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Kraut-Cohen J, Frenkel O, Covo S, Marcos-Hadad E, Carmeli S, Belausov E, Minz D, Cytryn E. A pipeline for rapidly evaluating activity and inferring mechanisms of action of prospective antifungal compounds. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2804-2816. [PMID: 38323791 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7989] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungal phytopathogens are a significant threat to crops and food security, and there is a constant need to develop safe and effective compounds that antagonize them. In-planta assays are complex and tedious and are thus not suitable for initial high-throughput screening of new candidate antifungal compounds. We propose an in vitro screening pipeline that integrates five rapid quantitative and qualitative methods to estimate the efficacy and mode of action of prospective antifungal compounds. RESULTS The pipeline was evaluated using five documented antifungal compounds (benomyl, catechol, cycloheximide, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, and phenylacetic acid) that have different modes of action and efficacy, against the model soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis cucumerinum. We initially evaluated the five compounds' ability to inhibit fungal growth and metabolic activity using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled F. oxysporum and PrestoBlue staining, respectively, in multiwell plate assays. We tested the compounds' inhibition of both conidial germination and hyphal elongation. We then employed FUN-1 and SYTO9/propidium iodide staining, coupled to confocal microscopy, to differentiate between fungal growth inhibition and death at the cellular level. Finally, using a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-detection assay, we were able to quantify ROS production in response to compound application. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the proposed pipeline provides a wide array of quantitative and qualitative data on the tested compounds that can help pinpoint promising novel compounds; these can then be evaluated more vigorously using in planta screening assays. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Kraut-Cohen
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Omer Frenkel
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Shay Covo
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Evgeniya Marcos-Hadad
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shmuel Carmeli
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
| | - Eduard Belausov
- Confocal Microscopy Unit, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Dror Minz
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Eddie Cytryn
- Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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Staropoli A, Guastaferro VM, Vinale F, Turrà D, Di Costanzo L, Vitale S. Repression of autocrine pheromone signaling leads to fusaric acid over-production. Nat Prod Res 2024; 38:1967-1971. [PMID: 37395452 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2227992] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Fusaric acid (FA), a picolinic acid derivative, is a natural substance produced by a wide variety of fungal plant pathogens belonging to the Fusarium genus. As a metabolite, fusaric acid exerts several biological activities including metal chelation, electrolyte leakage, repression of ATP synthesis, and direct toxicity on plants, animals and bacteria. Prior studies on the structure of fusaric acid revealed a co-crystal dimeric adduct between FA and 9,10-dehydrofusaric acid. During an ongoing search for signaling genes differentially regulating FA production in the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fo), we found that mutants lacking pheromone expression have an increased production of FA compared to the wild type strain. Noteworthy, crystallographic analysis of FA extracted from Fo culture supernatants showed that crystals are formed by a dimeric form of two FA molecules (1:1 molar stoichiometry). Overall, our results suggest that pheromone signaling in Fo is required to regulate the synthesis of fusaric acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Staropoli
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Portici, Italy
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Vinale
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Portici, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - David Turrà
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Luigi Di Costanzo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Stefania Vitale
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Portici, Italy
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3
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Ramaswe JB, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Fru FF, Adegeye OO, Wingfield BD. Sex Pheromone Receptor Ste2 Orchestrates Chemotropic Growth towards Pine Root Extracts in the Pitch Canker Pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Pathogens 2024; 13:425. [PMID: 38787277 PMCID: PMC11124031 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050425] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In ascomycetous fungi, sexual mate recognition requires interaction of the Ste2 receptor protein produced by one partner with the α-factor peptide pheromone produced by the other partner. In some fungi, Ste2 is further needed for chemotropism towards plant roots to allow for subsequent infection and colonization. Here, we investigated whether this is also true for the pine pitch canker fungus, Fusarium circinatum, which is a devastating pathogen of pine globally. Ste2 knockout mutants were generated for two opposite mating-type isolates, after which all strains were subjected to chemotropism assays involving exudates from pine seedling roots and synthetic α-factor pheromone, as well as a range of other compounds for comparison. Our data show that Ste2 is not required for chemotropism towards any of these other compounds, but, in both wild-type strains, Ste2 deletion resulted in the loss of chemotropism towards pine root exudate. Also, irrespective of mating type, both wild-type strains displayed positive chemotropism towards α-factor pheromone, which was substantially reduced in the deletion mutants and not the complementation mutants. Taken together, these findings suggest that Ste2 likely has a key role during the infection of pine roots in production nurseries. Our study also provides a strong foundation for exploring the role of self-produced and mate-produced α-factor pheromone in the growth and overall biology of the pitch canker pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma T. Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa; (J.B.R.); (L.D.V.); (F.F.F.); (O.O.A.); (B.D.W.)
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4
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Zhang YD, Ji XB, Zong J, Dai XF, Klosterman SJ, Subbarao KV, Zhang DD, Chen JY. Functional analysis of the mating type genes in Verticillium dahliae. BMC Biol 2024; 22:108. [PMID: 38714997 PMCID: PMC11077750 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01900-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Populations of the plant pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae display a complex and rich genetic diversity, yet the existence of sexual reproduction in the fungus remains contested. As pivotal genes, MAT genes play a crucial role in regulating cell differentiation, morphological development, and mating of compatible cells. However, the functions of the two mating type genes in V. dahliae, VdMAT1-1-1, and VdMAT1-2-1, remain poorly understood. RESULTS In this study, we confirmed that the MAT loci in V. dahliae are highly conserved, including both VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 which share high collinearity. The conserved core transcription factor encoded by the two MAT loci may facilitate the regulation of pheromone precursor and pheromone receptor genes by directly binding to their promoter regions. Additionally, peptide activity assays demonstrated that the signal peptide of the pheromone VdPpg1 possessed secretory activity, while VdPpg2, lacked a predicted signal peptide. Chemotactic growth assays revealed that V. dahliae senses and grows towards the pheromones FO-a and FO-α of Fusarium oxysporum, as well as towards VdPpg2 of V. dahliae, but not in response to VdPpg1. The findings herein also revealed that VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 regulate vegetative growth, carbon source utilization, and resistance to stressors in V. dahliae, while negatively regulating virulence. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the potential roles of VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 in sexual reproduction and confirm their involvement in various asexual processes of V. dahliae, offering novel insights into the functions of mating type genes in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Duo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Bin Ji
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Juan Zong
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Dai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Steven J Klosterman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, CA, USA
| | - Krishna V Subbarao
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o United States Agricultural Research Station, Salinas, CA, USA.
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China.
| | - Jie-Yin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China.
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Kita K, Uchida M, Arie T, Teraoka T, Kaku H, Kanda Y, Mori M, Arazoe T, Kamakura T. The MAT1 locus is required for microconidia-mediated sexual fertility in the rice blast fungus. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2024; 371:fnae004. [PMID: 38305094 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnae004] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Rice blast fungus (Pyricularia oryzae) is a heterothallic ascomycete that causes the most destructive disease in cultivated rice worldwide. This fungus reproduces sexually and asexually, and its mating type is determined by the MAT1 locus, MAT1-1 or MAT1-2. Interestingly, most rice-infecting field isolates show a loss of female fertility, but the MAT1 locus is highly conserved in female-sterile isolates. In this study, we performed a functional analysis of MAT1 using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in female- and male-fertile isolates and female-sterile (male-fertile) isolates. Consistent with a previous report, MAT1 was essential for sexual reproduction but not for asexual reproduction. Meanwhile, deletion mutants of MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-2, and MAT1-1-3 exhibited phenotypes different from those of other previously described isolates, suggesting that the function of MAT1-1 genes and/or their target genes in sexual reproduction differs among strains or isolates. The MAT1 genes, excluding MAT1-2-6, retained their functions even in female-sterile isolates, and deletion mutants lead to loss or reduction of male fertility. Although MAT1 deletion did not affect microconidia (spermatia) production, microconidia derived from the mutants could not induce perithecia formation. These results indicated that MAT1 is required for microconidia-mediated male fertility in addition to female fertility in P. oryzae .
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohtetsu Kita
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 2788510, Japan
| | - Momotaka Uchida
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 2788510, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Arie
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 1830054, Japan
| | - Tohru Teraoka
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 1830054, Japan
| | - Hisatoshi Kaku
- JICA Tsukuba Center, Japan International Coorporation Agency, 3-6 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3050074, Japan
- Division of Plant Molecular Regulation Research, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (NIAS), 2-1-2 Kan-nondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3058602, Japan
| | - Yasukazu Kanda
- Division of Plant Molecular Regulation Research, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (NIAS), 2-1-2 Kan-nondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3058602, Japan
| | - Masaki Mori
- Division of Plant Molecular Regulation Research, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (NIAS), 2-1-2 Kan-nondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3058602, Japan
| | - Takayuki Arazoe
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 2788510, Japan
| | - Takashi Kamakura
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 2788510, Japan
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Sridhar PS, Vasquez V, Monteil-Rivera F, Allingham JS, Loewen MC. A peroxidase-derived ligand that induces Fusarium graminearum Ste2 receptor-dependent chemotropism. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1287418. [PMID: 38239502 PMCID: PMC10794396 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1287418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The fungal G protein-coupled receptors Ste2 and Ste3 are vital in mediating directional hyphal growth of the agricultural pathogen Fusarium graminearum towards wheat plants. This chemotropism is induced by a catalytic product of peroxidases secreted by the wheat. Currently, the identity of this product, and the substrate it is generated from, are not known. Methods and results We provide evidence that a peroxidase substrate is derived from F. graminearum conidia and report a simple method to extract and purify the FgSte2-activating ligand for analyses by mass spectrometry. The mass spectra arising from t he ligand extract are characteristic of a 400 Da carbohydrate moiety. Consistent with this type of molecule, glycosidase treatment of F. graminearum conidia prior to peroxidase treatment significantly reduced the amount of ligand extracted. Interestingly, availability of the peroxidase substrate appears to depend on the presence of both FgSte2 and FgSte3, as knockout of one or the other reduces the chemotropism-inducing effect of the extracts. Conclusions While further characterization is necessary, identification of the F. graminearum-derived peroxidase substrate and the FgSte2-activating ligand will unearth deeper insights into the intricate mechanisms that underlie fungal pathogenesis in cereal crops, unveiling novel avenues for inhibitory interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja S. Sridhar
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Vinicio Vasquez
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resources Development, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fanny Monteil-Rivera
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resources Development, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - John S. Allingham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Michele C. Loewen
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resources Development, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Wilson AM, Coetzee MPA, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Needles in fungal haystacks: Discovery of a putative a-factor pheromone and a unique mating strategy in the Leotiomycetes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292619. [PMID: 37824487 PMCID: PMC10569646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Leotiomycetes is a hugely diverse group of fungi, accommodating a wide variety of important plant and animal pathogens, ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, as well as producers of antibiotics. Despite their importance, the genetics of these fungi remain relatively understudied, particularly as they don't include model taxa. For example, sexual reproduction and the genetic mechanisms that underly this process are poorly understood in the Leotiomycetes. We exploited publicly available genomic and transcriptomic resources to identify genes of the mating-type locus and pheromone response pathway in an effort to characterize the mating strategies and behaviors of 124 Leotiomycete species. Our analyses identified a putative a-factor mating pheromone in these species. This significant finding represents the first identification of this gene in Pezizomycotina species outside of the Sordariomycetes. A unique mating strategy was also discovered in Lachnellula species that appear to have lost the need for the primary MAT1-1-1 protein. Ancestral state reconstruction enabled the identification of numerous transitions between homothallism and heterothallism in the Leotiomycetes and suggests a heterothallic ancestor for this group. This comprehensive catalog of mating-related genes from such a large group of fungi provides a rich resource from which in-depth, functional studies can be conducted in these economically and ecologically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M. Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Martin P. A. Coetzee
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michael J. Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brenda D. Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Yao L, Kong Y, Yang W, Tian H, Meng X, Zhao X, Zhang R, Sun G, Rollins JA, Liang X. Two Putative Pheromone Receptors, but Not Their Cognate Pheromones, Regulate Female Fertility in the Atypical Mating Fungus Colletotrichum fructicola. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 113:1934-1945. [PMID: 37141175 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-11-22-0436-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: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Colletotrichum fungi are a group of damaging phytopathogens with atypical mating type loci (harboring only MAT1-2-1 but not MAT1-1-1) and complex sexual behaviors. Sex pheromones and their cognate G-protein-coupled receptors are conserved regulators of fungal mating. These genes, however, lose function frequently among Colletotrichum species, indicating a possibility that pheromone signaling is dispensable for Colletotrichum sexual reproduction. We have identified two putative pheromone-receptor pairs (PPG1:PRE2, PPG2:PRE1) in C. fructicola, a species that exhibits plus-to-minus mating type switching and plus-minus-mediated mating line development. Here, we report the generation and characterization of gene-deletion mutants for all four genes in both plus and minus strain backgrounds. Single-gene deletion of pre1 or pre2 had no effect on sexual development, whereas their double deletion caused self-sterility in both the plus and minus strains. Moreover, double deletion of pre1 and pre2 caused female sterility in plus-minus outcrossing. Double deletion of pre1 and pre2, however, did not inhibit perithecial differentiation or plus-minus-mediated enhancement of perithecial differentiation. Contrary to the results with pre1 and pre2, double deletion of ppg1 and ppg2 had no effect on sexual compatibility, development, or fecundity. We concluded that pre1 and pre2 coordinately regulate C. fructicola mating by recognizing novel signal molecule(s) distinct from canonical Ascomycota pheromones. The contrasting importance between pheromone receptors and their cognate pheromones highlights the complicated nature of sex regulation in Colletotrichum fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiang Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wenrui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Huanhuan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xiangchen Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xuemei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Guangyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jeffrey A Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A
| | - Xiaofei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
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Sousa Terada-Nascimento J, Vieira Dantas-Filho J, Temponi-Santos BL, Perez-Pedroti V, de Lima Pinheiro MM, García-Nuñez RY, Mansur Muniz I, Bezerra de Mira Á, Guedes EAC, de Vargas Schons S. Monitoring of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Fish Farm Water and Fumonisins in Feeds for Farmed Colossoma macropomum. TOXICS 2023; 11:762. [PMID: 37755772 PMCID: PMC10536658 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11090762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi in fish farm water and mycotoxins in feeds for farmed tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum). A total of 40 samples of freshwater from fish farms and 16 samples of feed were collected and analyzed for microbiology. A total of five species of free-living fungi were identified in fish farms: Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium citrinum, P. implicatum, Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata. These fungi species were counted in water samples at 35.14 CFU mL-1 and 24.69 CFU mL-1 in the dry seasons. In all fish farms, there was a higher abundance of fungi species in the rainy season. During visits to the fish farmers, it was possible to verify poor feed storage conditions. Concerning mutations in blood cells, in tambaqui (C. macropomum), a total of 159 anomalies were found, and in Leptodactylus petersii, 299 anomalies were found, with higher incidences in conditions above 1.0 CFU mL-1 in log10(x+1) fungi and in the rainy season. The occurrence of mycotoxicological contamination was confirmed in 81.25% of the analyzed samples. The quantified mycotoxin was Fumonisins B1 + B2 (375 to 1418 μg kg-1). Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between Fumonisins and feed samples (r = 0.83). There was also a significant positive correlation between the abundance of fungi in water and the quantification of Fumonisins (r = 0.79). Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that free-living fungi can be used as bioindicators of water quality in fish farms. Consequently, the lack of good management practices caused microbiological contamination of the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Sousa Terada-Nascimento
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Patologia Animal no Bioma Amazônico, Centro de Diagnóstico Animal, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil
| | - Jerônimo Vieira Dantas-Filho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Patologia Animal no Bioma Amazônico, Centro de Diagnóstico Animal, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil
| | - Bruna Lucieny Temponi-Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
| | - Vinícius Perez-Pedroti
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
| | - Maria Mirtes de Lima Pinheiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
| | - Ricardo Ysaac García-Nuñez
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária—Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios, UNAMAD, Puerto Maldonado 17.0001-000, Peru
| | - Igor Mansur Muniz
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Patologia Animal no Bioma Amazônico, Centro de Diagnóstico Animal, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil
| | - Átila Bezerra de Mira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Patologia Animal no Bioma Amazônico, Centro de Diagnóstico Animal, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil
| | - Elica Amara Cecilia Guedes
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Maceió 57.480-000, Brazil
| | - Sandro de Vargas Schons
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil; (J.S.T.-N.); (S.d.V.S.)
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Patologia Animal no Bioma Amazônico, Centro de Diagnóstico Animal, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, UNIR, Rolim de Moura 76.940-000, Brazil
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10
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Wilson AM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Structure and number of mating pheromone genes is closely linked to sexual reproductive strategy in Huntiella. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:261. [PMID: 37179314 PMCID: PMC10182648 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09355-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntiella resides in the Ceratocystidaceae, a family of fungi that accommodates important plant pathogens and insect-associated saprotrophs. Species in the genus have either heterothallic or unisexual (a form of homothallism) mating systems, providing an opportunity to investigate the genetic mechanisms that enable transitions between reproductive strategies in related species. Two newly sequenced Huntiella genomes are introduced in this study and comparative genomics and transcriptomics tools are used to investigate the differences between heterothallism and unisexuality across the genus. RESULTS Heterothallic species harbored up to seven copies of the a-factor pheromone, each of which possessed numerous mature peptide repeats. In comparison, unisexual Huntiella species had only two or three copies of this gene, each with fewer repeats. Similarly, while the heterothallic species expressed up to 12 copies of the mature α-factor pheromone, unisexual species had up to six copies. These significant differences imply that unisexual Huntiella species do not rely on a mating partner recognition system in the same way that heterothallic fungi do. CONCLUSION While it is suspected that mating type-independent pheromone expression is the mechanism allowing for unisexual reproduction in Huntiella species, our results suggest that the transition to unisexuality may also have been associated with changes in the genes governing the pheromone pathway. While these results are specifically related to Huntiella, they provide clues leading to a better understanding of sexual reproduction and the fluidity of mating strategies in fungi more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M Wilson
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Brenda D Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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11
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Liu L, Huang Y, Song H, Luo M, Dong Z. α-Pheromone Precursor Protein Foc4-PP1 Is Essential for the Full Virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9030365. [PMID: 36983533 PMCID: PMC10057649 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which causes Fusarium wilt of bananas, is considered one of the most destructive fungal pathogens of banana crops worldwide. During infection, Foc secretes many different proteins which promote its colonization of plant tissues. Although F. oxysporum has no sexual cycle, it has been reported to secrete an α-pheromone, which acts as a growth regulator, chemoattractant, and quorum-sensing signaling molecule; and to encode a putative protein with the hallmarks of fungal α-pheromone precursors. In this study, we identified an ortholog of the α-pheromone precursor gene, Foc4-PP1, in Foc tropical race 4 (TR4), and showed that it was necessary for the growth and virulence of Foc TR4. Foc4-PP1 deletion from the Foc TR4 genome resulted in decreased fungal growth, increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and cell-wall-damaging agents, and attenuation of pathogen virulence towards banana plantlets. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that Foc4-PP1 was concentrated in the nuclei and cytoplasm of Nicotiana benthamiana cells, where it could suppress BAX-induced programmed cell death. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Foc4-PP1 contributes to Foc TR4 virulence by promoting hyphal growth and abiotic stress resistance and inhibiting the immune defense responses of host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yinghua Huang
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Guangdong Agribusiness Tropical Crop Science Institute, Maoming 525100, China
| | - Handa Song
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (Z.D.); Tel.: +86-02089003192 (H.S. & Z.D.)
| | - Mei Luo
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Zhangyong Dong
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health/Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (Z.D.); Tel.: +86-02089003192 (H.S. & Z.D.)
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12
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Components of TOR and MAP kinase signaling control chemotropism and pathogenicity in the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae. Microbiol Res 2023; 271:127361. [PMID: 36921400 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi can sense useful resources and hazards in their environment and direct growth of their hyphae accordingly. Chemotropism ensures access to nutrients, contact with other individuals (e.g., for mating), and interaction with hosts in the case of pathogens. Previous studies have revealed a complex chemotropic sensing landscape during host-pathogen interactions, but the underlying molecular machinery remains poorly characterized. Here we studied mechanisms controlling directed hyphal growth of the important plant-pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae towards different chemoattractants. We found that the homologs of the Rag GTPase Gtr1 and the GTPase-activating protein Tsc2, an activator and a repressor of the TOR kinase respectively, play important roles in hyphal chemotropism towards nutrients, plant-derived signals, and heterologous α-pheromone of Fusarium oxysporum. Furthermore, important roles of these regulators were identified in fungal development and pathogenicity. We also found that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Fus3 is required for chemotropism towards nutrients, while the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Ste2 and the MAPK Slt2 control chemosensing of plant-derived signals and α-pheromone. Our study establishes V. dahliae as a suitable model system for the analysis of fungal chemotropism and discovers new components of chemotropic signaling during growth and host-pathogen interactions of V. dahliae.
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13
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Wang C, Zheng Y, Liu Z, Qian Y, Li Y, Yang L, Liu S, Liang W, Li J. The secreted FolAsp aspartic protease facilitates the virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1103418. [PMID: 36760509 PMCID: PMC9905682 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1103418] [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: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens utilize secretory effectors to manipulate plant defense. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease in tomatoes. We previously identified 32 secreted effector candidates by LC-MS analysis. In this study, we functionally identified one of the secreted proteins, FolAsp, which belongs to the aspartic proteases (Asp) family. The FolAsp was upregulated with host root specifically induction. Its N-terminal 1-19 amino acids performed the secretion activity in the yeast system, which supported its secretion in Fol. Phenotypically, the growth and conidia production of the FolAsp deletion mutants were not changed; however, the mutants displayed significantly reduced virulence to the host tomato. Further study revealed the FolAsp was localized at the apoplast and inhibited INF1-induced cell death in planta. Meanwhile, FolAsp could inhibit flg22-mediated ROS burst. Furthermore, FolAsp displayed protease activity on host protein, and overexpression of FolAsp in Fol enhanced pathogen virulence. These results considerably extend our understanding of pathogens utilizing secreted protease to inhibit plant defense and promote its virulence, which provides potential applications for tomato improvement against disease as the new drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Wang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yaning Zheng
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhishan Liu
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yongpan Qian
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yue Li
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Limei Yang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Sihui Liu
- College of Science and Information, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenxing Liang
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China,*Correspondence: Wenxing Liang,
| | - Jingtao Li
- College of Plant Health and Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Precision Pest Management for Fruits and Vegetables of Qingdao, Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China,Jingtao Li,
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14
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Palmieri D, Segorbe D, López-Berges MS, De Curtis F, Lima G, Di Pietro A, Turrà D. Alkaline pH, Low Iron Availability, Poor Nitrogen Sources and CWI MAPK Signaling Are Associated with Increased Fusaric Acid Production in Fusarium oxysporum. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:50. [PMID: 36668870 PMCID: PMC9862527 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusaric acid (FA) is one of the first secondary metabolites isolated from phytopathogenic fungi belonging to the genus Fusarium. This molecule exerts a toxic effect on plants, rhizobacteria, fungi and animals, and it plays a crucial role in both plant and animal pathogenesis. In plants, metal chelation by FA is considered one of the possible mechanisms of action. Here, we evaluated the effect of different nitrogen sources, iron content, extracellular pH and cellular signalling pathways on the production of FA siderophores by the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fol). Our results show that the nitrogen source affects iron chelating activity and FA production. Moreover, alkaline pH and iron limitation boost FA production, while acidic pH and iron sufficiency repress it independent of the nitrogen source. FA production is also positively regulated by the cell wall integrity (CWI) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and inhibited by the iron homeostasis transcriptional regulator HapX. Collectively, this study demonstrates that factors promoting virulence (i.e., alkaline pH, low iron availability, poor nitrogen sources and CWI MAPK signalling) are also associated with increased FA production in Fol. The obtained new insights on FA biosynthesis regulation can be used to prevent both Fol infection potential and toxin contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Palmieri
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - David Segorbe
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel S. López-Berges
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Filippo De Curtis
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lima
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Turrà
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Enviromental Technology, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
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15
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Fusarium graminearum Ste3 G-Protein Coupled Receptor: A Mediator of Hyphal Chemotropism and Pathogenesis. mSphere 2022; 7:e0045622. [PMID: 36377914 PMCID: PMC9769807 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00456-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal hyphal chemotropism has been shown to be a major contributor to host-pathogen interactions. Previous studies on Fusarium species have highlighted the involvement of the Ste2 G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in mediating polarized hyphal growth toward host-released peroxidase. Here, the role of the opposite mating type GPCR, Ste3, is characterized with respect to Fusarium graminearum chemotropism and pathogenicity. Fgste3Δ deletion strains were found to be compromised in the chemotropic response toward peroxidase, development of lesions on germinating wheat, and infection of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. In the absence of FgSte3 or FgSte2, F. graminearum cells exposed to peroxidase showed no phosphorylation of the cell-wall integrity, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway component Mgv1. In addition, transcriptomic gene expression profiling yielded a list of genes involved in cellular reorganization, cell wall remodeling, and infection-mediated responses that were differentially modulated by peroxidase when FgSte3 was present. Deletion of FgSte3 yielded the downregulation of genes associated with mycotoxin biosynthesis and appressorium development, compared to the wild-type strain, both in the presence of peroxidase. Together, these findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanism underlying fungal chemotropism and pathogenesis while raising the novel hypothesis that FgSte2 and FgSte3 are interdependent on each other for the mediation of the redirection of hyphal growth in response to host-derived peroxidase. IMPORTANCE Fusarium head blight of wheat, caused by the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum, leads to devastating global food shortages and economic losses. Fungal hyphal chemotropism has been shown to be a major contributor to host-pathogen interactions. Here, the role of the opposite mating type GPCR, Ste3, is characterized with respect to F. graminearum chemotropism and pathogenicity. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying fungal chemotropism and pathogenesis.
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16
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De Clerck C, Josselin L, Vangoethem V, Lassois L, Fauconnier ML, Jijakli H. Weapons against Themselves: Identification and Use of Quorum Sensing Volatile Molecules to Control Plant Pathogenic Fungi Growth. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122459. [PMID: 36557712 PMCID: PMC9784989 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122459] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is often defined as a mechanism of microbial communication that can regulate microbial behaviors in accordance with population density. Much is known about QS mechanisms in bacteria, but fungal QS research is still in its infancy. In this study, the molecules constituting the volatolomes of the plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum and Cochliobolus sativus have been identified during culture conditions involving low and high spore concentrations, with the high concentration imitating overpopulation conditions (for QS stimulation). We determined that volatolomes emitted by these species in conditions of overpopulation have a negative impact on their mycelial growth, with some of the emitted molecules possibly acting as QSM. Candidate VOCs related to QS have then been identified by testing the effect of individual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on mycelial growth of their emitting species. The antifungal effect observed for the volatolome of F. culmorum in the overpopulation condition could be attributed to ethyl acetate, 2-methylpropan-1-ol, 3-methylbutyl ethanoate, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, and pentan-1-ol, while it could be attributed to longifolene, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 2-methylpropan-1-ol, and ethyl acetate for C. sativus in the overpopulation condition. This work could pave the way to a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline De Clerck
- AgricultureIsLife, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
- Correspondence:
| | - Laurie Josselin
- Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Molecules, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Valentine Vangoethem
- Integrated and Urban Plant Pathology Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Ludivine Lassois
- Plant Genetics and Rhizosphere Processes Lab., Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Marie-Laure Fauconnier
- Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Molecules, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Haïssam Jijakli
- Integrated and Urban Plant Pathology Laboratory, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liege University, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
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17
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Palos-Fernández R, Turrà D, Pietro AD. The Gal4-Type Transcription Factor Pro1 Integrates Inputs from Two Different MAPK Cascades to Regulate Development in the Fungal Pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121242. [PMID: 36547575 PMCID: PMC9781702 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121242] [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: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways control fundamental aspects of growth and development in fungi. In the soil-inhabiting ascomycete Fusarium oxysporum, which causes vascular wilt disease in more than a hundred crops, the MAPKs Fmk1 and Mpk1 regulate an array of developmental and virulence-related processes. The downstream components mediating these disparate functions are largely unknown. Here we find that the GATA-type transcription factor Pro1 integrates signals from both MAPK pathways to control a subset of functions, including quorum sensing, hyphal fusion and chemotropism. By contrast, Pro1 is dispensable for other downstream processes such as invasive hyphal growth and virulence, or response to cell wall stress. We further show that regulation of Pro1 activity by these upstream pathways occurs at least in part at the level of transcription. Besides the MAPK pathways, upstream regulators of Pro1 transcription also include the Velvet regulatory complex, the signaling protein Soft (Fso1) and the transcription factor Ste12 which was previously shown to act downstream of Fmk1. Collectively, our results reveal a role of Pro1 in integrating the outputs from different signaling pathways of F. oxysporum thereby mediating key developmental decisions in this important fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Turrà
- Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Enviromental Technology, Department of Agriculture, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-957-218-981
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18
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Malaspina P, Papaianni M, Ranesi M, Polito F, Danna C, Aicardi P, Cornara L, Woo SL, De Feo V. Eucalyptus cinerea and E. nicholii by-Products as Source of Bioactive Compounds for Agricultural Applications. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2777. [PMID: 36297802 PMCID: PMC9609402 DOI: 10.3390/plants11202777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The cultivation of different species of Eucalyptus has recently expanded in Liguria (Italy) due to the growing demand of the North European floricultural market. Eucalyptus tree branches are cut and selected for their quality, resulting in large amounts of waste biomass to be disposed of. The aim of our study was to evaluate the phytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of essential oils (EOs) from pruning wastes of E. cinerea (EC) and E. nicholii (EN), for potential applications in agriculture. Phytochemical analyses showed eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) as the major component in both EOs, but the EO yield of EN was higher than that of EC, in agreement with a significantly higher oil gland density on EN leaves. EOs from both species showed phytotoxicity on both weeds tested, but no significant inhibition on horticultural crop seed germination, except for Raphanus sativus. The EO from EC showed the strongest antibacterial activity, while the EO from EN showed the strongest antifungal activity. Concluding, EOs from Eucalyptus pruning may be used as possible alternatives to synthetic herbicides and pesticides, acting as antimicrobial and antifungal agents, thus representing a safe strategy for crop management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Malaspina
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Marina Papaianni
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Marta Ranesi
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Flavio Polito
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Cristina Danna
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | | | - Laura Cornara
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Sheridan L. Woo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
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Schmoll M, Hinterdobler W. Tools for adapting to a complex habitat: G-protein coupled receptors in Trichoderma. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 193:65-97. [PMID: 36357080 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.06.003] [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] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Sensing the environment and interpretation of the received signals are crucial competences of living organisms in order to properly adapt to their habitat, succeed in competition and to reproduce. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are members of a large family of sensors for extracellular signals and represent the starting point of complex signaling cascades regulating a plethora of intracellular physiological processes and output pathways in fungi. In Trichoderma spp. current research involves a wide range of topics from enzyme production, light response and secondary metabolism to sexual and asexual development as well as biocontrol, all of which require delicate balancing of resources in response to the environmental challenges or biotechnological needs at hand, which are crucially impacted by the surroundings of the fungi and their intercellular signaling cascades triggering a precisely tailored response. In this review we summarize recent findings on sensing by GPCRs in Trichoderma, including the function of pheromone receptors, glucose sensing by CSG1 and CSG2, regulation of secondary metabolism by GPR8 and impacts on mycoparasitism by GPR1. Additionally, we provide an overview on structural determinants, posttranslational modifications and interactions for regulation, activation and signal termination of GPCRs in order to inspire future in depth analyses of their function and to understand previous regulatory outcomes of natural and biotechnological processes modulated or enabled by GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Schmoll
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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20
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Hyphal Fusions Enable Efficient Nutrient Distribution in Colletotrichum graminicola Conidiation and Symptom Development on Maize. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061146. [PMID: 35744664 PMCID: PMC9231406 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyphal and germling fusion is a common phenomenon in ascomycetous fungi. Due to the formed hyphal network, this process enables a coordinated development as well as an interaction with plant hosts and efficient nutrient distribution. Recently, our laboratory work demonstrated a positive correlation between germling fusion and the formation of penetrating hyphopodia on maize leaves outgoing from Colletotrichum graminicola oval conidia. To investigate the probable interconnectivity of these processes, we generated a deletion mutant in Cgso, in which homologs are essential for cellular fusion in other fungal species. However, hyphopodia development was not affected, indicating that both processes are not directly connected. Instead, we were able to link the cellular fusion defect in ∆Cgso to a decreased formation of asexual fruiting bodies of C. graminicola on the leaves. The monitoring of a fluorescent-labelled autophagy marker, eGFP-CgAtg8, revealed a high autophagy activity in the hyphae surrounding the acervuli. These results support the hypothesis that the efficient nutrient transport of degraded cellular material by hyphal fusions enables proper acervuli maturation and, therefore, symptom development on the leaves.
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21
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Freitas CSA, Maciel LF, Corrêa Dos Santos RA, Costa OMMM, Maia FCB, Rabelo RS, Franco HCJ, Alves E, Consonni SR, Freitas RO, Persinoti GF, Oliveira JVDC. Bacterial volatile organic compounds induce adverse ultrastructural changes and DNA damage to the sugarcane pathogenic fungus Thielaviopsis ethacetica. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:1430-1453. [PMID: 34995419 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Due to an increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices, the adoption of microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as antagonists against phytopathogens has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to the use of agrochemicals. Here, we identified three Pseudomonas strains that were able to inhibit, in vitro, up to 80% of mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungus Thielaviopsis ethacetica, the causal agent of pineapple sett rot disease in sugarcane. Using GC/MS, we found that these bacteria produced 62 different VOCs, and further functional validation revealed compounds with high antagonistic activity to T. ethacetica. Transcriptomic analysis of the fungal response to VOCs indicated that these metabolites downregulated genes related to fungal central metabolism, such as those involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Interestingly, genes related to the DNA damage response were upregulated, and micro-FTIR analysis corroborated our hypothesis that VOCs triggered DNA damage. Electron microscopy analysis showed critical morphological changes in mycelia treated with VOCs. Altogether, these results indicated that VOCs hampered fungal growth and could lead to cell death. This study represents the first demonstration of the molecular mechanisms involved in the antagonism of sugarcane phytopathogens by VOCs and reinforces that VOCs can be a sustainable alternative for use in phytopathogen biocontrol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sant Anna Freitas
- Brazilian Biorenewable National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Genetics and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Ferreira Maciel
- Brazilian Biorenewable National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Augusto Corrêa Dos Santos
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ohanna Maria Menezes Medeiro Costa
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Barbosa Maia
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Santos Rabelo
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Eduardo Alves
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Ultrastructural Analysis, Plant Pathology Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Sílvio Roberto Consonni
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raul Oliveira Freitas
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Felix Persinoti
- Brazilian Biorenewable National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Velasco de Castro Oliveira
- Brazilian Biorenewable National Laboratory (LNBR), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Genetics and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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22
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Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is one of the most studied cell-cell communication mechanisms in fungi. Research in the last 20 years has explored various fungal QS systems that are involved in a wide range of biological processes, especially eukaryote- or fungus-specific behaviors, mirroring the significant contribution of QS regulation to fungal biology and evolution. Based on recent progress, we summarize in this review fungal QS regulation, with an emphasis on its functional role in behaviors unique to fungi or eukaryotes. We suggest that using fungi as genetically amenable eukaryotic model systems to address why and how QS regulation is integrated into eukaryotic reproductive strategies and molecular or cellular processes could be an important direction for QS research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Hao Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Weixin Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Linqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
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23
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Liang X, Yao L, Hao X, Li B, Kong Y, Lin Y, Cao M, Dong Q, Zhang R, Rollins JA, Sun G. Molecular Dissection of Perithecial Mating Line Development in Colletotrichum fructicola, a Species with a Nontypical Mating System Featuring Plus-to-Minus Switch and Plus-Minus-Mediated Sexual Enhancement. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0047421. [PMID: 33863706 PMCID: PMC8284469 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00474-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic regulation of Colletotrichum (Glomerella) sexual reproduction does not strictly adhere to the Ascomycota paradigm and remains poorly understood. Morphologically different but sexually compatible strain types, termed plus and minus, have been recognized, but the biological and molecular distinctions between these strain types remain elusive. In this study, we characterized the sexual behaviors of a pair of plus and minus strains of C. fructicola with the aid of live-cell nucleus-localized fluorescent protein labeling, gene expression, and gene mutation analyses. We confirmed a genetically stable plus-to-minus switching phenomenon and demonstrated the presence of both cross-fertilized and self-fertilized perithecia within the mating line (perithecia cluster at the line of colony contact) between plus and minus strains. We demonstrated that pheromone signaling genes (a-factor-like and α-factor-like pheromones and their corresponding GPCR receptors) were differently expressed between vegetative hyphae of the two strains. Moreover, deletion of pmk1 (a FUS/KSS1 mitogen-activate protein kinase) in the minus strain severely limited mating line formation, whereas deletion of a GPCR (FGSG_05239 homolog) and two histone modification factors (hos2, snt2) in the minus strain did not affect mating line development but altered the ratio between cross-fertilization and self-fertilization within the mating line. We propose a model in which mating line formation in C. fructicola involves enhanced protoperithecium differentiation and enhanced perithecium maturation of the minus strain mediated by both cross-fertilization and diffusive effectors. This study provides insights into mechanisms underlying the mysterious phenomenon of plus-minus-mediated sexual enhancement being unique to Colletotrichum fungi. IMPORTANCE Plus-minus regulation of Colletotrichum sexual differentiation was reported in the early 1900s. Both plus and minus strains produce fertile perithecia in a homothallic but inefficient manner. However, when the two strain types encounter each other, efficient differentiation of fertile perithecia is triggered. The plus strain, by itself, can also generate minus ascospore progeny at high frequency. This nontypical mating system facilitates sexual reproduction and is Colletotrichum specific; the underlying molecular mechanisms, however, remain elusive. The current study revisits this longstanding mystery using C. fructicola as an experimental system. The presence of both cross-fertilized and self-fertilized perithecia within the mating line was directly evidenced by live-cell imaging with fluorescent markers. Based on further gene expression and gene mutation analysis, a model explaining mating line development (plus-minus-mediated sexual enhancement) is proposed. Data reported here have the potential to allow us to better understand Colletotrichum mating and filamentous ascomycete sexual regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Liqiang Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xiaojuan Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Bingxuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yuyi Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Mengyu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Qiuyue Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jeffrey A. Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Guangyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China
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24
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Reinhardt D, Roux C, Corradi N, Di Pietro A. Lineage-Specific Genes and Cryptic Sex: Parallels and Differences between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Fungal Pathogens. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:111-123. [PMID: 33011084 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) live as obligate root symbionts on almost all land plants. They have long been regarded as ancient asexuals that have propagated clonally for millions of years. However, genomic studies in Rhizophagus irregularis and other AMF revealed many features indicative of sex. Surprisingly, comparative genomics of conspecific isolates of R. irregularis revealed an unexpected interstrain diversity, suggesting that AMF carry a high number of lineage-specific (LS) genes. Intriguingly, cryptic sex and LS genomic regions have previously been reported in a number of fungal pathogens of plants and humans. Here, we discuss these genomic similarities and highlight their potential relevance for AMF adaptation to the environment and for symbiotic functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didier Reinhardt
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Christophe Roux
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, UPS, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan 31326, France
| | - Nicolas Corradi
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
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25
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Physiological Basis of Smut Infectivity in the Early Stages of Sugar Cane Colonization. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7010044. [PMID: 33445484 PMCID: PMC7827540 DOI: 10.3390/jof7010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugar cane smut (Sporisorium scitamineum) interactions have been traditionally considered from the plant’s point of view: How can resistant sugar cane plants defend themselves against smut disease? Resistant plants induce several defensive mechanisms that oppose fungal attacks. Herein, an overall view of Sporisorium scitamineum’s mechanisms of infection and the defense mechanisms of plants are presented. Quorum sensing effects and a continuous reorganization of cytoskeletal components, where actin, myosin, and microtubules are required to work together, seem to be some of the keys to a successful attack.
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26
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Moreno-Ruiz D, Lichius A, Turrà D, Di Pietro A, Zeilinger S. Chemotropism Assays for Plant Symbiosis and Mycoparasitism Related Compound Screening in Trichoderma atroviride. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:601251. [PMID: 33329491 PMCID: PMC7729004 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.601251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichoderma atroviride is a mycoparasitic fungus used as biological control agent to protect plants against fungal pathogens. Successful biocontrol is based on the perception of signals derived from both the plant symbiont and the fungal prey. Here, we applied three different chemotropic assays to study the chemosensing capacity of T. atroviride toward compounds known or suspected to play a role in the mycoparasite/plant or host/prey fungal interactions and to cover the complete spectrum of T. atroviride developmental stages. Purified compounds, including nutrients, the fungal secondary metabolite 6-amyl-α-pyrone (6-pentyl-α-pyrone, 6-PP) and the plant oxylipin 13-(s)-HODE, as well as culture supernatants derived from fungal preys, including Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum, were used to evaluate chemotropic responses of conidial germlings, microcolonies and fully differentiated mycelia. Our results show that germlings respond preferentially to compounds secreted by plant roots and T. atroviride itself than to compounds secreted by prey fungi. With the progression of colony development, host plant cues and self-generated signaling compounds remained the strongest chemoattractants. Nevertheless, mature hyphae responded differentially to certain prey-derived signals. Depending on the fungal prey species, chemotropic responses resulted in either increased or decreased directional colony extension and hyphal density at the colony periphery closest to the test compound source. Together these findings suggest that chemotropic sensing during germling development is focused on plant association and colony network formation, while fungal prey recognition develops later in mature hyphae of fully differentiated mycelium. Furthermore, the morphological alterations of T. atroviride in response to plant host and fungal prey compounds suggest the presence of both positive and negative chemotropism. The presented assays will be useful for screening of candidate compounds, and for evaluating their impact on the developmental spectrum of T. atroviride and other related species alike. Conidial germlings proved particularly useful for simple and rapid compound screening, whereas more elaborate microscopic analysis of microcolonies and fully differentiated mycelia was essential to understand process-specific responses, such as plant symbiosis and biocontrol.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Lichius
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Turrà
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | | | - Susanne Zeilinger
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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27
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Schunke C, Pöggeler S, Nordzieke DE. A 3D Printed Device for Easy and Reliable Quantification of Fungal Chemotropic Growth. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:584525. [PMID: 33224121 PMCID: PMC7669831 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.584525] [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: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical gradients are surrounding living organisms in all habitats of life. Microorganisms, plants and animals have developed specific mechanisms to sense such gradients. Upon perception, chemical gradients can be categorized either as favorable, like nutrients or hormones, or as disadvantageous, resulting in a clear orientation toward the gradient and avoiding strategies, respectively. Being sessile organisms, fungi use chemical gradients for their orientation in the environment. Integration of this data enables them to successfully explore nutrient sources, identify probable plant or animal hosts, and to communicate during sexual reproduction or early colony development. We have developed a 3D printed device allowing a highly standardized, rapid and low-cost investigation of chemotropic growth processes in fungi. Since the 3D printed device is placed on a microscope slide, detailed microscopic investigations and documentation of the chemotropic process is possible. Using this device, we provide evidence that germlings derived from oval conidia of the hemibiotrophic plant pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola can sense gradients of glucose and reorient their growth toward the nutrient source. We describe in detail the method establishment, probable pitfalls, and provide the original program files for 3D printing to enable broad application of the 3D device in basic, agricultural, medical, and applied fungal science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Schunke
- Department of Genetics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Pöggeler
- Department of Genetics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Elisabeth Nordzieke
- Department of Genetics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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28
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Palmieri D, Vitale S, Lima G, Di Pietro A, Turrà D. A bacterial endophyte exploits chemotropism of a fungal pathogen for plant colonization. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5264. [PMID: 33067433 PMCID: PMC7567819 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18994-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil-inhabiting fungal pathogens use chemical signals released by roots to direct hyphal growth towards the host plant. Whether other soil microorganisms exploit this capacity for their own benefit is currently unknown. Here we show that the endophytic rhizobacterium Rahnella aquatilis locates hyphae of the root-infecting fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum through pH-mediated chemotaxis and uses them as highways to efficiently access and colonize plant roots. Secretion of gluconic acid (GlcA) by R. aquatilis in the rhizosphere leads to acidification and counteracts F. oxysporum-induced alkalinisation, a known virulence mechanism, thereby preventing fungal infection. Genetic abrogation or biochemical inhibition of GlcA-mediated acidification abolished biocontrol activity of R. aquatilis and restored fungal infection. These findings reveal a new way by which bacterial endophytes hijack hyphae of a fungal pathogen in the soil to gain preferential access to plant roots, thereby protecting the host from infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Palmieri
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Stefania Vitale
- Departamento de Genetica, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lima
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genetica, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
| | - David Turrà
- Departamento de Genetica, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. .,Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy. .,Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-enviromental Technology, Università di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy.
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29
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Li J, Gao M, Gabriel DW, Liang W, Song L. Secretome-Wide Analysis of Lysine Acetylation in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Provides Novel Insights Into Infection-Related Proteins. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:559440. [PMID: 33013791 PMCID: PMC7506082 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.559440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease in tomato. Proteins secreted by this pathogen during initial host colonization largely determine the outcome of pathogen-host interactions. Lysine acetylation (Kac) plays a vital role in the functions of many proteins, but little is known about Kac in Fol secreted proteins. In this study, we analyzed lysine acetylation of the entire Fol secretome. Using high affinity enrichment of Kac peptides and LC-MS/MS analysis, 50 potentially secreted Fol proteins were identified and acetylation sites determined. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 32 proteins with canonical N-terminal signal peptide leaders, and most of them were predicted to be enzymes involved in a variety of biological processes and metabolic pathways. Remarkably, all 32 predicted secreted proteins were novel and encoded on the core chromosomes rather than on the previously identified LS pathogenicity chromosomes. Homolog scanning of the secreted proteins among 40 different species revealed 4 proteins that were species specific, 3 proteins that were class-specific in the Ascomycota phylum, and 25 proteins that were more widely conserved genes. These secreted proteins provide a starting resource for investigating putative novel pathogenic genes, with 26 up-regulated genes encoding Kac proteins that may play an important role during initial symptomless infection stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtao Li
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingming Gao
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dean W Gabriel
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Wenxing Liang
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Limin Song
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
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30
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Francisco CS, Zwyssig MM, Palma-Guerrero J. The role of vegetative cell fusions in the development and asexual reproduction of the wheat fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. BMC Biol 2020; 18:99. [PMID: 32782023 PMCID: PMC7477884 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00838-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability of fungal cells to undergo cell-to-cell communication and anastomosis, the process of vegetative hyphal fusion, allows them to maximize their overall fitness. Previous studies in a number of fungal species have identified the requirement of several signaling pathways for anastomosis, including the so far best characterized soft (So) gene, and the MAPK pathway components MAK-1 and MAK-2 of Neurospora crassa. Despite the observations of hyphal fusions’ involvement in pathogenicity and host adhesion, the connection between cell fusion and fungal lifestyles is still unclear. Here, we address the role of anastomosis in fungal development and asexual reproduction in Zymoseptoria tritici, the most important fungal pathogen of wheat in Europe. Results We show that Z. tritici undergoes self-fusion between distinct cellular structures, and its mechanism is dependent on the initial cell density. Contrary to other fungi, cell fusion in Z. tritici only resulted in cytoplasmic mixing but not in multinucleated cell formation. The deletion of the So orthologous ZtSof1 disrupted cell-to-cell communication affecting both hyphal and germling fusion. We show that Z. tritici mutants for MAPK-encoding ZtSlt2 (orthologous to MAK-1) and ZtFus3 (orthologous to MAK-2) genes also failed to undergo anastomosis, demonstrating the functional conservation of this signaling mechanism across species. Additionally, the ΔZtSof1 mutant was severely impaired in melanization, suggesting that the So gene function is related to melanization. Finally, we demonstrated that anastomosis is dispensable for pathogenicity, but essential for the pycnidium development, and its absence abolishes the asexual reproduction of Z. tritici. Conclusions We demonstrate the role for ZtSof1, ZtSlt2, and ZtFus3 in cell fusions of Z. tritici. Cell fusions are essential for different aspects of the Z. tritici biology, and the ZtSof1 gene is a potential target to control septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Manuela Zwyssig
- 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. .,New Address: Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK.
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31
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Sridhar PS, Trofimova D, Subramaniam R, González-Peña Fundora D, Foroud NA, Allingham JS, Loewen MC. Ste2 receptor-mediated chemotropism of Fusarium graminearum contributes to its pathogenicity against wheat. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10770. [PMID: 32612109 PMCID: PMC7329813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium Head Blight of wheat, caused by the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum, leads to devastating global food shortages and economic losses. While many studies have addressed the responses of both wheat and F. graminearum during their interaction, the possibility of fungal chemotropic sensing enabling pathogenicity remains unexplored. Based on recent findings linking the pheromone-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor Ste2 to host-directed chemotropism in Fusarium oxysporum, we investigated the role of the Ste2 receptor and its downstream signaling pathways in mediating chemotropism of F. graminearum. Interestingly, a chemotropic response of growing hyphae towards catalytically active Triticum aestivum ‘Roblin’ cultivar secreted peroxidases was detected, with deletion of STE2 in F. graminearum leading to loss of the observed response. At the same time, deletion of STE2 significantly decreased infection on germinating wheat coleoptiles, highlighting an association between Ste2, chemotropism and infection by F. graminearum. Further characterization revealed that the peroxidase-directed chemotropism is associated with stimulation of the fungal cell wall integrity mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Altogether, this study demonstrates conservation of Ste2-mediated chemotropism by Fusarium species, and its important role in mediating pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja S Sridhar
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Daria Trofimova
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | | | | | - Nora A Foroud
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403, 1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - John S Allingham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Michele C Loewen
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. .,National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0R6, Canada.
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Partida-Hanon A, Maestro-López M, Vitale S, Turrà D, Di Pietro A, Martínez-Del-Pozo Á, Bruix M. Structure of Fungal α Mating Pheromone in Membrane Mimetics Suggests a Possible Role for Regulation at the Water-Membrane Interface. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1090. [PMID: 32582073 PMCID: PMC7289986 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium oxysporum is a highly destructive plant pathogen and an emerging pathogen of humans. Like other ascomycete fungi, F. oxysporum secretes α-pheromone, a small peptide that functions both as a chemoattractant and as a quorum-sensing signal. Three of the ten amino acid residues of α-pheromone are tryptophan, an amino acid whose sidechain has high affinity for lipid bilayers, suggesting a possible interaction with biological membranes. Here we tested the effect of different lipid environments on α-pheromone structure and function. Using spectroscopic and calorimetric approaches, we show that this peptide interacts with negatively charged model phospholipid vesicles. Fluorescence emission spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements revealed a key role of the positively charged groups and Trp residues. Furthermore, NMR-based calculation of the 3D structure in the presence of micelles, formed by lipid surfactants, suggests that α-pheromone can establish an intramolecular disulfide bond between the two cysteine residues during interaction with membranes, but not in the absence of lipid mimetics. Remarkably, this oxidized version of α-pheromone lacks biological activity as a chemoattractant and quorum-sensing molecule. These results suggest the presence of a previously unidentified redox regulated control of α-pheromone activity at the surface of the plasma membrane that could influence the interaction with its cognate G-protein coupled receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Partida-Hanon
- Department of Biological Physical Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Moisés Maestro-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefania Vitale
- Departmento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba and Campus de Excelencia Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Turrà
- Departmento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba and Campus de Excelencia Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departmento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba and Campus de Excelencia Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Álvaro Martínez-Del-Pozo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Bruix
- Department of Biological Physical Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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de Lamo FJ, Takken FLW. Biocontrol by Fusarium oxysporum Using Endophyte-Mediated Resistance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:37. [PMID: 32117376 PMCID: PMC7015898 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between plants and the root-colonizing fungus Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) can be neutral, beneficial, or detrimental for the host. Fo is infamous for its ability to cause wilt, root-, and foot-rot in many plant species, including many agronomically important crops. However, Fo also has another face; as a root endophyte, it can reduce disease caused by vascular pathogens such as Verticillium dahliae and pathogenic Fo strains. Fo also confers protection to root pathogens like Pythium ultimum, but typically not to pathogens attacking above-ground tissues such as Botrytis cinerea or Phytophthora capsici. Endophytes confer biocontrol either directly by interacting with pathogens via mycoparasitism, antibiosis, or by competition for nutrients or root niches, or indirectly by inducing resistance mechanisms in the host. Fo endophytes such as Fo47 and CS-20 differ from Fo pathogens in their effector gene content, host colonization mechanism, location in the plant, and induced host-responses. Whereas endophytic strains trigger localized cell death in the root cortex, and transiently induce immune signaling and papilla formation, these responses are largely suppressed by pathogenic Fo strains. The ability of pathogenic strains to compromise immune signaling and cell death is likely attributable to their host-specific effector repertoire. The lower number of effector genes in endophytes as compared to pathogens provides a means to distinguish them from each other. Co-inoculation of a biocontrol-conferring Fo and a pathogenic Fo strain on tomato reduces disease, and although the pathogen still colonizes the xylem vessels this has surprisingly little effect on the xylem sap proteome composition. In this tripartite interaction the accumulation of just two PR proteins, NP24 (a PR-5) and a β-glucanase, was affected. The Fo-induced resistance response in tomato appears to be distinct from induced systemic resistance (ISR) or systemic acquired resistance (SAR), as the phytohormones jasmonate, ethylene, and salicylic acid are not required. In this review, we summarize our molecular understanding of Fo-induced resistance in a model and identify caveats in our knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank L. W. Takken
- Molecular Plant Pathology, Faculty of Science, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Nunez‐Rodriguez JC, Ruiz‐Roldán C, Lemos P, Membrives S, Hera C. The phosphatase Ptc6 is involved in virulence and MAPK signalling in Fusarium oxysporum. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2020; 21:206-217. [PMID: 31802599 PMCID: PMC6988432 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways are involved in several important processes related to the development and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum. Reversible phosphorylation of the protein members of these pathways is a major regulator of essential biological processes. Among the phosphatases involved in dephosphorylation of MAPKs, type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) play important roles regulating many developmental strategies and stress responses in yeasts. Nevertheless, the PP2C family is poorly known in filamentous fungi. The F. oxysporum PP2C family includes seven proteins, but only Ptc1 has been studied so far. Here we show the involvement of Ptc6 in the stress response and virulence of F. oxysporum. Expression analysis revealed increased expression of ptc6 in response to cell wall and oxidative stresses. Additionally, targeted inactivation of ptc6 entailed enhanced susceptibility to cell wall stresses caused by Calcofluor White (CFW). We also demonstrate that the lack of Ptc6 deregulates both the Mpk1 phosphorylation induced by CFW and, more importantly, the Fmk1 dephosphorylation induced by pH acidification of the extracellular medium, indicating that Ptc6 is involved in the regulation of these MAPKs. Finally, we showed, for the first time, the involvement of a phosphatase in the invasive growth and virulence of F. oxysporum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Ruiz‐Roldán
- Departamento de GeneticaUniversidad de CordobaCampus de Excelencia Agroalimentario CeiA3Cordoba14071Spain
| | - Pedro Lemos
- Departamento de GeneticaUniversidad de CordobaCampus de Excelencia Agroalimentario CeiA3Cordoba14071Spain
| | - Sergio Membrives
- Departamento de GeneticaUniversidad de CordobaCampus de Excelencia Agroalimentario CeiA3Cordoba14071Spain
| | - Concepcion Hera
- Departamento de GeneticaUniversidad de CordobaCampus de Excelencia Agroalimentario CeiA3Cordoba14071Spain
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Nordzieke DE, Fernandes TR, El Ghalid M, Turrà D, Di Pietro A. NADPH oxidase regulates chemotropic growth of the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum towards the host plant. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 224:1600-1612. [PMID: 31364172 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Soil-inhabiting fungal pathogens use chemical signals to locate and colonise the host plant. In the vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum, hyphal chemotropism towards tomato roots is triggered by secreted plant peroxidases (Prx), which catalyse the reductive cleavage of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we show that this chemotropic response requires the regulated synthesis of ROS by the conserved fungal NADPH oxidase B (NoxB) complex, and their transformation into hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) by superoxide dismutase (SOD). Deletion of NoxB or the regulatory subunit NoxR, or pharmacological inhibition of SOD, specifically abolished chemotropism of F. oxysporum towards Prx gradients. Addition of isotropic concentrations of H2 O2 rescued chemotropic growth in the noxBΔ and noxRΔ mutants, but not in a mutant lacking the G protein-coupled receptor Ste2. Prx-triggered rapid Nox- and Ste2-dependent phosphorylation of the cell wall integrity mitogen-activated protein kinase (CWI MAPK) Mpk1, an essential component of the chemotropic response. These results suggest that Ste2 and the CWI MAPK cascade function downstream of NoxB in Prx chemosensing. Our findings reveal a new role for Nox enzymes in directed hyphal growth of a filamentous pathogen towards its host and might be of broad interest for chemotropic interactions between plants and root-colonising fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tânia R Fernandes
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14071, Spain
| | - Mennat El Ghalid
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14071, Spain
| | - David Turrà
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14071, Spain
| | - Antonio Di Pietro
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14071, Spain
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie G Martin
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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