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Baran B, Ölmez F, Çapa B, Dikilitas M. Defense Pathways of Wheat Plants Inoculated with Zymoseptoria tritici under NaCl Stress Conditions: An Overview. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:648. [PMID: 38792668 PMCID: PMC11122936 DOI: 10.3390/life14050648] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to being sessile, plants develop a broad range of defense pathways when they face abiotic or biotic stress factors. Although plants are subjected to more than one type of stress at a time in nature, the combined effects of either multiple stresses of one kind (abiotic or biotic) or more kinds (abiotic and biotic) have now been realized in agricultural lands due to increases in global warming and environmental pollution, along with population increases. Soil-borne pathogens, or pathogens infecting aerial parts, can have devastating effects on plants when combined with other stressors. Obtaining yields or crops from sensitive or moderately resistant plants could be impossible, and it could be very difficult from resistant plants. The mechanisms of combined stress in many plants have previously been studied and elucidated. Recent studies proposed new defense pathways and mechanisms through signaling cascades. In light of these mechanisms, it is now time to develop appropriate strategies for crop protection under multiple stress conditions. This may involve using disease-resistant or stress-tolerant plant varieties, implementing proper irrigation and drainage practices, and improving soil quality. However, generation of both stress-tolerant and disease-resistant crop plants is of crucial importance. The establishment of a database and understanding of the defense mechanisms under combined stress conditions would be meaningful for the development of resistant and tolerant plants. It is clear that leaf pathogens show great tolerance to salinity stress and result in pathogenicity in crop plants. We noticed that regulation of the stomata through biochemical applications and some effort with the upregulation of the minor gene expressions indirectly involved with the defense mechanisms could be a great way to increase the defense metabolites without interfering with quality parameters. In this review, we selected wheat as a model plant and Zymoseptoria tritici as a model leaf pathogen to evaluate the defense mechanisms under saline conditions through physiological, biochemical, and molecular pathways and suggested various ways to generate tolerant and resistant cereal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzat Baran
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Sur, Diyarbakır 21110, Türkiye;
| | - Fatih Ölmez
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas 58010, Türkiye;
| | - Beritan Çapa
- Department of Plant Protection Şanliurfa, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, Sanliurfa 63000, Türkiye;
| | - Murat Dikilitas
- Department of Plant Protection Şanliurfa, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, Sanliurfa 63000, Türkiye;
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2
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Liang Y, Bi K, Sharon A. The Botrytis cinerea transglycosylase BcCrh4 is a cell death-inducing protein with cell death-promoting and -suppressing domains. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:354-371. [PMID: 37846876 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen that causes grey mould and rot diseases in many crops. Here, we show that the B. cinerea BcCrh4 transglycosylase is secreted during plant infection and induces plant cell death and pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), fulfilling the characteristics of a cell death-inducing protein (CDIP). The CDIP activity of BcCrh4 is independent of the transglycosylase enzymatic activity, it takes place in the apoplast and does not involve the receptor-like kinases BAK1 and SOBIR1. During saprophytic growth, BcCrh4 is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and in vacuoles, but during plant infection, it accumulates in infection cushions (ICs) and is then secreted to the apoplast. Two domains within the BcCrh4 protein determine the CDIP activities: a 20aa domain at the N' end activates intense cell death and PTI, while a stretch of 52aa in the middle of the protein induces a weaker response and suppresses the activity of the 20aa N' domain. Deletion of bccrh4 affected fungal development and IC formation in particular, resulting in reduced virulence. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that BcCrh4 is required for fungal development and pathogenicity, and hint at a dual mechanism that balances the virulence activity of this, and potentially other CDIPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liang
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kai Bi
- College of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Amir Sharon
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Tiley AMM, Lawless C, Pilo P, Karki SJ, Lu J, Long Z, Gibriel H, Bailey AM, Feechan A. The Zymoseptoria tritici white collar-1 gene, ZtWco-1, is required for development and virulence on wheat. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 161:103715. [PMID: 35709910 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The fungus Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), which is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat in Europe. There are currently no fully durable methods of control against Z. tritici, so novel strategies are urgently required. One of the ways in which fungi are able to respond to their surrounding environment is through the use of photoreceptor proteins which detect light signals. Although previous evidence suggests that Z. tritici can detect light, no photoreceptor genes have been characterised in this pathogen. This study characterises ZtWco-1, a predicted photoreceptor gene in Z. tritici. The ZtWco-1 gene is a putative homolog to the blue light photoreceptor from Neurospora crassa, wc-1. Z. tritici mutants with deletions in ZtWco-1 have defects in hyphal branching, melanisation and virulence on wheat. In addition, we identify the putative circadian clock gene ZtFrq in Z. tritici. This study provides evidence for the genetic regulation of light detection in Z. tritici and it open avenues for future research into whether this pathogen has a circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M M Tiley
- Agri-Food Biosciences Institute, 18a Newforge Ln, Belfast BT9 5PX, United Kingdom; School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland.
| | - Colleen Lawless
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland; School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Paola Pilo
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Sujit J Karki
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Jijun Lu
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Zhuowei Long
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Hesham Gibriel
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Andy M Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Feechan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland.
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4
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Mahboubi M, Talebi R, Mehrabi R, Mohammad Naji A, Maccaferri M, Kema GHJ. Genetic analysis of novel resistance sources and genome-wide association mapping identified novel QTLs for resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici, the causal agent of septoria tritici blotch in wheat. J Appl Genet 2022; 63:429-445. [PMID: 35482212 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-022-00696-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by Zymoseptoria tritici is one of the most important foliar diseases of wheat causing significant yield losses worldwide. In this study, a panel of bread wheat genotypes comprised 185 globally diverse genotypes were tested against 10 Z. tritici isolates at the seedling stage. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) using high-throughput DArTseq markers was performed and further gene expression analysis of significant markers trait association (MTAs) associated with resistance to STB was analyzed. Disease severity level showed significant differences among wheat genotypes for resistance to different Z. tritici isolates. We found novel landrace genotypes that showed highly resistance spectra to all tested isolates. GWAS analysis resulted in 19 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance to STB that were located on 14 chromosomes. Overall, 14 QTLs were overlapped with previously known QTLs or resistance genes, as well as five potentially novel QTLs on chromosomes 1A, 4A, 5B, 5D, and 6D. Identified novel resistance sources and also novel QTLs for resistance to different Z. tritici isolates can be used for gene pyramiding and development of durable resistance cultivars in future wheat breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mozghan Mahboubi
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Reza Talebi
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran. .,Keygene N.V, P.O. Box 216, 6700 AE, Wageningen, Netherlands.
| | - Rahim Mehrabi
- Keygene N.V, P.O. Box 216, 6700 AE, Wageningen, Netherlands. .,Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, POBox 8415683111, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Amir Mohammad Naji
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marco Maccaferri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gert H J Kema
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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5
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Two Novel Dimorphism-Related Virulence Factors of Zymoseptoria tritici Identified Using Agrobacterium-Mediated Insertional Mutagenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010400. [PMID: 35008825 PMCID: PMC8745584 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by dimorphic phytopathogenic and systemic dimorphic fungi have markedly increased in prevalence in the last decades, and understanding the morphogenic transition to the virulent state might yield novel means of controlling dimorphic fungi. The dimorphic fungus Z. tritici causes significant economic impact on wheat production, and yet the regulation of the dimorphic switch, a key first step in successful plant colonization, is still largely unexplored in this fungus. The fungus is amenable to suppression by fungicides at this switch point, and the identification of the factors controlling the dimorphic switch provides a potential source of novel targets to control Septoria tritici blotch (STB). Inhibition of the dimorphic switch can potentially prevent penetration and avoid any damage to the host plant. The aim of the current work was to unveil genetic determinants of the dimorphic transition in Z. tritici by using a forward genetics strategy. Using this approach, we unveiled two novel factors involved in the switch to the pathogenic state and used reverse genetics and complementation to confirm the role of the novel virulence factors and further gained insight into the role of these genes, using transcriptome analysis via RNA-Seq. The transcriptomes generated potentially contain key determinants of the dimorphic transition.
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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: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [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.
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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
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7
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Reilly A, Karki SJ, Twamley A, Tiley AMM, Kildea S, Feechan A. Isolate-Specific Responses of the Nonhost Grass Brachypodium distachyon to the Fungal Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici Compared with Wheat. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2021; 111:356-368. [PMID: 32720875 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-02-20-0041-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Septoria tritici blotch (STB) is an important foliar disease of wheat that is caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. The grass Brachypodium distachyon has been used previously as a model system for cereal-pathogen interactions. In this study, we examined the nonhost resistance (NHR) response of B. distachyon to two different Z. tritici isolates in comparison with wheat. These isolates vary in aggressiveness on wheat cultivar Remus, displaying significant differences in disease and pycnidia coverage. Using microscopy, we found that similar isolate-specific responses were observed for hydrogen peroxide accumulation and cell death in both wheat and B. distachyon. Despite this, induction of isolate-specific patterns of defense gene expression by Z. tritici did differ between B. distachyon and wheat. Our results suggest that expression of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase PAL gene may be important for NHR in B. distachyon, while pathogenesis-related PR genes and expression of genes regulating reactive oxygen species may be important to limit disease in wheat. Future studies of the B. distachyon-Z. tritici interaction may allow identification of conserved plant immunity targets that are responsible for the isolate-specific responses observed in both plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisling Reilly
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Sujit Jung Karki
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Anthony Twamley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Anna M M Tiley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Steven Kildea
- Department of Crop Science, Teagasc Crops Environment and Land Use Programme, Teagasc, Oak Park, County Carlow, Ireland
| | - Angela Feechan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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8
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Mohammadi N, Mehrabi R, Mirzadi Gohari A, Roostaei M, Mohammadi Goltapeh E, Safaie N, Kema GHJ. MADS-Box Transcription Factor ZtRlm1 Is Responsible for Virulence and Development of the Fungal Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1976. [PMID: 33013739 PMCID: PMC7461931 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zymoseptoria tritici is one of the most economically destructive wheat diseases all over the world and is a model fungal plant pathogen within the ascomycetes. In this study, the instrumental role of the ZtRlm1 gene encoding a MADS-box transcription factor (TF) in the infection process of Z. tritici was functionally characterized as these proteins play critical roles in the global gene regulation required for various developmental and physiological processes. Our infection assays showed that ZtRlm1 mutants were attenuated in disease development as a 30 and 90% reduction in chloro-necrotic lesions and pycnidia formation, respectively, were observed in plants inoculated with ZtRlm1 mutant strains demonstrating that ZtRlm1 is a crucial factor playing a significant role in the late stage of infection corresponding with pycnidial formation. Our expression analysis demonstrated that the transcript level of ZtRlm1 is induced at 2 and 20 days post-inoculation, coinciding with pycnidial sporulation. In addition, microscopic analyses showed that branch intensity and biomass production were significantly reduced, indicating that impaired pycnidia formation is a result of impaired differentiation and biomass production in the ZtRlm1 mutants. Furthermore, melanization, a phenomenon required for fruiting body formation, was significantly hampered in ZtRlm1 mutants as they were not melanized under all tested temperature and media conditions. Overall, our data showed that impaired disease development of the ZtRlm1 mutants is mainly due to the significant impact of ZtRlm1 in different cellular processes, including differentiation, branching, fungal biomass production, and melanization, in which identification of downstream genes are of interest to increase our understanding of this pathosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naser Mohammadi
- Dryland Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (ARREO), Maragheh, Iran
| | - Rahim Mehrabi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Amir Mirzadi Gohari
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
| | - Mozaffar Roostaei
- Dryland Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (ARREO), Maragheh, Iran
| | | | - Naser Safaie
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gert H J Kema
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Habig M, Bahena‐Garrido SM, Barkmann F, Haueisen J, Stukenbrock EH. The transcription factor Zt107320 affects the dimorphic switch, growth and virulence of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2020; 21:124-138. [PMID: 31702117 PMCID: PMC6913241 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Zymoseptoria tritici is a filamentous fungus causing Septoria tritici blotch in wheat. The pathogen has a narrow host range and infections of grasses other than susceptible wheat are blocked early after stomatal penetration. During these abortive infections, the fungus shows a markedly different gene expression pattern. However, the underlying mechanisms causing differential gene expression during host and non-host interactions are largely unknown, but likely include transcriptional regulators responsible for the onset of an infection programme in compatible hosts. MoCOD1, a member of the fungal Zn(II)2 Cys6 transcription factor family, has been shown to directly affect pathogenicity in the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. Here, we analyse the role of the putative transcription factor Zt107320, a homologue of MoCOD1, during infection of compatible and incompatible hosts by Z. tritici. We show for the first time that Zt107320 is differentially expressed in host versus non-host infections and that lower expression corresponds to an incompatible infection of non-hosts. Applying reverse genetics approaches, we further show that Zt107320 regulates the dimorphic switch as well as the growth rate of Z. tritici and affects fungal cell wall composition in vitro. Moreover, ∆Zt107320 mutants showed reduced virulence during compatible infections of wheat. We conclude that Zt107320 directly influences pathogen fitness and propose that Zt107320 is involved in the regulation of growth processes and pathogenicity during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Habig
- Environmental GenomicsChristian‐Albrechts University of KielKielGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Sharon Marie Bahena‐Garrido
- Environmental GenomicsChristian‐Albrechts University of KielKielGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
- Present address:
National Research Institute of Brewing3‐7‐1 KagamiyamaHigashi‐Hiroshima739‐0046Japan
| | - Friederike Barkmann
- Environmental GenomicsChristian‐Albrechts University of KielKielGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Janine Haueisen
- Environmental GenomicsChristian‐Albrechts University of KielKielGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Eva Holtgrewe Stukenbrock
- Environmental GenomicsChristian‐Albrechts University of KielKielGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
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Francisco CS, Ma X, Zwyssig MM, McDonald BA, Palma-Guerrero J. Morphological changes in response to environmental stresses in the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9642. [PMID: 31270361 PMCID: PMC6610121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45994-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
During their life cycles, pathogens have to adapt to many biotic and abiotic environmental stresses to maximize their overall fitness. Morphological transitions are one of the least understood of the many strategies employed by fungal plant pathogens to adapt to constantly changing environments, even though different morphotypes may play important biological roles. Here, we first show that blastospores (the "yeast-like" form of the pathogen typically known only under laboratory conditions) can form from germinated pycnidiospores (asexual spores) on the surface of wheat leaves, suggesting that this morphotype can play an important role in the natural history of Z. tritici. Next, we characterized the morphological responses of this fungus to a series of environmental stresses to understand the effects of changing environments on fungal morphology and adaptation. All tested stresses induced morphological changes, but different responses were found among four strains. We discovered that Z. tritici forms chlamydospores and demonstrated that these structures are better able to survive extreme cold, heat and drought than other cell types. Finally, a transcriptomic analysis showed that morphogenesis and the expression of virulence factors are co-regulated in this pathogen. Our findings illustrate how changing environmental conditions can affect cellular morphology and lead to the formation of new morphotypes, with each morphotype having a potential impact on both pathogen survival and disease epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xin Ma
- Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Manuela Zwyssig
- Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Bruce A McDonald
- Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Javier Palma-Guerrero
- Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Liu Y, Liu J, Li G, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Hou J, Yang S, Sun J, Qin Q. A novel Botrytis cinerea-specific gene BcHBF1 enhances virulence of the grey mould fungus via promoting host penetration and invasive hyphal development. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2019; 20:731-747. [PMID: 31008573 PMCID: PMC6637910 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is the causative agent of grey mould on over 1000 plant species and annually causes enormous economic losses worldwide. However, the fungal factors that mediate pathogenesis of the pathogen remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a novel B. cinerea-specific pathogenicity-associated factor BcHBF1 (hyphal branching-related factor 1), identified from virulence-attenuated mutant M8008 from a B. cinerea T-DNA insertion mutant library, plays an important role in hyphal branching, infection structure formation, sclerotial formation and full virulence of the pathogen. Deletion of BcHBF1 in B. cinerea did not impair radial growth of mycelia, conidiation, conidial germination, osmotic- and oxidative-stress adaptation, as well as cell wall integrity of the ∆Bchbf1 mutant strains. However, loss of BcHBF1 impaired the capability of hyphal branching, appressorium and infection cushion formation, appressorium host penetration and virulence of the pathogen. Moreover, disruption of BcHBF1 altered conidial morphology and dramatically impaired sclerotial formation of the mutant strains. Complementation of BcHBF1 completely rescued all the phenotypic defects of the ∆Bchbf1 mutants. During young hyphal branching, host penetration and early invasive growth of the pathogen, BcHBF1 expression was up-regulated, suggesting that BcHBF1 is required for these processes. Our findings provide novel insights into the fungal factor mediating pathogenesis of the grey mould fungus via regulation of its infection structure formation, host penetration and invasive hyphal branching and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- College of Plant SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Jiane‐Kang Liu
- College of Plant SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin UniversityChangchun130062China
- Present address:
College of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
| | - Gui‐Hua Li
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Ming‐Zhe Zhang
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Ying‐Ying Zhang
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Yuan‐Yuan Wang
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Jie Hou
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
- Department of ForestForest College of Beihua UniversityJilin132013China
| | - Song Yang
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Jiao Sun
- College of Plant SciencesJilin UniversityChangchun130062China
| | - Qing‐Ming Qin
- College of Plant SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin UniversityChangchun130062China
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