulatory mechanism underlying the formation of rice false smut balls and chlamydospores and provided a basis for the further exploration of the mechanism of these processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mina Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311400, China; (M.Y.); (S.H.)
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Junjie Yu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Huijuan Cao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Xiayan Pan
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Tianqiao Song
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Zhongqiang Qi
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Yan Du
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
| | - Shiwen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311400, China; (M.Y.); (S.H.)
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China; (J.Y.); (H.C.); (X.P.); (T.S.); (Z.Q.); (Y.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-8439-1002
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
John E, Singh KB, Oliver RP, Tan K. Transcription factor control of virulence in phytopathogenic fungi. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:858-881. [PMID: 33973705 PMCID: PMC8232033 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant-pathogenic fungi are a significant threat to economic and food security worldwide. Novel protection strategies are required and therefore it is critical we understand the mechanisms by which these pathogens cause disease. Virulence factors and pathogenicity genes have been identified, but in many cases their roles remain elusive. It is becoming increasingly clear that gene regulation is vital to enable plant infection and transcription factors play an essential role. Efforts to determine their regulatory functions in plant-pathogenic fungi have expanded since the annotation of fungal genomes revealed the ubiquity of transcription factors from a broad range of families. This review establishes the significance of transcription factors as regulatory elements in plant-pathogenic fungi and provides a systematic overview of those that have been functionally characterized. Detailed analysis is provided on regulators from well-characterized families controlling various aspects of fungal metabolism, development, stress tolerance, and the production of virulence factors such as effectors and secondary metabolites. This covers conserved transcription factors with either specialized or nonspecialized roles, as well as recently identified regulators targeting key virulence pathways. Fundamental knowledge of transcription factor regulation in plant-pathogenic fungi provides avenues to identify novel virulence factors and improve our understanding of the regulatory networks linked to pathogen evolution, while transcription factors can themselves be specifically targeted for disease control. Areas requiring further insight regarding the molecular mechanisms and/or specific classes of transcription factors are identified, and direction for future investigation is presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evan John
- Centre for Crop and Disease ManagementCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Karam B. Singh
- Agriculture and FoodCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationFloreatWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Richard P. Oliver
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kar‐Chun Tan
- Centre for Crop and Disease ManagementCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lin C, Cao X, Qu Z, Zhang S, Naqvi NI, Deng YZ. The Histone Deacetylases MoRpd3 and MoHst4 Regulate Growth, Conidiation, and Pathogenicity in the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. mSphere 2021; 6:e0011821. [PMID: 34190584 PMCID: PMC8265625 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00118-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the causal agent of the blast disease, Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens of rice. Histone acetylation/deacetylation is important for remodeling of chromatin superstructure and thus altering gene expression. In this study, two genes encoding histone deacetylases, namely, MoRPD3 and MoHST4, were identified and functionally characterized in M. oryzae. MoHst4 was required for proper mycelial growth and pathogenicity, whereas overproduction of MoRpd3 led to loss of pathogenicity, likely due to a block in conidial cell death and restricted invasive growth within the host plants. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-MoRpd3 localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm in vegetative hyphae and developing conidia. By comparative transcriptomics analysis, we identified potential target genes epigenetically regulated by histone deacetylases (HDACs) containing MoRpd3 or MoHst4, which may contribute to conidia formation and/or conidial cell death, which is a prerequisite for successful appressorium-mediated host invasion. Taken together, our results suggest that histone deacetylases MoRpd3 and MoHst4 differentially regulate mycelial growth, asexual development, and pathogenesis in M. oryzae. IMPORTANCE HDACs (histone deacetylases) regulate various aspects of growth, development, and pathogenesis in plant-pathogenic fungi. Most members of HDAC classes I to III have been functionally characterized, except for orthologous Rpd3 and Hst4, in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. In this study, we assessed the function of MoRpd3 and MoHst4 by reverse genetics and found that they differentially regulate M. oryzae vegetative growth, asexual development, and infection. Particularly, MoRpd3 negatively regulates M. oryzae pathogenicity, likely through suppression of conidial cell death, which we recently reported as being critical for appressorium maturation and functioning. Overall, this study broadens our understanding of fungal pathobiology and its critical regulation by histone modification(s) during cell death and in planta differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaoxiang Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue Cao
- Laboratory of Plant Virology, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziwei Qu
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shulin Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Naweed I. Naqvi
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yi Zhen Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhou S, Liu X, Sun W, Zhang M, Yin Y, Pan S, He D, Shen M, Yang J, Zheng Q, Wang W. The COMPASS-like complex modulates fungal development and pathogenesis by regulating H3K4me3-mediated targeted gene expression in Magnaporthe oryzae. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:422-439. [PMID: 33559339 PMCID: PMC7938624 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Histone-3-lysine-4 (H3K4) methylation is catalysed by the multiprotein complex known as the Set1/COMPASS or MLL/COMPASS-like complex, an element that is highly evolutionarily conserved from yeast to humans. However, the components and mechanisms by which the COMPASS-like complex targets the H3K4 methylation of plant-pathogenic genes in fungi remain elusive. Here we present a comprehensive analysis combining biochemical, molecular, and genome-wide approaches to characterize the roles of the COMPASS-like family in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, a model plant pathogen. We purified and identified six conserved subunits of COMPASS from M. oryzae: MoBre2 (Cps60/ASH2L), MoSpp1 (Cps40/Cfp1), MoSwd2 (Cps35), MoSdc1 (Cps25/DPY30), MoSet1 (MLL/ALL), and MoRbBP5 (Cps50), using an affinity tag on MoBre2. We determined the sequence repeat in dual-specificity kinase splA and ryanodine receptors domain of MoBre2 can interact directly with the DPY30 domain of MoSdc1 in vitro. Furthermore, we found that deletion of the genes encoding COMPASS subunits of MoBre2, MoSPP1, and MoSwd2 caused similar defects regarding invasive hyphal development and pathogenicity. Genome-wide profiling of H3K4me3 revealed that it has remarkable co-occupancy at the transcription start site regions of target genes. Significantly, these target genes are often involved in spore germination and pathogenesis. Decreased gene expression caused by the deletion of MoBre2, MoSwd2, or MoSpp1 was highly correlated with a decrease in H3K4me3. These results suggest that MoBre2, MoSpp1, and MoSwd2 function as a whole COMPASS complex, contributing to fungal development and pathogenesis by regulating H3K4me3-targeted genes in M. oryzae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sida Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural ApplicationNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production EducationBeijing University of AgricultureBeijingChina
| | - Xiuying Liu
- Center for Research and CooperationNovogene Bioinformatics InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Wanyu Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural ApplicationNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production EducationBeijing University of AgricultureBeijingChina
| | - Mengyu Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural ApplicationNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production EducationBeijing University of AgricultureBeijingChina
| | - Yue Yin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural ApplicationNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production EducationBeijing University of AgricultureBeijingChina
| | - Song Pan
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementCollege of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Dan He
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementCollege of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Mi Shen
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementCollege of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jun Yang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green ManagementCollege of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qi Zheng
- Center for Research and CooperationNovogene Bioinformatics InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Weixiang Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of New Technology in Agricultural ApplicationNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Production EducationBeijing University of AgricultureBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Höfer AM, Harting R, Aßmann NF, Gerke J, Schmitt K, Starke J, Bayram Ö, Tran VT, Valerius O, Braus-Stromeyer SA, Braus GH. The velvet protein Vel1 controls initial plant root colonization and conidia formation for xylem distribution in Verticillium wilt. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009434. [PMID: 33720931 PMCID: PMC7993770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The conserved fungal velvet family regulatory proteins link development and secondary metabolite production. The velvet domain for DNA binding and dimerization is similar to the structure of the Rel homology domain of the mammalian NF-κB transcription factor. A comprehensive study addressed the functions of all four homologs of velvet domain encoding genes in the fungal life cycle of the soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae. Genetic, cell biological, proteomic and metabolomic analyses of Vel1, Vel2, Vel3 and Vos1 were combined with plant pathogenicity experiments. Different phases of fungal growth, development and pathogenicity require V. dahliae velvet proteins, including Vel1-Vel2, Vel2-Vos1 and Vel3-Vos1 heterodimers, which are already present during vegetative hyphal growth. The major novel finding of this study is that Vel1 is necessary for initial plant root colonization and together with Vel3 for propagation in planta by conidiation. Vel1 is needed for disease symptom induction in tomato. Vel1, Vel2, and Vel3 control the formation of microsclerotia in senescent plants. Vel1 is the most important among all four V. dahliae velvet proteins with a wide variety of functions during all phases of the fungal life cycle in as well as ex planta.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annalena M. Höfer
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rebekka Harting
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nils F. Aßmann
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Gerke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schmitt
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Starke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Özgür Bayram
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Van-Tuan Tran
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Valerius
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanna A. Braus-Stromeyer
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard H. Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hong Y, Cai R, Guo J, Zhong Z, Bao J, Wang Z, Chen X, Zhou J, Lu GD. Carbon catabolite repressor MoCreA is required for the asexual development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 146:103496. [PMID: 33290821 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During the infection and colonization process, the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae faces various challenges from hostile environment, such as nutrient limitation and carbon stress, while carbon catabolite repression (CCR) mechanism would facilitate the fungus to shrewdly and efficiently utilize carbon nutrients under fickle nutritional conditions since it ensures the preferential utilization of most preferred carbon sources through repressing the expression of enzymes required for the utilization of less preferred carbon sources. Researches on M. oryzae CCR have made some progress, however the involved regulation mechanism is still largely obscured, especially, little is known about the key carbon catabolite repressor CreA. Here we identified and characterized the biological functions of the CreA homolog MoCreA in M. oryzae. MoCreA is constitutively expressed throughout all the life stages of the fungus, and it can shuttle between nucleus and cytoplasm which is induced by glucose. Following functional analyses of MoCreA suggested that it was required for the vegetative growth, conidiation, appressorium formation and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Moreover, comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that disruption of MoCreA resulted in the extensive gene expression variations, including a large number of carbon metabolism enzymes, transcription factors and pathogenicity-related genes. Taken together, our results demonstrated that, as a key regulator of CCR, MoCreA plays a vital role in precise regulation of the asexual development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yonghe Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Renli Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jiayuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhenhui Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jiandong Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zonghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Guo-Dong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian University Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Fungi are rich sources of secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical importance, such as antibiotics, antitumor agents, and immunosuppressants, as well as of harmful toxins. Secondary metabolites play important roles in the development and pathogenesis of fungi. LaeA is a global regulator of secondary metabolism and was originally reported in Aspergillus nidulans; however, its role in secondary metabolism in Magnaporthe oryzae has not yet been reported. Here, we investigated the role of a gene homologous to LAEA (loss of AflR expression) of Aspergillus spp. in Magnaporthe oryzae, named M. oryzaeLAEA (MoLAEA). Studies on MoLAEA overexpression and knockdown strains have suggested that this gene acts as a negative regulator of sporulation and melanin synthesis. However, it is not involved in the growth and pathogenesis of M. oryzae Transcriptomic data indicated that MoLAEA regulated genes involved in secondary metabolism. Interestingly, we observed (for the first time, to our knowledge) that this gene is involved in benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) synthesis in M. oryzae Overexpression of MoLAEA increased penicillin G production, whereas the silenced strain showed a complete absence of penicillin G compared to its presence in the wild type. We also observed that MoLaeA interacted with MoVeA, a velvet family protein involved in fungal development and secondary metabolism, in the nucleus. This study showed that though MoLAEA may not make any contribution in rice blast fungal pathogenesis, it regulates secondary metabolism in M. oryzae and thus can be further studied for identifying other new uncharacterized metabolites in this fungus.IMPORTANCEM. oryzae causes blast disease, the most serious disease of cultivated rice affecting global rice production. The genome of M. oryzae has been shown to have a number of genes involved in secondary metabolism, but most of them are uncharacterized. In fact, compared to studies of other filamentous fungi, hardly any work has been done on secondary metabolism in M. oryzae It is shown here (for the first time, to our knowledge) that penicillin G is being synthesized in M. oryzae and that MoLAEA is involved in this process. This is the first step in understanding the penicillin G biosynthesis pathway in M. oryzae This study also unraveled the details of how MoLaeA works by forming a nuclear complex with MoVeA in M. oryzae, thus indicating functional conservation of such a gene across filamentous fungi. All these findings open up avenues for more relevant investigations on the genetic regulation of secondary metabolism in M. oryzae.
Collapse
|
16
|
Tiley AMM, White HJ, Foster GD, Bailey AM. The ZtvelB Gene Is Required for Vegetative Growth and Sporulation in the Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2210. [PMID: 31632366 PMCID: PMC6779691 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ascomycete fungus Zymoseptoria tritici is the causal agent of Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), a major disease of wheat across Europe. Current understanding of the genetic components and the environmental cues which influence development and pathogenicity of this fungus is limited. The velvet B gene, velB, has conserved roles in development, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity across fungi. The function of this gene is best characterised in the model ascomycete fungus Aspergillus nidulans, where it is involved in co-ordinating the light response with downstream processes. There is limited knowledge of the role of light in Z. tritici, and of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the light response. We show that Z. tritici is able to detect light, and that the vegetative morphology of this fungus is influenced by light conditions. We also identify and characterise the Z. tritici velB gene, ZtvelB, by gene disruption. The ΔztvelB deletion mutants were fixed in a filamentous growth pattern and are unable to form yeast-like vegetative cells. Their morphology was similar under light and dark conditions, showing an impairment in light-responsive growth. In addition, the ΔztvelB mutants produced abnormal pycnidia that were impaired in macropycnidiospore production but could still produce viable infectious micropycnidiospores. Our results show that ZtvelB is required for yeast-like growth and asexual sporulation in Z. tritici, and we provide evidence for a role of ZtvelB in integrating light perception and developmental regulation in this important plant pathogenic fungus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. M. Tiley
- Molecular Plant Pathology and Fungal Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah J. White
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, O’Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gary D. Foster
- Molecular Plant Pathology and Fungal Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Andy M. Bailey
- Molecular Plant Pathology and Fungal Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fu T, Kim JO, Han JH, Gumilang A, Lee YH, Kim KS. A Small GTPase RHO2 Plays an Important Role in Pre-infection Development in the Rice Blast Pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. THE PLANT PATHOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 34:470-479. [PMID: 30588220 PMCID: PMC6305172 DOI: 10.5423/ppj.oa.04.2018.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae is a global threat to rice production. Here we characterized RHO2 gene (MGG_02457) that belongs to the Rho GTPase family, using a deletion mutant. This mutant ΔMorho2 exhibited no defects in conidiation and germination but developed only 6% of appressoria in response to a hydrophobic surface when compared to the wild-type progenitor. This result indicates that MoRHO2 plays a role in appressorium development. Furthermore, exogenous cAMP treatment on the mutant led to appressoria that exhibited abnormal morphology on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. These outcomes suggested the involvement of MoRHO2 in cAMP-mediated appressorium development. ΔMorho2 mutation also delayed the development of appressorium-like structures (ALS) at hyphal tips on hydrophobic surface, which were also abnormally shaped. These results suggested that MoRHO2 is involved in morphological development of appressoria and ALS from conidia and hyphae, respectively. As expected, ΔMorho2 mutant was defective in plant penetration, but was still able to cause lesions, albeit at a reduced rate on wounded plants. These results implied that MoRHO2 plays a role in M. oryzae virulence as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teng Fu
- Division of Bioresource Sciences, and Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341,
Korea
| | - Joon-Oh Kim
- Division of Bioresource Sciences, and Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341,
Korea
| | - Joon-Hee Han
- Division of Bioresource Sciences, and Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341,
Korea
| | - Adiyantara Gumilang
- Division of Bioresource Sciences, and Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341,
Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Center for Fungal Genetic Resources, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826,
Korea
| | - Kyoung Su Kim
- Division of Bioresource Sciences, and Bioherb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341,
Korea
- Corresponding author: Phone) +82-33-250-6435, FAX) +82-33-259-5558, E-mail)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Global insight into the distribution of velvet-like B protein in Cochliobolus species and implication in pathogenicity and fungicide resistance. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 34:187. [PMID: 30506400 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-018-2569-6] [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: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The Cochliobolus genus consist of over 55 species among which the 5 most devastating are Cochliobolus carbonum, Cochliobolus heterostrophus, Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Crocus sativus and Cochliobolus lunatus causing damages in sorghum, wheat, rice, maize, cassava and soybean estimated at over 10 billion USD per annum worldwide. The dynamic pathogenicity of Cochliobolus species and the plethora of infected hosts is determined by the evolution of virulence determinants such as the velvet-like B protein (VelB). Nonetheless, the knowledge on the distribution of Cochliobolus VelB and its implication in pathogenicity and fungicide resistance are often lacking. By scanning through the annotated genomes of C. lunatus, C. heterostrophus, C. carbonum, C. victoriae, C. sativus and C. miyabeanus, it is revealed that the numbers of ortholog VelB and cognates vary. By using the phylogenetic approach, it is established that the diversification rates among velvet-domain-containing proteins for phytopathogenic Cochliobolus species could impact differently on their oxidant and fungicide resistance potentials, ability to form appressoria-like structures and infection pegs during infection. This study provides new insights into the pathogenicity evolution of Cochliobolus species at the VelB locus which is relevant for designing effective strategies for durable management of Cochliobolus diseases.
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Aspergillus nidulans has long-been used as a model organism to gain insights into the genetic basis of asexual and sexual developmental processes both in other members of the genus Aspergillus, and filamentous fungi in general. Paradigms have been established concerning the regulatory mechanisms of conidial development. However, recent studies have shown considerable genome divergence in the fungal kingdom, questioning the general applicability of findings from Aspergillus, and certain longstanding evolutionary theories have been questioned. The phylogenetic distribution of key regulatory elements of asexual reproduction in A. nidulans was investigated in a broad taxonomic range of fungi. This revealed that some proteins were well conserved in the Pezizomycotina (e.g. AbaA, FlbA, FluG, NsdD, MedA, and some velvet proteins), suggesting similar developmental roles. However, other elements (e.g. BrlA) had a more restricted distribution solely in the Eurotiomycetes, and it appears that the genetic control of sporulation seems to be more complex in the aspergilli than in some other taxonomic groups of the Pezizomycotina. The evolution of the velvet protein family is discussed based on the history of expansion and contraction events in the early divergent fungi. Heterologous expression of the A. nidulans abaA gene in Monascus ruber failed to induce development of complete conidiophores as seen in the aspergilli, but did result in increased conidial production. The absence of many components of the asexual developmental pathway from members of the Saccharomycotina supports the hypothesis that differences in the complexity of their spore formation is due in part to the increased diversity of the sporulation machinery evident in the Pezizomycotina. Investigations were also made into the evolution of sex and sexuality in the aspergilli. MAT loci were identified from the heterothallic Aspergillus (Emericella) heterothallicus and Aspergillus (Neosartorya) fennelliae and the homothallic Aspergillus pseudoglaucus (=Eurotium repens). A consistent architecture of the MAT locus was seen in these and other heterothallic aspergilli whereas much variation was seen in the arrangement of MAT loci in homothallic aspergilli. This suggested that it is most likely that the common ancestor of the aspergilli exhibited a heterothallic breeding system. Finally, the supposed prevalence of asexuality in the aspergilli was examined. Investigations were made using A. clavatus as a representative 'asexual' species. It was possible to induce a sexual cycle in A. clavatus given the correct MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 partners and environmental conditions, with recombination confirmed utilising molecular markers. This indicated that sexual reproduction might be possible in many supposedly asexual aspergilli and beyond, providing general insights into the nature of asexuality in fungi.
Collapse
|
20
|
Wu Y, Xu L, Yin Z, Dai Q, Gao X, Feng H, Voegele RT, Huang L. Two members of the velvet family, VmVeA and VmVelB, affect conidiation, virulence and pectinase expression in Valsa mali. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2018; 19:1639-1651. [PMID: 29127722 PMCID: PMC6638101 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Velvet protein family members are important fungal-specific regulators which are involved in conidial development, secondary metabolism and virulence. To gain a broader insight into the physiological functions of the velvet protein family of Valsa mali, which causes a highly destructive canker disease on apple, we conducted a functional analysis of two velvet protein family members (VmVeA and VmVelB) via a gene replacement strategy. Deletion mutants of VmVeA and VmVelB showed increased melanin production, conidiation and sensitivity to abiotic stresses, but exhibited reduced virulence on detached apple leaves and twigs. Further studies demonstrated that the regulation of conidiation by VmVeA and VmVelB was positively correlated with the melanin synthesis transcription factor VmCmr1. More importantly, transcript levels of pectinase genes were shown to be decreased in deletion mutants compared with those of the wild-type during infection. However, the expression of other cell wall-degrading enzyme genes, including cellulase, hemi-cellulase and ligninase genes, was not affected in the deletion mutants. Furthermore, the determination of pectinase activity and immunogold labelling of pectin demonstrated that the capacity for pectin degradation was attenuated as a result of deletions of VmVeA and VmVelB. Finally, the interaction of VmVeA with VmVelB was identified through co-immunoprecipitation assays. VmVeA and VmVelB play critical roles in conidiation and virulence, probably via the regulation of the melanin synthesis transcription factor VmCmr1 and their effect on pectinase gene expression in V. mali, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Liangsheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Zhiyuan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Qingqing Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Xiaoning Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Hao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| | - Ralf T. Voegele
- Institut für Phytomedizin, Universität Hohenheim70599 StuttgartGermany
| | - Lili Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, China–Australia Joint Research Centre for Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityShaanxiYangling 712100China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Rahnama M, Johnson RD, Voisey CR, Simpson WR, Fleetwood DJ. The Global Regulatory Protein VelA Is Required for Symbiosis Between the Endophytic Fungus Epichloë festucae and Lolium perenne. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2018; 31:591-604. [PMID: 29315021 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-17-0286-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Epichloë species fungi form bioprotective endophytic symbioses with many cool-season grasses, including agriculturally important forage grasses. Despite its importance, relatively little is known about the molecular details of the interaction and the regulatory genes involved. The conserved velvet-domain protein VelA (or VeA) is a global regulator of a number of cellular and developmental functions in fungi. In this study, the E. festucae velA gene was functionally characterized in vitro and during interaction with perennial ryegrass. The velA gene is required in E. festucae for resistance to osmotic and cell wall-damaging stresses, repression of conidiation, and normal hyphal morphology during nutrient-limited in-vitro conditions. Expression of velA in E. festucae is light- and nitrogen-dependent and is tissue-specific in mature infected plants. In-planta studies showed that velA is required in E. festucae for a compatible interaction. Inoculating seedlings with mutant ΔvelA induced callose deposition and H2O2 production, and a high level of seedling death was observed. In surviving plants infected with ΔvelA mutant fungi, plants were stunted and we observed increased biomass and invasion of vascular bundles. Overall, this work characterizes a key fungal regulatory factor in this increasingly important model symbiotic association.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Rahnama
- 1 AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and
- 2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - R D Johnson
- 1 AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and
| | - C R Voisey
- 1 AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and
| | - W R Simpson
- 1 AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and
| | - D J Fleetwood
- 1 AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sun X, Li Z, Liu H, Yang J, Liang W, Peng YL, Huang J. Large-scale identification of lysine acetylated proteins in vegetative hyphae of the rice blast fungus. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15316. [PMID: 29127393 PMCID: PMC5681509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15655-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysine acetylation is a major post-translational modification that plays important regulatory roles in diverse biological processes to perform various cellular functions in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, roles of lysine acetylation in plant fungal pathogens were less studied. Here, we provided the first lysine acetylome of vegetative hyphae of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae through a combination of highly sensitive immune-affinity purification and high-resolution LC-MS/MS. This lysine acetylome had 2,720 acetylation sites in 1,269 proteins. The lysine acetylated proteins were involved indiverse cellular functions, and located in 820 nodes and 7,709 edges among the protein-protein interaction network. Several amino acid residues nearby the lysine acetylation sites were conserved, including KacR, KacK, and KacH. Importantly, dozens of lysine acetylated proteins are found to be important to vegetative hyphal growth and fungal pathogenicity. Taken together, our results provided the first comprehensive view of lysine acetylome of M.oryzae and suggested protein lysine acetylation played important roles to fungal development and pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Sun
- College of Animation and Communication, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Zhigang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wenxing Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - You-Liang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinguang Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Gao JX, Yu CJ, Wang M, Sun JN, Li YQ, Chen J. Involvement of a velvet protein ClVelB in the regulation of vegetative differentiation, oxidative stress response, secondary metabolism, and virulence in Curvularia lunata. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46054. [PMID: 28393907 PMCID: PMC5385503 DOI: 10.1038/srep46054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The ortholog of Aspergillus nidulans VelB, which is known as ClVelB, was studied to gain a broader insight into the functions of a velvet protein in Curvularia lunata. With the expected common and specific functions of ClVelB, the deletion of clvelB results in similar though not identical phenotypes. The pathogenicity assays revealed that ΔClVelB was impaired in colonizing the host tissue, which corresponds to the finding that ClVelB controls the production of conidia and the methyl 5-(hydroxymethyl) furan-2-carboxylate toxin in C. lunata. However, the deletion of clvelB led to the increase in aerial hyphae and melanin formation. In addition, ΔClVelB showed a decreased sensitivity to iprodione and fludioxonil fungicides and a decreased resistance to cell wall-damaging agents and osmotic stress and tolerance to H2O2. The ultrastructural analysis indicated that the cell wall of ΔClVelB became thinner, which agrees with the finding that the accumulated level of glycerol in ΔClVelB is lower than the wild-type. Furthermore, the interaction of ClVelB with ClVeA and ClVosA was identified in the present research through the yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Results indicate that ClVelB plays a vital role in the regulation of various cellular processes in C. lunata.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Xin Gao
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Chuan-Jin Yu
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Meng Wang
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Jia-Nan Sun
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Ya-Qian Li
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Jie Chen
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.,Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Matheis S, Yemelin A, Scheps D, Andresen K, Jacob S, Thines E, Foster A. Functions of the Magnaporthe oryzae Flb3p and Flb4p transcription factors in the regulation of conidiation. Microbiol Res 2017; 196:106-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
25
|
Wang R, Leng Y, Shrestha S, Zhong S. Coordinated and independent functions of velvet-complex genes in fungal development and virulence of the fungal cereal pathogen Cochliobolus sativus. Fungal Biol 2016; 120:948-960. [PMID: 27521627 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2016.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
LaeA and velvet proteins regulate fungal development and secondary metabolism through formation of multimeric complexes in many fungal species, but their functions in the cereal fungal pathogen Cochliobolus sativus are not well understood. In this study, four velvet complex genes (CsLaeA, CsVeA, CsVelB, and CsVelC) in C. sativus were identified and characterized using knockout mutants generated for each of the genes. Both ΔCsVeA and ΔCsVelB showed significant reduction in aerial mycelia growth. ΔCsVelB also exhibited a hypermorphic conidiation phenotype with indeterminate growth of the conidial tip cells and premature germination of conidia. ΔCsLaeA, ΔCsVeA, and ΔCsVelB produced more conidia under constant dark conditions than under constant light conditions whereas no differences were observed under the two conditions for the wild type. These three mutants also showed significantly reduced conidiation under constant light conditions, but produced more small sized conidia under constant dark conditions compared to the wild type. All knockout mutants (ΔCsLaeA, ΔCsVeA, ΔCsVelB and ΔCsVelC) showed some extent of reduction in virulence on susceptible barley plants compared to the wild type strain. The results revealed the conserved and unique roles of velvet-complex proteins as regulators in mediating fungal development and secondary metabolism in C. sativus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
| | - Yueqiang Leng
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
| | - Subidhya Shrestha
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA
| | - Shaobin Zhong
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Rauscher S, Pacher S, Hedtke M, Kniemeyer O, Fischer R. A phosphorylation code of theAspergillus nidulansglobal regulator VelvetA (VeA) determines specific functions. Mol Microbiol 2015; 99:909-24. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Rauscher
- Institute for Applied Biosciences; Department of Microbiology; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Hertzstrasse 16 D-76187 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Sylvia Pacher
- Institute for Applied Biosciences; Department of Microbiology; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Hertzstrasse 16 D-76187 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Maren Hedtke
- Institute for Applied Biosciences; Department of Microbiology; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Hertzstrasse 16 D-76187 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology; Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI); Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Reinhard Fischer
- Institute for Applied Biosciences; Department of Microbiology; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Hertzstrasse 16 D-76187 Karlsruhe Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wang R, Leng Y, Zhong S. The regulatory gene VosA affects conidiogenesis and is involved in virulence of the fungal cereal pathogen Cochliobolus sativus. Fungal Biol 2015; 119:884-900. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
28
|
Han JH, Lee HM, Shin JH, Lee YH, Kim KS. Role of the MoYAK1 protein kinase gene in Magnaporthe oryzae development and pathogenicity. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:4672-89. [PMID: 26248223 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Conidiation and appressorium differentiation are key processes for polycyclic dissemination and infection in many pathogens. Our previous study using DNA microarray led to the discovery of the MoYAK1 gene in Magnaporthe oryzae that is orthologous to YAK1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although the mechanistic roles of YAK1 in S. cerevisiae have been described, roles of MoYAK1 in M. oryzae, a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for rice blast, remain uncharacterized. Targeted disruption of MoYAK1 results in pleiotropic defects in M. oryzae development and pathogenicity. The ΔMoyak1 mutant exhibits a severe reduction in aerial hyphal formation and conidiation. Conidia in the ΔMoyak1 are delayed in germination and demonstrate decreased glycogen content in a conidial age-dependent manner. The expression of hydrophobin-coding genes is dramatically changed in the ΔMoyak1 mutant, leading to a loss of surface hydrophobicity. Unlike the complete inability of the ΔMoyak1 mutant to develop appressoria on an inductive surface, the mutant forms appressoria of abnormal morphology in response to exogenous cyclic adenosine-5'-monophosphate and host-driven signals, which are all defective in penetrating host tissues due to abnormalities in glycogen and lipid metabolism, turgor generation and cell wall integrity. These data indicate that MoYAK1 is a protein kinase important for the development and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joon-Hee Han
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea
| | - Hye-Min Lee
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea
| | - Jong-Hwan Shin
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Fungal Genetic Resources, Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-921, Korea
| | - Kyoung Su Kim
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea.,BioHerb Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Schumacher J, Simon A, Cohrs KC, Traeger S, Porquier A, Dalmais B, Viaud M, Tudzynski B. The VELVET Complex in the Gray Mold Fungus Botrytis cinerea: Impact of BcLAE1 on Differentiation, Secondary Metabolism, and Virulence. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2015; 28:659-74. [PMID: 25625818 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-12-14-0411-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea, the gray mold fungus, is an important plant pathogen. Field populations are characterized by variability with regard to morphology, the mode of reproduction (conidiation or sclerotia formation), the spectrum of secondary metabolites (SM), and virulence. Natural variation in bcvel1 encoding the ortholog of Aspergillus nidulans VeA, a member of the VELVET complex, was previously shown to affect light-dependent differentiation, the formation of oxalic acid (OA), and virulence. To gain broader insight into the B. cinerea VELVET complex, an ortholog of A. nidulans LaeA, BcLAE1, a putative interaction partner of BcVEL1, was studied. BcVEL1 but not its truncated versions interacts with BcLAE1 and BcVEL2 (VelB ortholog). In accordance with the expected common as well as specific functions of BcVEL1 and BcLAE1, the deletions of both genes result in similar though not identical phenotypes. Both mutants lost the ability to produce OA, to colonize the host tissue, and to form sclerotia. However, mutants differ with regard to aerial hyphae and conidia formation. Genome-wide expression analyses revealed that BcVEL1 and BcLAE1 have common and distinct target genes. Some of the genes that are underexpressed in both mutants, e.g., those encoding SM-related enzymes, proteases, and carbohydrate-active enzymes, may account for their reduced virulence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adeline Simon
- 2 BIOGER, INRA, Avenue Lucien Brétignières, 78850 Grignon, France
| | - Kim C Cohrs
- 1 IBBP, WWU Münster, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Münster, Germany
| | | | - Antoine Porquier
- 2 BIOGER, INRA, Avenue Lucien Brétignières, 78850 Grignon, France
- 3 Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France
| | | | - Muriel Viaud
- 2 BIOGER, INRA, Avenue Lucien Brétignières, 78850 Grignon, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bazafkan H, Dattenböck C, Böhmdorfer S, Tisch D, Stappler E, Schmoll M. Mating type-dependent partner sensing as mediated by VEL1 in Trichoderma reesei. Mol Microbiol 2015; 96:1103-18. [PMID: 25757597 PMCID: PMC4949666 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sexual development in the filamentous model ascomycete Trichoderma reesei (syn. Hypocrea jecorina) was described only a few years ago. In this study, we show a novel role for VELVET in fungi, which links light response, development and secondary metabolism. Vel1 is required for mating in darkness, normal growth and conidiation. In light, vel1 was dispensable for male fertility but essential for female fertility in both mating types. VEL1 impacted regulation of the pheromone system (hpr1, hpr2, hpp1, ppg1) in a mating type‐dependent manner and depending on the mating partner of a given strain. These partner effects only occurred for hpp1 and hpr2, the pheromone precursor and receptor genes associated with the MAT1‐2 mating type and for the mating type gene mat1‐2‐1. Analysis of secondary metabolite patterns secreted by wild type and mutants under asexual and sexual conditions revealed that even in the wild type, the patterns change upon encounter of a mating partner, with again distinct differences for wild type and vel1 mutants. Hence, T. reesei applies a language of pheromones and secondary metabolites to communicate with mating partners and that this communication is at least in part mediated by VEL1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hoda Bazafkan
- Department Health and Environment, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| | - Christoph Dattenböck
- Department Health and Environment, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| | - Stefan Böhmdorfer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Division of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| | - Doris Tisch
- Research Area Molecular Biotechnology, Vienna University of Technology, Gumpendorfer Straße 1a, Wien, 1060, Austria
| | - Eva Stappler
- Department Health and Environment, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| | - Monika Schmoll
- Department Health and Environment, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Bioresources, Konrad-Lorenz Strasse 24, Tulln, 3430, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sadat A, Jeon J, Mir AA, Kim S, Choi J, Lee YH. Analysis of in planta Expressed Orphan Genes in the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. THE PLANT PATHOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 30:367-74. [PMID: 25506301 PMCID: PMC4262289 DOI: 10.5423/ppj.oa.08.2014.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Genomes contain a large number of unique genes which have not been found in other species. Although the origin of such "orphan" genes remains unclear, they are thought to be involved in species-specific adaptive processes. Here, we analyzed seven orphan genes (MoSPC1 to MoSPC7) prioritized based on in planta expressed sequence tag data in the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. Expression analysis using qRT-PCR confirmed the expression of four genes (MoSPC1, MoSPC2, MoSPC3 and MoSPC7) during plant infection. However, individual deletion mutants of these four genes did not differ from the wild-type strain for all phenotypes examined, including pathogenicity. The length, GC contents, codon adaptation index and expression during mycelial growth of the four genes suggest that these genes formed during the evolutionary history of M. oryzae. Synteny analyses using closely related fungal species corroborated the notion that these genes evolved de novo in the M. oryzae genome. In this report, we discuss our inability to detect phenotypic changes in the four deletion mutants. Based on these results, the four orphan genes may be products of de novo gene birth processes, and their adaptive potential is in the course of being tested for retention or extinction through natural selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abu Sadat
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Junhyun Jeon
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Albely Afifa Mir
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Seongbeom Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
- Center for Fungal Pathogenesis, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
- Center for Fungal Genetic Resources, Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Karimi Aghcheh R, Németh Z, Atanasova L, Fekete E, Paholcsek M, Sándor E, Aquino B, Druzhinina IS, Karaffa L, Kubicek CP. The VELVET A orthologue VEL1 of Trichoderma reesei regulates fungal development and is essential for cellulase gene expression. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112799. [PMID: 25386652 PMCID: PMC4227869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichoderma reesei is the industrial producer of cellulases and hemicellulases for biorefinery processes. Their expression is obligatorily dependent on the function of the protein methyltransferase LAE1. The Aspergillus nidulans orthologue of LAE1 - LaeA - is part of the VELVET protein complex consisting of LaeA, VeA and VelB that regulates secondary metabolism and sexual as well as asexual reproduction. Here we have therefore investigated the function of VEL1, the T. reesei orthologue of A. nidulans VeA. Deletion of the T. reesei vel1 locus causes a complete and light-independent loss of conidiation, and impairs formation of perithecia. Deletion of vel1 also alters hyphal morphology towards hyperbranching and formation of thicker filaments, and with consequently reduced growth rates. Growth on lactose as a sole carbon source, however, is even more strongly reduced and growth on cellulose as a sole carbon source eliminated. Consistent with these findings, deletion of vel1 completely impaired the expression of cellulases, xylanases and the cellulase regulator XYR1 on lactose as a cellulase inducing carbon source, but also in resting mycelia with sophorose as inducer. Our data show that in T. reesei VEL1 controls sexual and asexual development, and this effect is independent of light. VEL1 is also essential for cellulase gene expression, which is consistent with the assumption that their regulation by LAE1 occurs by the VELVET complex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Razieh Karimi Aghcheh
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Research Division Biotechnology and Microbiology, Microbiology Group, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Zoltán Németh
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lea Atanasova
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Research Division Biotechnology and Microbiology, Microbiology Group, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Erzsébet Fekete
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Melinda Paholcsek
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Erzsébet Sándor
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Science and Environmental Management, Institute of Food Science, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Benigno Aquino
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Research Division Biotechnology and Microbiology, Microbiology Group, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Irina S. Druzhinina
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Research Division Biotechnology and Microbiology, Microbiology Group, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
- Austrian Center of Industrial Biotechnology, c/o Institute of Chemical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Levente Karaffa
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Christian P. Kubicek
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Research Division Biotechnology and Microbiology, Microbiology Group, Vienna University of Technology, 1060 Vienna, Austria
- Austrian Center of Industrial Biotechnology, 8010 Graz, Austria
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wang W, Wu D, Pan H, Turgeon BG. Vel2 and Vos1 hold essential roles in ascospore and asexual spore development of the heterothallic maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus. Fungal Genet Biol 2014; 70:113-24. [PMID: 25080135 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2014.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cochliobolus heterostrophus Vel2 and Vos1, members of the velvet family of proteins, play crucial roles in sexual and asexual development as reflected by deletion mutant and overexpression strain phenotypes. vel2 and vos1vel2 mutants are female sterile. Pseudothecia from vel2 or vos1 mutant crosses to an albino wild-type tester strain produce asci, however no full tetrads are found in these crosses, in contrast to crosses between wild-type strains which typically yield asci with a full complement of ascospores. In addition, none of the progeny from crosses of vel2 or vos1 mutants to wild-type mating testers is mutant, thus vos1 and vel2 ascospores are unable to survive meiosis. vos1vel2 double mutants are also female sterile like vel2 single mutants, however, asci in pseudothecia formed in crosses to wild-type testers are devoid of ascospores. Vel2 and Vos1 negatively regulate production of asexual spores, but positively regulate their morphology. vel2 and vos1 single mutant conidia vary in size, in septum number, septum position in the spore, and in germination rate, and are more sensitive to oxidative and thermal stresses compared to wild-type conidia. Trehalose amounts are decreased in single mutants, supporting previous findings that this disaccharide is required for conidium health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Wang
- Dept. of Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Dongliang Wu
- Dept. of Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - B Gillian Turgeon
- Dept. of Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|