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Rodríguez-Piña AL, Castaño de la Serna E, Jiménez-Bremont JF. The serine-arginine (SR) protein UmRrm75 from Ustilago maydis is a functional ortholog of yeast ScHrb1. Int Microbiol 2024; 27:819-830. [PMID: 37776379 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00432-3] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
The Basidiomycete fungus Ustilago maydis is a biotrophic pathogen of maize. The U. maydis UmRrm75 gene encodes an RNA-binding protein (RBP). In a previous study, we reported that ΔUmRrm75 null mutant strains accumulate H2O2, exhibit slow growth, and have decreased virulence in maize. Herein, we describe UmRrm75 as an ortholog of the ScHrb1, a serine-arginine (SR) protein identified in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which plays a role in nuclear quality control, specifically in mRNA splicing and export processes. The yeast ScHrb1 mutant (ΔScHrb1) exhibits an increased sensitivity to elevated levels of boron. We noticed that the ΔScHrb1 displayed sensitivity to H2O2, which is consistent with previous findings in the ΔUmRrm75 mutant. We reversed the sensitivity phenotypes of boron and H2O2 by introducing the UmRrm75 gene into the ΔScHrb1 mutant. Furthermore, we generated complementary strains of U. maydis by expressing UmRrm75-GFP under its native promoter in the ∆UmRrm75 mutants. The UmRrm75-GFP/∆UmRrm75 complementary strains successfully recovered their growth capability under stressors, H2O2 and boron, resembling the parental strains FB2 and AB33. The subcellular localization experiments conducted in U. maydis revealed that the UmRrm75 protein is localized within the nucleus of both yeast and hyphae. The nuclear localization of the UmRrm75 protein remains unaltered even under conditions of heat or oxidative stress. This suggests that UmRrm75 might perform its RBP activity in the nucleus, as previously reported for ScHrb1. Our data contribute to understanding the role of the nuclear RBP UmRrm75 from the corn smut fungus U. maydis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Laura Rodríguez-Piña
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C., San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Enrique Castaño de la Serna
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Juan Francisco Jiménez-Bremont
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C., San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
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Kaliapan K, Mazlin SNA, Chua KO, Rejab NA, Mohd-Yusuf Y. Secreted in Xylem (SIX) genes in Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) unravels the potential biomarkers for early detection of Fusarium wilt disease. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:271. [PMID: 38767679 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03996-4] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Secreted in Xylem (SIX) are small effector proteins released by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) into the plant's xylem sap disrupting the host's defence responses causing Fusarium wilt disease resulting in a significant decline in banana crop yields and economic losses. Notably, different races of Foc possess unique sets of SIX genes responsible for their virulence, however, these genes remain underutilized, despite their potential as biomarkers for early disease detection. Herein, we identified seven SIX genes i.e. SIX1, SIX2, SIX4, SIX6, SIX8a, SIX9a and SIX13 present in Foc Tropical Race 4 (FocTR4), while only SIX9b in Foc Race 1 (Foc1). Analysis of SIX gene expression in infected banana roots revealed differential patterns during infection providing valuable insights into host-pathogen interactions, virulence level, and early detection time points. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of virulent Foc1_C2HIR and FocTR4_C1HIR isolates yielded informative genomic insights. Hence, these discoveries contribute to our comprehension of potential disease control targets in these plants, as well as enhancing plant diagnostics and breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kausalyaa Kaliapan
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nur Akmar Mazlin
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kah Ooi Chua
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Ardiyana Rejab
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yusmin Mohd-Yusuf
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Glami Lemi Biotechnology Research Centre Universiti Malaya, 71650, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
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Yuan Y, Mao X, Abubakar YS, Zheng W, Wang Z, Zhou J, Zheng H. Genome-Wide Characterization of the RNA Exosome Complex in Relation to Growth, Development, and Pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0505822. [PMID: 37158744 PMCID: PMC10269758 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05058-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA exosome complex is a conserved, multisubunit RNase complex that contributes to the processing and degradation of RNAs in mammalian cells. However, the roles of the RNA exosome in phytopathogenic fungi and how it relates to fungal development and pathogenicity remain unclear. Herein, we identified 12 components of the RNA exosome in the wheat fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Live-cell imaging showed that all the components of the RNA exosome complex are localized in the nucleus. FgEXOSC1 and FgEXOSCA were successfully knocked out; they are both involved in the vegetative growth, sexual reproduction, and pathogenicity of F. graminearum. Moreover, deletion of FgEXOSC1 resulted in abnormal toxisomes, decreased deoxynivalenol (DON) production, and downregulation of the expression levels of DON biosynthesis genes. The RNA-binding domain and N-terminal region of FgExosc1 are required for its normal localization and functions. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) showed that the disruption of FgEXOSC1 resulted in differential expression of 3,439 genes. Genes involved in processing of noncoding RNA (ncRNA), rRNA and ncRNA metabolism, ribosome biogenesis, and ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis were significantly upregulated. Furthermore, subcellular localization, green fluorescent protein (GFP) pulldown, and coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays demonstrated that FgExosc1 associates with the other components of the RNA exosome to form the RNA exosome complex in F. graminearum. Deletion of FgEXOSC1 and FgEXOSCA reduced the relative expression of some of the other subunits of the RNA exosome. Deletion of FgEXOSC1 affected the localization of FgExosc4, FgExosc6, and FgExosc7. In summary, our study reveals that the RNA exosome is involved in vegetative growth, sexual reproduction, DON production, and pathogenicity of F. graminearum. IMPORTANCE The RNA exosome complex is the most versatile RNA degradation machinery in eukaryotes. However, little is known about how this complex regulates the development and pathogenicity of plant-pathogenic fungi. In this study, we systematically identified 12 components of the RNA exosome complex in Fusarium head blight fungus Fusarium graminearum and first unveiled their subcellular localizations and established their biological functions in relation to the fungal development and pathogenesis. All the RNA exosome components are localized in the nucleus. FgExosc1 and FgExoscA are both required for the vegetative growth, sexual reproduction, DON production and pathogenicity in F. graminearum. FgExosc1 is involved in ncRNA processing, rRNA and ncRNA metabolism process, ribosome biogenesis and ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis. FgExosc1 associates with the other components of RNA exosome complex and form the exosome complex in F. graminearum. Our study provides new insights into the role of the RNA exosome in regulating RNA metabolism, which is associated with fungal development and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Yuan
- Fujian Key Laboratory on Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Marine Biodiversity, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Universities Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xuzhao Mao
- Fujian Key Laboratory on Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Marine Biodiversity, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Universities Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yakubu Saddeeq Abubakar
- Fujian Universities Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Wenhui Zheng
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zonghua Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory on Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Marine Biodiversity, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Universities Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Fujian Universities Key Laboratory for Plant-Microbe Interaction, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Huawei Zheng
- Fujian Key Laboratory on Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Marine Biodiversity, Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography, College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China
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Pérez Rodríguez F, Valdés-Santiago L, Noé García-Chávez J, Luis Castro-Guillén J, Ruiz-Herrera J. Analysis of gene expression related to polyamine concentration and dimorphism induced in ornithine decarboxylase (odc) and spermidine synthase (spd) Ustilago maydis mutants. Fungal Genet Biol 2023; 166:103792. [PMID: 36996931 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Polyamines are ubiquitous small organic cations, and their roles as regulators of several cellular processes are widely recognized. They are implicated in the key stages of the fungal life cycle. Ustilago maydis is a phytopathogenic fungus, the causal agent of common smut of maize and a model system to understand dimorphism and virulence. U. maydis grows in yeast form at pH 7 and it can develop its mycelial form in vitro at pH 3. Δodc mutants that are unable to synthesize polyamines, grew as yeast at pH 3 with a low putrescine concentration, and to complete its dimorphic transition high putrescine concentration was required. Δspd mutants required spermidine to grow and cannot form mycelium at pH 3. In this work, the increased expression of the mating genes, mfa1 and mfa2, on Δodc mutants, was related to high putrescine concentration. Global gene expression analysis comparisons of Δodc and Δspd U. maydis mutants indicated that 2,959 genes were differentially expressed in the presence of exogenous putrescine at pH 7 and 475 genes at pH 3. While, in Δspd mutant, the expression of 1,426 genes was affected by exogenous spermine concentration at pH 7 and 11 genes at pH 3. Additionally, we identified 28 transcriptional modules with correlated expression during seven tested conditions: mutant genotype, morphology (yeast, and mycelium), pH, and putrescine or spermidine concentration. Furthermore, significant differences in transcript levels were noted for genes in modules relating to pH and genotype genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, N-glycan synthesis, and Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor. In summary, our results offer a valuable tool for the identification of potential factors involved in phenomena related to polyamines and dimorphism.
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Chigira Y, Sasaki N, Komatsu K, Mashimo K, Tanaka S, Numamoto M, Moriyama H, Motobayashi T. Mating Types of Ustilago esculenta Infecting Zizania latifolia Cultivars in Japan Are Biased towards MAT-2 and MAT-3. Microbes Environ 2023; 38:ME23034. [PMID: 37704449 PMCID: PMC10522849 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me23034] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Zizania latifolia cultivars infected by the endophytic fungus Ustilago esculenta develop an edible stem gall. Stem gall development varies among cultivars and individuals and may be affected by the strain of U. esculenta. To isolate haploids from two Z. latifolia cultivars in our paddy fields, Shirakawa and Ittenkou, we herein performed the sporadic isolation of U. esculenta strains from stem gall tissue, a PCR-based assessment of the mating type, and in vitro mating experiments. As a result, we obtained heterogametic strains of MAT-2 and MAT-3 as well as MAT-2, but not MAT-3, haploid strains. Another isolation method, in which we examined poorly growing small clusters of sporidia derived from teliospores, succeeded in isolating a MAT-3 haploid strain. We also identified the mating types of 10 U. esculenta strains collected as genetic resources from different areas in Japan. All strains, except for one MAT-1 haploid strain, were classified as MAT-2 haploid strains or heterogametic strains of MAT-2 and MAT-3. The isolated strains of MAT-1, MAT-2, and MAT-3 mated with each other to produce hyphae. Collectively, these results indicate that the mating types of U. esculenta infecting Z. latifolia cultivars in Japan are biased towards MAT-2 and MAT-3 and that U. esculenta populations in these Japanese cultivars may be characterized by the low isolation efficiency of the MAT-3 haploid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Chigira
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Nobumitsu Sasaki
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
- Gene Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
- Institute of Global Innovation Research (GIR), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Ken Komatsu
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
- Institute of Global Innovation Research (GIR), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Kouji Mashimo
- Field Science Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Tanaka
- Faculty of Agriculture, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Minori Numamoto
- Faculty of Agriculture, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Moriyama
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Takashi Motobayashi
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
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Soberanes-Gutiérrez CV, Castillo-Jiménez A, Pérez-Rueda E, Galán-Vásquez E. Construction and analysis of gene co-expression network in the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1048694. [PMID: 36569046 PMCID: PMC9767968 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Biological systems respond to environmental disturbances and a wide range of compounds through complex gene interaction networks. The enormous growth of experimental information obtained using large-scale genomic techniques such as microarrays and RNA sequencing led to the construction of a wide variety of gene co-expression networks in recent years. These networks allow the discovery of clusters of co-expressed genes that potentially work in the same process linking them to biological processes often of interest to industrial, medicinal, and academic research. Methods In this study, we built the gene co-expression network of Ustilago maydis from the gene expression data of 168 samples belonging to 19 series, which correspond to the GPL3681 platform deposited in the NCBI using WGCNA software. This network was analyzed to identify clusters of co-expressed genes, gene hubs and Gene Ontology terms. Additionally, we identified relevant modules through a hypergeometric approach based on a predicted set of transcription factors and virulence genes. Results and Discussion We identified 13 modules in the gene co-expression network of U. maydis. The TFs enriched in the modules of interest belong to the superfamilies of Nucleic acid-binding proteins, Winged helix DNA-binding, and Zn2/Cys6 DNA-binding. On the other hand, the modules enriched with virulence genes were classified into diseases related to corn smut, Invasive candidiasis, among others. Finally, a large number of hypothetical, a large number of hypothetical genes were identified as highly co-expressed with virulence genes, making them possible experimental targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthia V. Soberanes-Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Ciencias Agrogenómicas, de la Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Castillo-Jiménez
- Licenciatura en Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Pérez-Rueda
- Unidad Académica Yucatán, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Edgardo Galán-Vásquez
- Departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigación en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico,*Correspondence: Edgardo Galán-Vásquez,
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Muzafar S, Sharma RD, Chauhan N, Prasad R. Intron distribution and emerging role of alternative splicing in fungi. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2021; 368:6414529. [PMID: 34718529 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnab135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spliceosomal introns are noncoding sequences that are spliced from pre-mRNA. They are ubiquitous in eukaryotic genomes, although the average number of introns per gene varies considerably between different eukaryotic species. Fungi are diverse in terms of intron numbers ranging from 4% to 99% genes with introns. Alternative splicing is one of the most common modes of posttranscriptional regulation in eukaryotes, giving rise to multiple transcripts from a single pre-mRNA and is widespread in metazoans and drives extensive proteome diversity. Earlier, alternative splicing was considered to be rare in fungi, but recently, increasing numbers of studies have revealed that alternative splicing is also widespread in fungi and has been implicated in the regulation of fungal growth and development, protein localization and the improvement of survivability, likely underlying their unique capacity to adapt to changing environmental conditions. However, the role of alternative splicing in pathogenicity and development of drug resistance is only recently gaining attention. In this review, we describe the intronic landscape in fungi. We also present in detail the newly discovered functions of alternative splicing in various cellular processes and outline areas particularly in pathogenesis and clinical drug resistance for future studies that could lead to the development of much needed new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraya Muzafar
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University Gurgaon, Gurgaon 122413, Haryana, India
| | - Ravi Datta Sharma
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University Gurgaon, Gurgaon 122413, Haryana, India
| | - Neeraj Chauhan
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University Gurgaon, Gurgaon 122413, Haryana, India
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Fang S, Hou X, Qiu K, He R, Feng X, Liang X. The occurrence and function of alternative splicing in fungi. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Martins MP, Martinez-Rossi NM, Sanches PR, Rossi A. The PAC-3 transcription factor critically regulates phenotype-associated genes in Neurospora crassa. Genet Mol Biol 2020; 43:e20190374. [PMID: 32584919 PMCID: PMC7355564 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2019-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play an important role in fungal environmental adaptive process by promoting adjustment to challenging stimuli via gene modulation and activation of signaling networks. The transcription factor encoded by the pac-3/rim101/pacC gene is involved in pH regulation and is associated with a wide variety of cellular functions. The deletion of pac-3 affects fungal development. In Neurospora crassa, the Δpac-3 strain presents diminished aerial growth and reduced conidiation. However, the PAC-3-regulated genes associated with this altered phenotype have not been elucidated. In this study, we used RNA-seq to analyze the phenotypic plasticity induced after pac-3 deletion in the filamentous fungus N. crassa cultivated in media supplemented with sufficient or limited inorganic phosphate. Genes related to morphology, hyphal development, and conidiation were of particular interest in this study. Our results suggest a pac-3 dependency in gene regulation in a Pi-dependent manner. Furthermore, our analysis suggested that the fungus attempts to overcome the deletion effects in a Δpac-3 mutant through a complex combined regulatory mechanism. Finally, the modulatory responses observed in the Δpac-3 strain, a double mutant generated based on the Δmus-52 mutant strain, is strain-specific, highlighting that the phenotypic impact may be attributed to pac-3 absence despite the combined mus-52 deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maíra Pompeu Martins
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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The Ustilago maydis null mutant strains of the RNA-binding protein UmRrm75 accumulate hydrogen peroxide and melanin. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10813. [PMID: 31346214 PMCID: PMC6658566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47133-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Ustilago maydis is a dimorphic fungus that has emerged as a model organism for the study of fungal phytopathogenicity and RNA biology. In a previous study, we isolated the U. maydis UmRrm75 gene. The deletion of the UmRrm75 gene affected morphogenesis and pathogenicity. UmRrm75 gene encodes a protein containing three RNA recognition motifs. Here we determined that UmRrm75 has chaperone activity in Escherichia coli using the transcription anti-termination assay. Subsequently, we analyzed the growth of ΔUmRrm75 mutants at 15 °C and 37 °C, observing that mutant strains had reduced growth in comparison to parental strains. UmRrm75 gene expression was induced under these non-optimal temperatures. ΔUmRrm75 mutant colonies displayed a dark-brown color at 28 °C, which was confirmed to be melanin based on spectroscopic analysis and spectrometric data. Furthermore, ΔUmRrm75 mutant strains showed the presence of peroxisomes, and increased H2O2 levels, even at 28 °C. The ΔUmRrm75 mutant strains displayed a higher expression of redox-sensor UmYap1 gene and increased catalase activity than the parental strains. Our data show that deletion of the UmRrm75 gene results in higher levels of H2O2, increased melanin content, and abiotic stress sensitivity.
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New Insights of Ustilago maydis as Yeast Model for Genetic and Biotechnological Research: A Review. Curr Microbiol 2019; 76:917-926. [DOI: 10.1007/s00284-019-01629-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Interdependence of Primary Metabolism and Xenobiotic Mitigation Characterizes the Proteome of Bjerkandera adusta during Wood Decomposition. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.01401-17. [PMID: 29101201 PMCID: PMC5752865 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01401-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the current work was to identify key features of the fungal proteome involved in the active decay of beechwood blocks by the white rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta at 20°C and 24°C. A combination of protein and domain analyses ensured a high level of annotation, which revealed that while the variation in the proteins identified was high between replicates, there was a considerable degree of functional conservation between the two temperatures. Further analysis revealed differences in the pathways and processes employed by the fungus at the different temperatures, particularly in relation to nutrient acquisition and xenobiotic mitigation. Key features showing temperature-dependent variation in mechanisms for both lignocellulose decomposition and sugar utilization were found, alongside differences in the enzymes involved in mitigation against damage caused by toxic phenolic compounds and oxidative stress. IMPORTANCE This work was conducted using the wood decay fungus B. adusta, grown on solid wood blocks to closely mimic the natural environment, and gives greater insight into the proteome of an important environmental fungus during active decay. We show that a change in incubation temperature from 20°C to 24°C altered the protein profile. Proteomic studies in the field of white-rotting basidiomycetes have thus far been hampered by poor annotation of protein databases, with a large proportion of proteins simply with unknown function. This study was enhanced by extensive protein domain analysis, enabling a higher level of functional assignment and greater understanding of the proteome composition. This work revealed a strong interdependence of the primary process of nutrient acquisition and specialized metabolic processes for the detoxification of plant extractives and the phenolic breakdown products of lignocellulose.
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Xia Y, Fei B, He J, Zhou M, Zhang D, Pan L, Li S, Liang Y, Wang L, Zhu J, Li P, Zheng A. Transcriptome analysis reveals the host selection fitness mechanisms of the Rhizoctonia solani AG1IA pathogen. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10120. [PMID: 28860554 PMCID: PMC5579035 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10804-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhizoctonia solani AG1IA is a major generalist pathogen that causes sheath blight. Its genome, which was the first to be sequenced from the Rhizoctonia genus, may serve as a model for studying pathogenic mechanisms. To explore the pathogen-host fitness mechanism of sheath-blight fungus, a comprehensive comparative transcriptome ecotype analysis of R. solani AG1IA isolated from rice, soybean and corn during infection was performed. Special characteristics in gene expression, gene ontology terms and expression of pathogenesis-associated genes, including genes encoding secreted proteins, candidate effectors, hydrolases, and proteins involved in secondary metabolite production and the MAPK pathway, were revealed. Furthermore, as an important means of pathogenic modulation, diverse alternative splicing of key pathogenic genes in Rhizoctonia solani AG1IA during infections of the abovementioned hosts was uncovered for the first time. These important findings of key factors in the pathogenicity of R. solani AG1IA ecotypes during infection of various hosts explain host preference and provide novel insights into the pathogenic mechanisms and host-pathogen selection. Furthermore, they provide information on the fitness of Rhizoctonia, a severe pathogen with a wide host range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xia
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Binghong Fei
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiayu He
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Menglin Zhou
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Danhua Zhang
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Linxiu Pan
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Shuangcheng Li
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Southwest Corp Gene Resource and Genetic Improvement of Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, China
| | - Yueyang Liang
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Southwest Corp Gene Resource and Genetic Improvement of Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, China
| | - Lingxia Wang
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Southwest Corp Gene Resource and Genetic Improvement of Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, China
| | - Jianqing Zhu
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Southwest Corp Gene Resource and Genetic Improvement of Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, China
| | - Ping Li
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Key Laboratory of Southwest Corp Gene Resource and Genetic Improvement of Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, China
| | - Aiping Zheng
- Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Crop Major Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
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14
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Jin L, Li G, Yu D, Huang W, Cheng C, Liao S, Wu Q, Zhang Y. Transcriptome analysis reveals the complexity of alternative splicing regulation in the fungus Verticillium dahliae. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:130. [PMID: 28166730 PMCID: PMC5294800 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alternative splicing (AS) regulation is extensive and shapes the functional complexity of higher organisms. However, the contribution of alternative splicing to fungal biology is not well studied. Results This study provides sequences of the transcriptomes of the plant wilt pathogen Verticillium dahliae, using two different strains and multiple methods for cDNA library preparations. We identified alternatively spliced mRNA isoforms in over a half of the multi-exonic fungal genes. Over one-thousand isoforms involve TopHat novel splice junction; multiple types of combinatory alternative splicing patterns were identified. We showed that one Verticillium gene could use four different 5′ splice sites and two different 3′ donor sites to produce up to five mature mRNAs, representing one of the most sophisticated alternative splicing model in eukaryotes other than animals. Hundreds of novel intron types involving a pair of new splice sites were identified in the V. dahliae genome. All the types of AS events were validated by using RT-PCR. Functional enrichment analysis showed that AS genes are involved in most known biological functions and enriched in ATP biosynthesis, sexual/asexual reproduction, morphogenesis, signal transduction etc., predicting that the AS regulation modulates mRNA isoform output and shapes the V. dahliae proteome plasticity of the pathogen in response to the environmental and developmental changes. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the comprehensive alternative splicing mechanisms in a fungal plant pathogen, which argues the importance of this fungus in developing complicate genome regulation strategies in eukaryotes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3507-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Jin
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430064, China
| | - Guanglin Li
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China.,College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710119, China
| | - Dazhao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430064, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430064, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China
| | - Shengjie Liao
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China.,Laboratory for Genome Regulation and Human Heath, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China
| | - Qijia Wu
- Laboratory for Genome Regulation and Human Heath, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China.,Seqhealth Technology Co., Ltd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center for Genome Analysis, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China. .,Laboratory for Genome Regulation and Human Heath, ABLife Inc., Optics Valley International Biomedical Park, Building 9-4, East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, 388 Gaoxin 2nd Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430075, China.
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15
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Sesma A. RNA metabolism and regulation of virulence programs in fungi. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 57:120-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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16
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Gonzalez-Hilarion S, Paulet D, Lee KT, Hon CC, Lechat P, Mogensen E, Moyrand F, Proux C, Barboux R, Bussotti G, Hwang J, Coppée JY, Bahn YS, Janbon G. Intron retention-dependent gene regulation in Cryptococcus neoformans. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32252. [PMID: 27577684 PMCID: PMC5006051 DOI: 10.1038/srep32252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological impact of alternative splicing is poorly understood in fungi, although recent studies have shown that these microorganisms are usually intron-rich. In this study, we re-annotated the genome of C. neoformans var. neoformans using RNA-Seq data. Comparison with C. neoformans var. grubii revealed that more than 99% of ORF-introns are in the same exact position in the two varieties whereas UTR-introns are much less evolutionary conserved. We also confirmed that alternative splicing is very common in C. neoformans, affecting nearly all expressed genes. We also observed specific regulation of alternative splicing by environmental cues in this yeast. However, alternative splicing does not appear to be an efficient method to diversify the C. neoformans proteome. Instead, our data suggest the existence of an intron retention-dependent mechanism of gene expression regulation that is not dependent on NMD. This regulatory process represents an additional layer of gene expression regulation in fungi and provides a mechanism to tune gene expression levels in response to any environmental modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gonzalez-Hilarion
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Damien Paulet
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Kyung-Tae Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Chung-Chau Hon
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Yokohama Institute, Division of Genomic Technology, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Pierre Lechat
- Institut Pasteur, HUB Bioinformatique et Biostatistique, C3BI, USR 3756 IP CNRS, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Estelle Mogensen
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Moyrand
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Proux
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Rony Barboux
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Giovanni Bussotti
- Institut Pasteur, HUB Bioinformatique et Biostatistique, C3BI, USR 3756 IP CNRS, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Jungwook Hwang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jean-Yves Coppée
- Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme transcriptome et Epigénome, Département Génomes et Génétique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Yong-Sun Bahn
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie des ARN des Pathogènes Fongiques, Département de Mycologie, F-75015, Paris, France
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17
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Cervantes-Montelongo JA, Aréchiga-Carvajal ET, Ruiz-Herrera J. Adaptation ofUstilago maydisto extreme pH values: A transcriptomic analysis. J Basic Microbiol 2016; 56:1222-1233. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201600130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Cervantes-Montelongo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato Gto. México
| | - Elva Teresa Aréchiga-Carvajal
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología; Unidad de Manipulación Genética, San Nicolás de los Garza; Nuevo León México
| | - José Ruiz-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato; Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Irapuato Gto. México
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18
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Pasquali M, Serchi T, Cocco E, Leclercq CC, Planchon S, Guignard C, Renaut J, Hoffmann L. A Fusarium graminearum strain-comparative proteomic approach identifies regulatory changes triggered by agmatine. J Proteomics 2016; 137:107-16. [PMID: 26585460 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Plant pathogens face different environmental clues depending on the stage of the infection cycle they are in. Fusarium graminearum infects small grain cereals producing trichothecenes type B (TB) that act as virulence factor in the interaction with the plant and have important food safety implications. This study addresses at the proteomic level the effect of an environmental stimulus (such as the presence of a polyamine like agmatine) possibly encountered by the fungus when it is already within the plant. Because biological diversity affects the proteome significantly, a multistrain (n=3) comparative approach was used to identify consistent effects caused on the fungus by the nitrogen source (agmatine or glutamic acid). Proteomics analyses were performed by the use of 2D-DIGE. Results showed that agmatine augmented TB production but not equally in all strains. The polyamine reshaped drastically the proteome of the fungus activating specific pathways linked to the translational control within the cell. Chromatin restructuring, ribosomal regulations, protein and mRNA processing enzymes were modulated by the agmatine stimulus as well as metabolic, structural and virulence-related proteins, suggesting the need to reshape specifically the fungal cell for TB production, a key step for the pathogen spread within the spike. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Induction of toxin synthesis by plant compounds plays a crucial role in toxin contamination of food and feed, in particular trichothecenes type B produced mainly by F. graminearum on wheat. This work describes the level of diversity of 3 strains facing 2 toxin inducing plant derived compounds. This knowledge is of use for the research community on toxigenic Fusarium strains in cereals for understanding the role of fungal diversity in toxin inducibility. This work also suggests that environmental clues that can be found within the plant during infection (like different nitrogen compounds) are crucial stimuli for reshaping the proteome profile and consequently the specialization profiling of the fungus, ultimately leading to very different toxin contamination levels in the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pasquali
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - T Serchi
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - E Cocco
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - C C Leclercq
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - S Planchon
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - C Guignard
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - J Renaut
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - L Hoffmann
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41, rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
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19
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Juárez-Montiel M, Romero-Maldonado A, Monreal-Escalante E, Becerra-Flora A, Korban SS, Rosales-Mendoza S, Jiménez-Bremont JF. The Corn Smut ('Huitlacoche') as a New Platform for Oral Vaccines. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26207365 PMCID: PMC4514630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of new alternative platforms for subunit vaccine production is a priority in the biomedical field. In this study, Ustilago maydis, the causal agent of common corn smut or ‘huitlacoche’has been genetically engineered to assess expression and immunogenicity of the B subunit of the cholera toxin (CTB), a relevant immunomodulatory agent in vaccinology. An oligomeric CTB recombinant protein was expressed in corn smut galls at levels of up to 1.3 mg g-1 dry weight (0.8% of the total soluble protein). Mice orally immunized with ‘huitlacoche’-derived CTB showed significant humoral responses that were well-correlated with protection against challenge with the cholera toxin (CT). These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using edible corn smut as a safe, effective, and low-cost platform for production and delivery of a subunit oral vaccine. The implications of this platform in the area of molecular pharming are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Juárez-Montiel
- Laboratorio de Estudios Moleculares de Respuesta a Estrés en Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica AC, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Andrea Romero-Maldonado
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Alicia Becerra-Flora
- Laboratorio de Estudios Moleculares de Respuesta a Estrés en Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica AC, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Schuyler S. Korban
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
- * E-mail: (SRM); (JFJB)
| | - Juan Francisco Jiménez-Bremont
- Laboratorio de Estudios Moleculares de Respuesta a Estrés en Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica AC, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
- * E-mail: (SRM); (JFJB)
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20
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Crespo-Sempere A, Selma-Lázaro C, Martínez-Culebras P, González-Candelas L. Characterization and disruption of the cipC gene in the ochratoxigenic fungus Aspergillus carbonarius. Food Res Int 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2013.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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21
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Grützmann K, Szafranski K, Pohl M, Voigt K, Petzold A, Schuster S. Fungal alternative splicing is associated with multicellular complexity and virulence: a genome-wide multi-species study. DNA Res 2013; 21:27-39. [PMID: 24122896 PMCID: PMC3925392 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dst038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a cellular process that increases a cell's coding capacity from a limited set of genes. Although AS is common in higher plants and animals, its prevalence in other eukaryotes is mostly unknown. In fungi the involvement of AS in gene expression and its effect on multi-cellularity and virulence is of great medical and economic interest. We present a genome-wide comparative study of AS in 23 informative fungi of different taxa, based on alignments of public transcript sequences. Random sampling of expressed sequence tags allows for robust and comparable estimations of AS rates. We find that a greater fraction of fungal genes than previously expected is associated with AS. We estimate that on average, 6.4% of the annotated genes are affected by AS, with Cryptococcus neoformans showing an extraordinary rate of 18%. The investigated Basidiomycota show higher average AS rates (8.6%) than the Ascomycota (6.0%), although not significant. We find that multi-cellular complexity and younger evolutionary age associate with higher AS rates. Furthermore, AS affects genes involved in pathogenic lifestyle, particularly in functions of stress response and dimorphic switching. Together, our analysis strongly supports the view that AS is a rather common phenomenon in fungi and associates with higher multi-cellular complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Grützmann
- 1Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Ernst-Abbe-Platz 2, Jena D-07743, Germany
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22
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Martínez-Soto D, Ruiz-Herrera J. Transcriptomic analysis of the dimorphic transition of Ustilago maydis induced in vitro by a change in pH. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 58-59:116-25. [PMID: 23994320 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphism is the property of fungi to grow as budding yeasts or mycelium, depending on the environmental conditions. This phenomenon is important as a model of differentiation in eukaryotic organisms, and since a large number of fungal diseases are caused by dimorphic fungi, its study is important for practical reasons. In this work, we examined the transcriptome during the dimorphic transition of the basidiomycota phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis using microarrays, utilizing yeast and mycelium monomorphic mutants as controls. This way, we thereby identified 154 genes of the fungus that are specifically involved in the dimorphic transition induced by a pH change. Of these, 82 genes were up-regulated, and 72 were down-regulated. Differential categorization of these genes revealed that they mostly belonged to the classes of metabolism, cell cycle and DNA processing, transcription and protein fate, transport and cellular communication, stress, cell differentiation and biogenesis of cellular components, while a significant number of them corresponded to unclassified proteins. The data reported in this work are important for our understanding of the molecular bases of dimorphism in U. maydis, and possibly of other fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
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23
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Donaldson ME, Meng S, Gagarinova A, Babu M, Lambie SC, Swiadek AA, Saville BJ. Investigating the Ustilago maydis/Zea mays pathosystem: transcriptional responses and novel functional aspects of a fungal calcineurin regulatory B subunit. Fungal Genet Biol 2013; 58-59:91-104. [PMID: 23973481 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2013.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Revised: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The sustainable control of basidiomycete biotrophic plant pathogenesis requires an understanding of host responses to infection, as well as the identification and functional analysis of fungal genes involved in disease development. The creation and analysis of a suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library from Ustilago maydis-infected Zea mays seedlings enabled the identification of fungal and plant genes expressed during disease development, and uncovered new insights into the interactions of this model system. Candidate U. maydis pathogenesis genes were identified by using the current SSH cDNA library analysis, and by knowledge generated from previous cDNA microarray and comparative genomic analyses. These identifications were supported by the independent determination of transcript level changes in different cell-types and during pathogenic development. The basidiomycete specific um01632, the highly in planta expressed um03046 (zig1), and the calcineurin regulatory B subunit (um10226, cnb1), were chosen for deletion experiments. um01632 and zig1 mutants showed no difference in morphology and did not have a statistically significant impact on pathogenesis. cnb1 mutants had a distinct cell division phenotype and reduced virulence in seedling assays. Infections with reciprocal wild-type×Δcnb1 haploid strain crosses revealed that the wild-type allele was unable to fully compensate for the lack of a second cnb1 allele. This haploinsufficiency was undetected in other fungal cnb1 mutational analyses. The reported data improves U. maydis genome annotation and expands on the current understanding of pathogenesis genes in this model basidiomycete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Donaldson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
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24
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Zhao XF, Li M, Li YQ, Chen XD, Gao XD. The TEA/ATTS transcription factor YlTec1p represses the yeast-to-hypha transition in the dimorphic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. FEMS Yeast Res 2012; 13:50-61. [PMID: 23067114 DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2012.12008.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Revised: 09/10/2012] [Accepted: 09/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tec1p in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is important for dimorphic transition. In this study, we identified a homologue of Tec1p, YlTec1p, in the distantly related dimorphic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. YlTec1p contains an evolutionarily conserved TEA/ATTS DNA-binding domain. Expression of YlTEC1 in S. cerevisiae tec1Δ cells rescued the invasive growth defect and activated a FLO11-lacZ reporter, indicating that YlTec1p is functionally related to Tec1p. However, YlTEC1 expression failed to activate an FRE-lacZ reporter, suggesting that these two transcription factors are different. YlTEC1 plays a negative role in the yeast-to-hypha transition in Y. lipolytica based on gene deletion and overexpression studies. We show that YlTec1p activates rather than represses gene expression in Y. lipolytica by yeast one-hybrid assay, and YlTec1p is critical for the activation of FLO11-lacZ in Y. lipolytica. In addition, YlTec1p localized to the nucleus and its nuclear localization decreased during hyphal growth. We speculate that YlTec1p may normally regulate the expression of a set of target genes that may prevent rather than promote hyphal development in Y. lipolytica. Our study also suggests that YlTEC1 may not be largely regulated by the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Feng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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