The NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase gene from Gibberella fujikuroi is essential for gibberellin biosynthesis

The galactose metabolism genes UGE1 and UGM1 are novel virulence factors of the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola

Fungal cell walls represent the frontline contact with the host and play a prime role in pathogenesis. While the roles of the cell wall polymers like chitin and branched β-glucan are well understood in vegetative and pathogenic development, that of the most prominent galactose-containing polymers galactosaminogalactan and fungal-type galactomannan is unknown in plant pathogenic fungi. Mining the genome of the maize pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola identified the single-copy key galactose metabolism genes UGE1 and UGM1, encoding a UDP-glucose-4-epimerase and UDP-galactopyranose mutase, respectively. UGE1 is thought to be required for biosynthesis of both polymers, whereas UGM1 is specifically required for fungal-type galactomannan formation. Promoter:eGFP fusion strains revealed that both genes are expressed in vegetative and in pathogenic hyphae at all stages of pathogenesis. Targeted deletion of UGE1 and UGM1, and fluorescence-labeling of galactosaminogalactan and fungal-type galactomannan confirmed that Δuge1 mutants were unable to synthesize either of these polymers, and Δugm1 mutants did not exhibit fungal-type galactomannan. Appressoria of Δuge1, but not of Δugm1 mutants, were defective in adhesion, highlighting a function of galactosaminogalactan in the establishment of these infection cells on hydrophobic surfaces. Both Δuge1 and Δugm1 mutants showed cell wall defects in older vegetative hyphae and severely reduced appressorial penetration competence. On intact leaves of Zea mays, both mutants showed strongly reduced disease symptom severity, indicating that UGE1 and UGM1 represent novel virulence factors of C. graminicola.

The spatial organization of sphingofungin biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus and its cross-interaction with sphingolipid metabolism

Sphingofungins are sphinganine analog mycotoxins acting as inhibitors of serine palmitoyl transferases, enzymes responsible for the first step in the sphingolipid biosynthesis. Eukaryotic cells are highly organized with various structures and organelles to facilitate cellular processes and chemical reactions, including the ones occurring as part of the secondary metabolism. We studied how sphingofungin biosynthesis is compartmentalized in the human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, and we observed that it takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ER-derived vesicles, and the cytosol. This implies that sphingofungin and sphingolipid biosynthesis colocalize to some extent. Automated analysis of confocal microscopy images confirmed the colocalization of the fluorescent proteins. Moreover, we demonstrated that the cluster-associated aminotransferase (SphA) and 3-ketoreductase (SphF) play a bifunctional role, supporting sphingolipid biosynthesis, and thereby antagonizing the toxic effects caused by sphingofungin production.IMPORTANCEA balanced sphingolipid homeostasis is critical for the proper functioning of eukaryotic cells. To this end, sphingolipid inhibitors have therapeutic potential against diseases related to the deregulation of sphingolipid balance. In addition, some of them have significant antifungal activity, suggesting that sphingolipid inhibitors-producing fungi have evolved mechanisms to escape self-poisoning. Here, we propose a novel self-defense mechanism, with cluster-associated genes coding for enzymes that play a dual role, being involved in both sphingofungin and sphingolipid production.

The Small Ras Superfamily GTPase Rho4 of the Maize Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum graminicola Is Required for β-1,3-glucan Synthesis, Cell Wall Integrity, and Full Virulence

Small Ras superfamily GTPases are highly conserved regulatory factors of fungal cell wall biosynthesis and morphogenesis. Previous experiments have shown that the Rho4-like protein of the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, formerly erroneously annotated as a Rho1 protein, physically interacts with the β-1,3-glucan synthase Gls1 (Lange et al., 2014; Curr. Genet. 60:343–350). Here, we show that Rho4 is required for β-1,3-glucan synthesis. Accordingly, Δrho4 strains formed distorted vegetative hyphae with swellings, and exhibited strongly reduced rates of hyphal growth and defects in asexual sporulation. Moreover, on host cuticles, conidia of Δrho4 strains formed long hyphae with hyphopodia, rather than short germ tubes with appressoria. Hyphopodia of Δrho4 strains exhibited penetration defects and often germinated laterally, indicative of cell wall weaknesses. In planta differentiated infection hyphae of Δrho4 strains were fringy, and anthracnose disease symptoms caused by these strains on intact and wounded maize leaf segments were significantly weaker than those caused by the WT strain. A retarded disease symptom development was confirmed by qPCR analyses. Collectively, we identified the Ras GTPase Rho4 as a new virulence factor of C. graminicola.

Targeted Genetic Engineering via Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation in Fusarium solani

Members of the Fusarium solani species complex are filamentous fungi that can act as pathogens to many crops and animals. Although relevant, a robust molecular toolbox is missing for the investigation of gene function and metabolism. In this chapter, we describe how Agrobacterium-mediated transformation can be used to facilitate gene targeting. A flexible vector system, based on in vivo recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is utilized to achieve overexpression and gene deletion of targeted biosynthetic genes in F. solani f. sp. pisi.

Defects in the Ferroxidase That Participates in the Reductive Iron Assimilation System Results in Hypervirulence in Botrytis Cinerea

The plant-pathogenic fungus B. cinerea causes enormous economic losses, estimated at anywhere between $10 billion and $100 billion worldwide, under both pre- and postharvest conditions. Here, we present the characterization of a loss-of-function mutant in a component involved in iron acquisition that displays hypervirulence. While in different microbial systems iron uptake mechanisms appear to be critical to achieve full pathogenic potential, we found that the absence of the ferroxidase that is part of the reductive iron assimilation system leads to hypervirulence in this fungus. This is an unusual and rather underrepresented phenotype, which can be modulated by iron levels in the plant and provides an unexpected link between iron acquisition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and pathogenesis in the Botrytis-plant interaction.

The plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea is responsible for gray-mold disease, which infects a wide variety of species. The outcome of this host-pathogen interaction, a result of the interplay between plant defense and fungal virulence pathways, can be modulated by various environmental factors. Among these, iron availability and acquisition play a crucial role in diverse biological functions. How B. cinerea obtains iron, an essential micronutrient, during infection is unknown. We set out to determine the role of the reductive iron assimilation (RIA) system during B. cinerea infection. This system comprises the BcFET1 ferroxidase, which belongs to the multicopper oxidase (MCO) family of proteins, and the BcFTR1 membrane-bound iron permease. Gene knockout and complementation studies revealed that, compared to the wild type, the bcfet1 mutant displays delayed conidiation, iron-dependent sclerotium production, and significantly reduced whole-cell iron content. Remarkably, this mutant exhibited a hypervirulence phenotype, whereas the bcftr1 mutant presents normal virulence and unaffected whole-cell iron levels and developmental programs. Interestingly, while in iron-starved plants wild-type B. cinerea produced slightly reduced necrotic lesions, the hypervirulence phenotype of the bcfet1 mutant is no longer observed in iron-deprived plants. This suggests that B. cinerea bcfet1 knockout mutants require plant-derived iron to achieve larger necrotic lesions, whereas in planta analyses of reactive oxygen species (ROS) revealed increased ROS levels only for infections caused by the bcfet1 mutant. These results suggest that increased ROS production, under an iron sufficiency environment, at least partly underlie the observed infection phenotype in this mutant.

Improvement of gibberellin production by a newly isolated Fusarium fujikuroi mutant

AIMS

To obtain and investigate the potential mechanism for GA₃ production in Fusarium fujikuroi GA-251, a high GA₃ producer.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Fusarium fujikuroi IMI 58289 was bred with Cobalt-60 (⁶⁰ Co) radiation and lithium chloride treatment. The best mutant strain GA-251 was obtained for the subsequent optimization of fermentation conditions. The yield of GA₃ by GA-251 was 2100 mg l^-1 , while the wild-type strain was 100 mg l^-1 , which is a 21-fold increase in the yield. To elucidate the mechanism of high GA₃ yield of GA-251, the genome was sequenced and compared with wild-type strain IMI 58289. The results showed 2295 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 1242 small indels and 30 structural variants. These mutations were analysed and enriched in the MAPK signalling pathway, the mRNA surveillance pathway and endocytosis. The potential reasons for the improved GA₃ biosynthesis were investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential mechanism of high GA₃ yield was attributed to endocytosis pathway and histone modification proteins family.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

A mutant strain GA-251 in this work that could potentially be utilized in the industrial yield of GA₃ . The comparative genome analysis would shed light onto the mechanism of yield improvement and be a theoretical guide for further metabolic engineering.

Amino Acid Polymorphism in Succinate Dehydrogenase Subunit C Involved in Biological Fitness of Botrytis cinerea

Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) is an important respiratory enzyme which participates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. A previous study of the baseline sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea against SDH inhibitors (SDHIs) showed that intrinsic sensitivity of the small population against the SDHIs exhibited significant differences. In the sequencing assay, we found five kinds of amino acid polymorphism in SDH subunit C (SdhC) of B. cinerea isolates which were never exposed to the SDHIs. To validate that amino acid polymorphism in the SdhC of B. cinerea confers intrinsic sensitivity against the SDHIs, the replacement mutants containing each kind of amino acid polymorphism of SdhC exhibited phenotype differences in intrinsic sensitivity to SDHIs, mycelial growth, sporulation, virulence, oxidative stress response, and carbon source utilization. These results indicated that SdhC of B. cinerea experienced positive selection during evolution and resulted in amino acid polymorphism which is involved in intrinsic sensitivity to SDHIs and biological fitness.

Role of membrane compartment occupied by Can1 (MCC) and eisosome subdomains in plant pathogenicity of the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola

BACKGROUND

MCC/eisosomes are membrane microdomains that have been proposed to participate in the plasma membrane function in particular by regulating the homeostasis of lipids, promoting the recruitment of specific proteins and acting as provider of membrane reservoirs.

RESULTS

Here we showed that several potential MCC/eisosomal protein encoding genes in the necrotrophic fungus A. brassicicola were overexpressed when germinated spores were exposed to antimicrobial defence compounds, osmotic and hydric stresses, which are major constraints encountered by the fungus during the plant colonization process. Mutants deficient for key MCC/eisosome components did not exhibit any enhanced susceptibility to phytoalexins and to applied stress conditions compared to the reference strain, except for a slight hypersensitivity of the ∆∆abpil1a-abpil1b strain to 2 M sorbitol. Depending on the considered mutants, we showed that the leaf and silique colonization processes were impaired by comparison to the wild-type, and assumed that these defects in aggressiveness were probably caused by a reduced appressorium formation rate.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study on the role of MCC/eisosomes in the pathogenic process of a plant pathogenic fungus. A link between these membrane domains and the fungus ability to form functional penetration structures was shown, providing new potential directions for plant disease control strategies.

Different Hydrophobins of Fusarium graminearum Are Involved in Hyphal Growth, Attachment, Water-Air Interface Penetration and Plant Infection

Hydrophobins (HPs) are small secreted fungal proteins possibly involved in several processes such as formation of fungal aerial structures, attachment to hydrophobic surfaces, interaction with the environment and protection against the host defense system. The genome of the necrotrophic plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum contains five genes encoding for HPs (FgHyd1-5). Single and triple FgHyd mutants were produced and characterized. A reduced growth was observed when the ΔFghyd2 and the three triple mutants including the deletion of FgHyd2 were grown in complete or minimal medium. Surprisingly, the growth of these mutants was similar to wild-type when grown under ionic, osmotic or oxidative stress conditions. All the mutant strains confirmed the ability to develop conidia and perithecia, suggesting that the FgHyds are not involved in normal development of asexual and sexual structures. A reduction in the ability of hyphae to penetrate through the water-air interface was observed for the single mutants ΔFghyd2 and ΔFghyd3 as well as for the triple mutants including the deletion of FgHyd2 and FgHyd3. Besides, ΔFghyd3 and the triple mutant ΔFghyd234 were also affected in the attachment to hydrophobic surface. Indeed, wheat infection experiments showed a reduction of symptomatic spikelets for ΔFghyd2 and ΔFghyd3 and the triple mutants only when spray inoculation was performed. This result could be ascribed to the affected ability of mutants deleted of FgHyd2 and FgHyd3 to penetrate through the water-air interface and to attach to hydrophobic surfaces such as the spike tissue. This hypothesis is strengthened by a histological analysis, performed by fluorescence microscopy, showing no defects in the morphology of infection structures produced by mutant strains. Interestingly, triple hydrophobin mutants were significantly more inhibited than wild-type by the treatment with a systemic triazole fungicide, while no defects at the cell wall level were observed.

A Natural Variation of Fumonisin Gene Cluster Associated with Fumonisin Production Difference in Fusarium fujikuroi

Fusarium fujikuroi, a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex, stands out as a rice bakanae disease pathogen with a high production of gibberellic acid. Not all, but some F. fujikuroi strains are known to produce a carcinogenic mycotoxin fumonisin. Fumonisin biosynthesis is dependent on the FUM cluster composed of 16 FUM genes. The FUM cluster was detected not only from a fumonisin producing strain, but also from a fumonisin nonproducing strain that does not produce a detectable level of fumonisin. Genetic mapping indicated the causative mutation(s) of fumonisin nonproduction is present in the FUM cluster of the fumonisin nonproducing strain. Comparative analyses of FUM genes between the fumonisin producing and the nonproducing strains and gene complementation indicated that causative mutation of fumonisin nonproduction is not a single occurrence and the mutations are distributed in FUM21 and FUM7. Our research revealed a natural variation in the FUM cluster involving fumonisin production difference in F. fujikuroi.

The pH regulator PacC: a host-dependent virulence factor in Botrytis cinerea

The phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea is able to infect a wide variety of plants and plant tissues with differing chemical compositions. During its interaction with the host, this pathogen modulates its ambient pH by secreting acids or ammonia. In this work, we examined the Pal/Pac pathway, the fungal ambient pH-responsive signalling circuit, and investigated the role of the PacC transcription factor. Characterization of the BcpacC deletion mutant revealed an alteration of both fungal growth and virulence depending on the pH of the culture medium or of the host tissue. The pathogenicity of the mutant was altered on plants exhibiting a neutral pH and not on plants with acidic tissues. The capacity of the mutant to acidify its environment and, more particularly, to produce oxalic acid was affected, as was production of reactive oxygen species. Finally, proteomic profiling of the mutant secretome revealed significant changes in plant cell wall polysaccharides proteins and lipid degradation and oxidoreduction, highlighting the importance of BcPacC in the necrotrophic lifestyle of B. cinerea.

New Plasmids for Fusarium Transformation Allowing Positive-Negative Selection and Efficient Cre-loxP Mediated Marker Recycling

In filamentous fungi such as Fusarium graminearum, disruption of multiple genes of interest in the same strain (e.g., to test for redundant gene function) is a difficult task due to the limited availability of reliable selection markers. We have created a series of transformation vectors that allow antibiotic-based selection of transformants and subsequent negative selection for marker removal using thymidine kinase fusions combined with the Cre-loxP system. The fusion genes contain commonly used C-terminal drug resistance markers, either nptII (G418), nat1 (nourseothricin), or hph (hygromycin B). These resistance genes are fused to the sequence encoding Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk). Despite the presence of the 1 kb HSVtk gene (about ∼30% increase in total marker size), there is only a slight reduction in transformation efficiency on a molar basis. The fusion genes expressed under the Trichoderma pyruvate kinase (PKI) promoter also confer antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli, allowing straightforward construction of disruption plasmids. For removal of the loxP flanked resistance cassettes, protoplasts of transformants are directly treated with purified Cre recombinase protein. Loss of the HSVtk containing cassette is selected by restoration of resistance to 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine (FdU). As a proof of principle, we demonstrated the efficiency of the HSVtk-based marker removal in Fusarium by reversing the disruption phenotype of the gene responsible for production of the red pigment aurofusarin. We first disrupted the FgPKS12 gene via integration of the loxP-flanked HSVtk-nptII cassette into the promoter or the first intron, thereby generating transformants with a white mycelium phenotype. Using Cre recombinase and FdU, the selection marker was subsequently removed, and the resulting transformants regained red pigmentation despite the remaining loxP site. We also found that it is possible to remove several unselected loxP-flanked cassettes with a single Cre protein treatment, as long as one of them contains a negative selectable HSVtk cassette. The negative selection system can also be used to introduce allele swaps into strains without leaving marker sequences, by first disrupting the gene of interest and then complementing the deletion in situ with genomic DNA containing a different allele.

Biosynthesis of abscisic acid in fungi: identification of a sesquiterpene cyclase as the key enzyme in Botrytis cinerea

While abscisic acid (ABA) is known as a hormone produced by plants through the carotenoid pathway, a small number of phytopathogenic fungi are also able to produce this sesquiterpene but they use a distinct pathway that starts with the cyclization of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) into 2Z,4E-α-ionylideneethane which is then subjected to several oxidation steps. To identify the sesquiterpene cyclase (STC) responsible for the biosynthesis of ABA in fungi, we conducted a genomic approach in Botrytis cinerea. The genome of the ABA-overproducing strain ATCC58025 was fully sequenced and five STC-coding genes were identified. Among them, Bcstc5 exhibits an expression profile concomitant with ABA production. Gene inactivation, complementation and chemical analysis demonstrated that BcStc5/BcAba5 is the key enzyme responsible for the key step of ABA biosynthesis in fungi. Unlike what is observed for most of the fungal secondary metabolism genes, the key enzyme-coding gene Bcstc5/Bcaba5 is not clustered with the other biosynthetic genes, i.e., Bcaba1 to Bcaba4 that are responsible for the oxidative transformation of 2Z,4E-α-ionylideneethane. Finally, our study revealed that the presence of the Bcaba genes among Botrytis species is rare and that the majority of them do not possess the ability to produce ABA.

A flavoprotein supports cell wall properties in the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola

BACKGROUND

Flavin-dependent monooxygenases are involved in key biological processes as they catalyze a wide variety of chemo-, regio- and enantioselective oxygenation reactions. Flavoprotein monooxygenases are frequently encountered in micro-organisms, most of which require further functional and biocatalytic assessment. Here we investigated the function of the AbMak1 gene, which encodes a group A flavin monooxygenase in the plant pathogenic fungus Alternaria brassicicola, by generating a deficient mutant and examining its phenotype.

RESULTS

Functional analysis indicates that the AbMak1 protein is involved in cell wall biogenesis and influences the melanization process. We documented a significant decrease in melanin content in the Δabmak1 strain compared to the wild-type and complemented strains. We investigated the cell wall morphology and physical properties in the wild-type and transformants using electron and atomic force microscopy. These approaches confirmed the aberrant morphology of the conidial wall structure in the Δabmak1 strain which had an impact on hydrophilic adhesion and conidial surface stiffness. However, there was no significant impairment in growth, conidia formation, pathogenicity or susceptibility to various environmental stresses in the Δabmak1 strain.

CONCLUSION

This study sheds new light on the function of a fungal flavin-dependent monooxygenase, which plays an important role in melanization.

Gibepyrone Biosynthesis in the Rice Pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi Is Facilitated by a Small Polyketide Synthase Gene Cluster

The 2H-pyran-2-one gibepyrone A and its oxidized derivatives gibepyrones B-F have been isolated from the rice pathogenic fungus Fusarium fujikuroi already more than 20 years ago. However, these products have not been linked to the respective biosynthetic genes, and therefore, their biosynthesis has not yet been analyzed on a molecular level. Feeding experiments with isotopically labeled precursors clearly supported a polyketide origin for the formal monoterpenoid gibepyrone A, whereas the terpenoid pathway could be excluded. Targeted gene deletion verified that the F. fujikuroi polyketide synthase PKS13, designated Gpy1, is responsible for gibepyrone A biosynthesis. Next to Gpy1, the ATP-binding cassette transporter Gpy2 is encoded by the gibepyrone gene cluster. Gpy2 was shown to have only a minor impact on the actual efflux of gibepyrone A out of the cell. Instead, we obtained evidence that Gpy2 is involved in gene regulation as it represses GPY1 gene expression. Thus, GPY1 was up-regulated and gibepyrone A production was enhanced both extra- and intracellularly in Δgpy2 mutants. Furthermore, expression of GPY genes is strictly repressed by members of the fungus-specific velvet complex, Vel1, Vel2, and Lae1, whereas Sge1, a major regulator of secondary metabolism in F. fujikuroi, affects gibepyrone biosynthesis in a positive manner. The gibepyrone A derivatives gibepyrones B and D were shown to be produced by cluster-independent P450 monooxygenases, probably to protect the fungus from the toxic product. In contrast, the formation of gibepyrones E and F from gibepyrone A is a spontaneous process and independent of enzymatic activity.

Labeling Studies Clarify the Committed Step in Bacterial Gibberellin Biosynthesis

Bacteria have evolved gibberellin phytohormone biosynthesis independently of plants and fungi. Through ¹³C-labeling and NMR analysis, the mechanistically unusual “B” ring contraction catalyzed by a cytochrome P450 (CYP114), which is the committed step in gibberellin biosynthesis, was shown to occur via oxidative extrusion of carbon-7 from ent-kaurenoic acid in bacteria. This is identical to the convergently evolved chemical transformation in plants and fungi, suggesting a common semipinacol rearrangement mechanism potentially guided by carbon-4α carboxylate proximity.

The Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Anchor Biosynthesis Genes GPI12, GAA1, and GPI8 Are Essential for Cell-Wall Integrity and Pathogenicity of the Maize Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum graminicola

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring of proteins is one of the most common posttranslational modifications of proteins in eukaryotic cells and is important for associating proteins with the cell surface. In fungi, GPI-anchored proteins play essential roles in cross-linking of β-glucan cell-wall polymers and cell-wall rigidity. GPI-anchor synthesis is successively performed at the cytoplasmic and the luminal face of the ER membrane and involves approximately 25 proteins. While mutagenesis of auxiliary genes of this pathway suggested roles of GPI-anchored proteins in hyphal growth and virulence, essential genes of this pathway have not been characterized. Taking advantage of RNA interference (RNAi) we analyzed the function of the three essential genes GPI12, GAA1 and GPI8, encoding a cytoplasmic N-acetylglucosaminylphosphatidylinositol deacetylase, a metallo-peptide-synthetase and a cystein protease, the latter two representing catalytic components of the GPI transamidase complex. RNAi strains showed drastic cell-wall defects, resulting in exploding infection cells on the plant surface and severe distortion of in planta-differentiated infection hyphae, including formation of intrahyphal hyphae. Reduction of transcript abundance of the genes analyzed resulted in nonpathogenicity. We show here for the first time that the GPI synthesis genes GPI12, GAA1, and GPI8 are indispensable for vegetative development and pathogenicity of the causal agent of maize anthracnose, Colletotrichum graminicola.

Attenuation of PAMP-triggered immunity in maize requires down-regulation of the key β-1,6-glucan synthesis genes KRE5 and KRE6 in biotrophic hyphae of Colletotrichum graminicola

In plants, pathogen defense is initiated by recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) via plasma membrane-localized pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). Fungal structural cell wall polymers such as branched β-glucans are essential for infection structure rigidity and pathogenicity, but at the same time represent PAMPs. Kre5 and Kre6 are key enzymes in β-1,6-glucan synthesis and formation of branch points of the β-glucan network. In spite of the importance of branched β-glucan for hyphal rigidity and plant-fungus interactions, neither the role of KRE5 and KRE6 in pathogenesis nor mechanisms allowing circumventing branched β-glucan-triggered immune responses are known. We functionally characterized KRE5 and KRE6 of the ascomycete Colletotrichum graminicola, a hemibiotroph that infects maize (Zea mays). After appressorial plant invasion, this fungus sequentially differentiates biotrophic and highly destructive necrotrophic hyphae. RNAi-mediated reduction of KRE5 and KRE6 transcript abundance caused appressoria to burst and swelling of necrotrophic hyphae, indicating that β-1,6-glucosidic bonds are essential in these cells. Live cell imaging employing KRE5:mCherry and KRE6:mCherry knock-in strains and probing of infection structures with a YFP-conjugated β-1,6-glucan-binding protein showed expression of these genes and exposure of β-1,6-glucan in conidia, appressoria and necrotrophic, but not in biotrophic hyphae. Overexpression of KRE5 and KRE6 in biotrophic hyphae led to activation of broad-spectrum plant defense responses, including papilla and H2 O2 formation, as well as transcriptional activation of several defense-related genes. Collectively, our results strongly suggest that down-regulation of synthesis and avoidance of exposure of branched β-1,3-β-1,6-glucan in biotrophic hyphae is required for attenuation of plant immune responses.

Posttranslational hypusination of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor-5A regulates Fusarium graminearum virulence

Activation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF5A requires a posttranslational modification, forming the unique amino acid hypusine. This activation is mediated by two enzymes, deoxyhypusine synthase, DHS, and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase, DOHH. The impact of this enzymatic complex on the life cycle of a fungal pathogen is unknown. Plant pathogenic ascomycetes possess a single copy of the eIF5A activated by hypusination. We evaluated the importance of imbalances in eIF5A hypusination in Fusarium graminearum, a devastating fungal pathogen of cereals. Overexpression of DHS leads to increased virulence in wheat, elevated production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, more infection structures, faster wheat tissue invasion in plants and increases vegetatively produced conidia. In contrast, overexpression of DOHH completely prevents infection structure formation, pathogenicity in wheat and maize, leads to overproduction of ROS, reduced DON production and increased sexual reproduction. Simultaneous overexpression of both genes restores wild type-like phenotypes. Analysis of eIF5A posttranslational modification displayed strongly increased hypusinated eIF5A in DOHH overexpression mutant in comparison to wild type, and the DHS overexpression mutants. These are the first results pointing to different functions of differently modified eIF5A.

Two separate key enzymes and two pathway-specific transcription factors are involved in fusaric acid biosynthesis in Fusarium fujikuroi

Fusaric acid (FSA) is a mycotoxin produced by several fusaria, including the rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi. Genes involved in FSA biosynthesis were previously identified as a cluster containing a polyketide synthase (PKS)-encoding (FUB1) and four additional genes (FUB2-FUB5). However, the biosynthetic steps leading to FSA as well as the origin of the nitrogen atom, which is incorporated into the polyketide backbone, remained unknown. In this study, seven additional cluster genes (FUB6-FUB12) were identified via manipulation of the global regulator FfSge1. The extended FUB gene cluster encodes two Zn(II)2 Cys6 transcription factors: Fub10 positively regulates expression of all FUB genes, whereas Fub12 is involved in the formation of the two FSA derivatives, i.e. dehydrofusaric acid and fusarinolic acid, serving as a detoxification mechanism. The major facilitator superfamily transporter Fub11 functions in the export of FSA out of the cell and is essential when FSA levels become critical. Next to Fub1, a second key enzyme was identified, the non-canonical non-ribosomal peptide synthetase Fub8. Chemical analyses of generated mutant strains allowed for the identification of a triketide as PKS product and the proposition of an FSA biosynthetic pathway, thereby unravelling the unique formation of a hybrid metabolite consisting of this triketide and an amino acid moiety.

Disruption of the GABA shunt affects mitochondrial respiration and virulence in the cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum

The cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum threatens food and feed production worldwide. It reduces the yield and poisons the remaining kernels with mycotoxins, notably deoxynivalenol (DON). We analyzed the importance of gamma-aminobutanoic acid (GABA) metabolism for the life cycle of this fungal pathogen. GABA metabolism in F. graminearum is partially regulated by the global nitrogen regulator AreA. Genetic disruption of the GABA shunt by deletion of two GABA transaminases renders the pathogen unable to utilize the plant stress metabolites GABA and putrescine. The mutants showed increased sensitivity against oxidative stress, GABA accumulation in the mycelium, downregulation of two key enzymes of the TCA cycle, disturbed potential gradient in the mitochondrial membrane and lower mitochondrial oxygen consumption. In contrast, addition of GABA to the wild type resulted in its rapid turnover and increased mitochondrial steady state oxygen consumption. GABA concentrations are highly upregulated in infected wheat tissues. We conclude that GABA is metabolized by the pathogen during infection increasing its energy production, whereas the mutants accumulate GABA intracellularly resulting in decreased energy production. Consequently, the GABA mutants are strongly reduced in virulence but, because of their DON production, are able to cross the rachis node.

The General Amino Acid Permease FfGap1 of Fusarium fujikuroi Is Sorted to the Vacuole in a Nitrogen-Dependent, but Npr1 Kinase-Independent Manner

The rice pathogenic fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is well known for the production of a broad spectrum of secondary metabolites (SMs) such as gibberellic acids (GAs), mycotoxins and pigments. The biosynthesis of most of these SMs strictly depends on nitrogen availability and of the activity of permeases of nitrogen sources, e.g. the ammonium and amino acid permeases. One of the three ammonium permeases, MepB, was recently shown to act not only as a transporter but also as a nitrogen sensor affecting the production of nitrogen-repressed SMs. Here we describe the identification of a general amino acid permease, FfGap1, among the 99 putative amino acid permeases (AAPs) in the genome of F. fujikuroi. FfGap1 is able to fully restore growth of the yeast gap1∆ mutant on several amino acids including citrulline and tryptophane. In S. cerevisiae, Gap1 activity is regulated by shuttling between the plasma membrane (nitrogen limiting conditions) and the vacuole (nitrogen sufficiency), which we also show for FfGap1. In yeast, the Npr1 serine/threonine kinase stabilizes the Gap1 position at the plasma membrane. Here, we identified and characterized three NPR1-homologous genes, encoding the putative protein kinases FfNpr1-1, FfNpr1-2 and FfNpr1-3 with significant similarity to yeast Npr1. Complementation of the yeast npr1Δ mutant with each of the three F. fujikuroi NPR1 homologues, resulted in partial restoration of ammonium, arginine and proline uptake by FfNPR1-1 while none of the three kinases affect growth on different nitrogen sources and nitrogen-dependent sorting of FfGap1 in F. fujikuroi. However, exchange of the putative ubiquitin-target lysine 9 (K9A) and 15 (K15A) residues of FfGap1 resulted in extended localization to the plasma membrane and increased protein stability independently of nitrogen availability. These data suggest a similar regulation of FfGap1 by nitrogen-dependent ubiquitination, but differences regarding the role of Fusarium Npr1 homologues compared to yeast.

The global regulator FfSge1 is required for expression of secondary metabolite gene clusters but not for pathogenicity in Fusarium fujikuroi

The plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is the causal agent of bakanae disease on rice due to its ability to produce gibberellins. Besides these phytohormones, F. fujikuroi is able to produce several other secondary metabolites (SMs). Although much progress has been made in the field of secondary metabolism, the transcriptional regulation of SM biosynthesis is complex and still incompletely understood. Environmental conditions, global as well as pathway-specific regulators and chromatin remodelling have been shown to play major roles. Here, the role of FfSge1, a homologue of the morphological switch regulators Wor1 and Ryp1 in Candida albicans and Histoplasma capsulatum, respectively, is explored with emphasis on secondary metabolism. FfSge1 is not required for formation of conidia and pathogenicity but is involved in vegetative growth. Transcriptome analysis of the mutant Δffsge1 compared with the wild type, as well as comparative chemical analysis between the wild type, Δffsge1 and OE:FfSGE1, revealed that FfSge1 functions as a global activator of secondary metabolism in F. fujikuroi. Double mutants of FfSGE1 and other SM regulatory genes brought insights into the hierarchical regulation of secondary metabolism. In addition, FfSge1 is also required for expression of a yet uncharacterized SM gene cluster containing a non-canonical non-ribosomal peptide synthetase.

Traversing the fungal terpenome

Fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) are prolific producers of structurally diverse terpenoid compounds. Classes of terpenoids identified in fungi include the sesqui-, di- and triterpenoids. Biosynthetic pathways and enzymes to terpenoids from each of these classes have been described. These typically involve the scaffold generating terpene synthases and cyclases, and scaffold tailoring enzymes such as e.g. cytochrome P450 monoxygenases, NAD(P)+ and flavin dependent oxidoreductases, and various group transferases that generate the final bioactive structures. The biosynthesis of several sesquiterpenoid mycotoxins and bioactive diterpenoids has been well-studied in Ascomycota (e.g. filamentous fungi). Little is known about the terpenoid biosynthetic pathways in Basidiomycota (e.g. mushroom forming fungi), although they produce a huge diversity of terpenoid natural products. Specifically, many trans-humulyl cation derived sesquiterpenoid natural products with potent bioactivities have been isolated. Biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for the production of trans-humulyl cation derived protoilludanes, and other sesquiterpenoids, can be rapidly identified by genome sequencing and bioinformatic methods. Genome mining combined with heterologous biosynthetic pathway refactoring has the potential to facilitate discovery and production of pharmaceutically relevant fungal terpenoids.

Apicidin F: characterization and genetic manipulation of a new secondary metabolite gene cluster in the rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi

The fungus F. fujikuroi is well known for its production of gibberellins causing the ‘bakanae’ disease of rice. Besides these plant hormones, it is able to produce other secondary metabolites (SMs), such as pigments and mycotoxins. Genome sequencing revealed altogether 45 potential SM gene clusters, most of which are cryptic and silent. In this study we characterize a new non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene cluster that is responsible for the production of the cyclic tetrapeptide apicidin F (APF). This new SM has structural similarities to the known histone deacetylase inhibitor apicidin. To gain insight into the biosynthetic pathway, most of the 11 cluster genes were deleted, and the mutants were analyzed by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-HRMS for their ability to produce APF or new derivatives. Structure elucidation was carried out be HPLC-HRMS and NMR analysis. We identified two new derivatives of APF named apicidin J and K. Furthermore, we studied the regulation of APF biosynthesis and showed that the cluster genes are expressed under conditions of high nitrogen and acidic pH in a manner dependent on the nitrogen regulator AreB, and the pH regulator PacC. In addition, over-expression of the atypical pathway-specific transcription factor (TF)-encoding gene APF2 led to elevated expression of the cluster genes under inducing and even repressing conditions and to significantly increased product yields. Bioinformatic analyses allowed the identification of a putative Apf2 DNA-binding (“Api-box”) motif in the promoters of the APF genes. Point mutations in this sequence motif caused a drastic decrease of APF production indicating that this motif is essential for activating the cluster genes. Finally, we provide a model of the APF biosynthetic pathway based on chemical identification of derivatives in the cultures of deletion mutants.

Melanin is not required for turgor generation but enhances cell-wall rigidity in appressoria of the corn pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola

The ascomycete and causative agent of maize anthracnose and stem rot, Colletotrichum graminicola, differentiates melanized infection cells called appressoria that are indispensable for breaching the plant cell wall. High concentrations of osmolytes accumulate within the appressorium, and the internal turgor pressure of up to 5.4 MPa provides sufficient force to penetrate the leaf epidermis directly. In order to assess the function of melanin in C. graminicola appressoria, we identified and characterized the polyketide synthase 1 (CgPKS1) gene which displayed high similarity to fungal polyketide synthases (PKS) involved in synthesis of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydronaphthalene, the first intermediate in melanin biosynthesis. Cgpks1 albino mutants created by targeted gene disruption were unable to penetrate intact leaves and ruptured frequently but, surprisingly, were able to penetrate ultrathin polytetrafluoroethylene membranes mimicking the plant surface. Nonmelanized Cgpks1 appressoria were sensitive to externally applied cell-wall-degrading enzymes whereas melanized appressoria were not affected. Expression studies using a truncated CgPKS1 fused to green fluorescent protein revealed fluorescence in immature appressoria and in setae, which is in agreement with transcript data obtained by RNA-Seq and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Unexpectedly, surface scans of mutant and wild-type appressoria revealed considerable differences in cell-wall morphology. Melanization of appressoria is indispensable for successful infection of intact leaves. However, cell collapse experiments and analysis of the appressorial osmolyte content by Mach-Zehnder interferometry convincingly showed that melanin is not required for solute accumulation and turgor generation, thus questioning the role of melanin as a barrier for osmolytes in appressoria of C. graminicola.

Biotrophy-specific downregulation of siderophore biosynthesis in Colletotrichum graminicola is required for modulation of immune responses of maize

The hemibiotrophic maize pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola synthesizes one intracellular and three secreted siderophores. eGFP fusions with the key siderophore biosynthesis gene, SID1, encoding l-ornithine-N(5) -monooxygenase, suggested that siderophore biosynthesis is rigorously downregulated specifically during biotrophic development. In order to investigate the role of siderophores during vegetative development and pathogenesis, SID1, which is required for synthesis of all siderophores, and the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase gene NPS6, synthesizing secreted siderophores, were deleted. Mutant analyses revealed that siderophores are required for vegetative growth under iron-limiting conditions, conidiation, ROS tolerance, and cell wall integrity. Δsid1 and Δnps6 mutants were hampered in formation of melanized appressoria and impaired in virulence. In agreement with biotrophy-specific downregulation of siderophore biosynthesis, Δsid1 and Δnps6 strains were not affected in biotrophic development, but spread of necrotrophic hyphae was reduced. To address the question why siderophore biosynthesis is specifically downregulated in biotrophic hyphae, maize leaves were infiltrated with siderophores. Siderophore infiltration alone did not induce defence responses, but formation of biotrophic hyphae in siderophore-infiltrated leaves caused dramatically increased ROS formation and transcriptional activation of genes encoding defence-related peroxidases and PR proteins. These data suggest that fungal siderophores modulate the plant immune system.

The interplay between the GATA transcription factors AreA, the global nitrogen regulator and AreB in Fusarium fujikuroi

Nitrogen metabolite repression (NMR) in filamentous fungi is controlled by the GATA transcription factors AreA and AreB. While AreA mainly acts as a positive regulator of NMR-sensitive genes, the role of AreB is not well understood. We report the characterization of AreB and its interplay with AreA in the gibberellin-producing fungus Fusarium fujikuroi. The areB locus produces three different transcripts that each code for functional proteins fully complementing the areB deletion mutant that influence growth and secondary metabolism. However, under nitrogen repression, the AreB isoforms differ in subcellular localization indicating distinct functions under these conditions. In addition, AreA and two isoforms of AreB colocalize in the nucleus under low nitrogen, but their nuclear localization disappears under conditions of high nitrogen. Using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) approach we showed for the first time that one of the AreB isoforms interacts with AreA when starved of nitrogen. Cross-species complementation revealed that some AreB functions are retained between F. fujikuroi and Aspergillus nidulans while others have diverged. By comparison to other fungi where AreB was postulated to function as a negative counterpart of AreA, AreB can act as both repressor and activator of transcription in F. fujikuroi.

A sensing role of the glutamine synthetase in the nitrogen regulation network in Fusarium fujikuroi

In the plant pathogenic ascomycete Fusarium fujikuroi the synthesis of several economically important secondary metabolites (SM) depends on the nitrogen status of the cells. Of these SMs, gibberellin and bikaverin synthesis is subject to nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) and is therefore only executed under nitrogen starvation conditions. How the signal of available nitrogen quantity and quality is sensed and transmitted to transcription factors is largely unknown. Earlier work revealed an essential regulatory role of the glutamine synthetase (GS) in the nitrogen regulation network and secondary metabolism as its deletion resulted in total loss of SM gene expression. Here we present extensive gene regulation studies of the wild type, the Δgln1 mutant and complementation strains of the gln1 deletion mutant expressing heterologous GS-encoding genes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin or 14 different F. fujikuroi gln1 copies with site-directed mutations. All strains were grown under different nitrogen conditions and characterized regarding growth, expression of NCR-responsive genes and biosynthesis of SM. We provide evidence for distinct roles of the GS in sensing and transducing the signals to NCR-responsive genes. Three site directed mutations partially restored secondary metabolism and GS-dependent gene expression, but not glutamine formation, demonstrating for the first time that the catalytic and regulatory roles of GS can be separated. The distinct mutant phenotypes show that the GS (1) participates in NH₄⁺-sensing and transducing the signal towards NCR-responsive transcription factors and their subsequent target genes; (2) affects carbon catabolism and (3) activates the expression of a distinct set of non-NCR GS-dependent genes. These novel insights into the regulatory role of the GS provide fascinating perspectives for elucidating regulatory roles of GS proteins of different organism in general.

Identification of ABC transporter genes of Fusarium graminearum with roles in azole tolerance and/or virulence

Fusarium graminearum is a plant pathogen infecting several important cereals, resulting in substantial yield losses and mycotoxin contamination of the grain. Triazole fungicides are used to control diseases caused by this fungus on a worldwide scale. Our previous microarray study indicated that 15 ABC transporter genes were transcriptionally upregulated in response to tebuconazole treatment. Here, we deleted four ABC transporter genes in two genetic backgrounds of F. graminearum representing the DON (deoxynivalenol) and the NIV (nivalenol) trichothecene chemotypes. Deletion of FgABC3 and FgABC4 belonging to group I of ABC-G and to group V of ABC-C subfamilies of ABC transporters, respectively, considerably increased the sensitivity to the class I sterol biosynthesis inhibitors triazoles and fenarimol. Such effects were specific since they did not occur with any other fungicide class tested. Assessing the contribution of the four ABC transporters to virulence of F. graminearum revealed that, irrespective of their chemotypes, deletion mutants of FgABC1 (ABC-C subfamily group V) and FgABC3 were impeded in virulence on wheat, barley and maize. Phylogenetic context and analyses of mycotoxin production suggests that FgABC3 may encode a transporter protecting the fungus from host-derived antifungal molecules. In contrast, FgABC1 may encode a transporter responsible for the secretion of fungal secondary metabolites alleviating defence of the host. Our results show that ABC transporters play important and diverse roles in both fungicide resistance and pathogenesis of F. graminearum.

Involvement of Botrytis cinerea small GTPases BcRAS1 and BcRAC in differentiation, virulence, and the cell cycle

Small GTPases of the Ras superfamily are highly conserved proteins that are involved in various cellular processes, in particular morphogenesis, differentiation, and polar growth. Here we report on the analysis of RAS1 and RAC homologues from the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea. We show that these small GTPases are individually necessary for polar growth, reproduction, and pathogenicity, required for cell cycle progression through mitosis (BcRAC), and may lie upstream of the stress-related mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. bcras1 and bcrac deletion strains had reduced growth rates, and their hyphae were hyperbranched and deformed. In addition, both strains were vegetatively sterile and nonpathogenic. A strain expressing a constitutively active (CA) allele of the BcRAC protein had partially similar but milder phenotypes. Similar to the deletion strains, the CA-BcRAC strain did not produce any conidia and had swollen hyphae. In contrast to the two deletion strains, however, the growth rate of the CA-BcRAC strain was normal, and it caused delayed but well-developed disease symptoms. Microscopic examination revealed an increased number of nuclei and disturbance of actin localization in the CA-BcRAC strain. Further work with cell cycle- and RAC-specific inhibitory compounds associated the BcRAC protein with progression of the cell cycle through mitosis, possibly via an effect on microtubules. Together, these results show that the multinucleate phenotype of the CA-BcRAC strain could result from at least two defects: disruption of polar growth through disturbed actin localization and uncontrolled nuclear division due to constitutive activity of BcRAC.

Dehydrin-like proteins in the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola have a role in plant pathogenesis and stress response

In this study, the roles of fungal dehydrin-like proteins in pathogenicity and protection against environmental stresses were investigated in the necrotrophic seed-borne fungus Alternaria brassicicola. Three proteins (called AbDhn1, AbDhn2 and AbDhn3), harbouring the asparagine-proline-arginine (DPR) signature pattern and sharing the characteristic features of fungal dehydrin-like proteins, were identified in the A. brassicicola genome. The expression of these genes was induced in response to various stresses and found to be regulated by the AbHog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A knock-out approach showed that dehydrin-like proteins have an impact mainly on oxidative stress tolerance and on conidial survival upon exposure to high and freezing temperatures. The subcellular localization revealed that AbDhn1 and AbDhn2 were associated with peroxisomes, which is consistent with a possible perturbation of protective mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress and maintain the redox balance in AbDhn mutants. Finally, we show that the double deletion mutant ΔΔabdhn1-abdhn2 was highly compromised in its pathogenicity. By comparison to the wild-type, this mutant exhibited lower aggressiveness on B. oleracea leaves and a reduced capacity to be transmitted to Arabidopsis seeds via siliques. The double mutant was also affected with respect to conidiation, another crucial step in the epidemiology of the disease.

Deciphering the cryptic genome: genome-wide analyses of the rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi reveal complex regulation of secondary metabolism and novel metabolites

The fungus Fusarium fujikuroi causes "bakanae" disease of rice due to its ability to produce gibberellins (GAs), but it is also known for producing harmful mycotoxins. However, the genetic capacity for the whole arsenal of natural compounds and their role in the fungus' interaction with rice remained unknown. Here, we present a high-quality genome sequence of F. fujikuroi that was assembled into 12 scaffolds corresponding to the 12 chromosomes described for the fungus. We used the genome sequence along with ChIP-seq, transcriptome, proteome, and HPLC-FTMS-based metabolome analyses to identify the potential secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and to examine their regulation in response to nitrogen availability and plant signals. The results indicate that expression of most but not all gene clusters correlate with proteome and ChIP-seq data. Comparison of the F. fujikuroi genome to those of six other fusaria revealed that only a small number of gene clusters are conserved among these species, thus providing new insights into the divergence of secondary metabolism in the genus Fusarium. Noteworthy, GA biosynthetic genes are present in some related species, but GA biosynthesis is limited to F. fujikuroi, suggesting that this provides a selective advantage during infection of the preferred host plant rice. Among the genome sequences analyzed, one cluster that includes a polyketide synthase gene (PKS19) and another that includes a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase gene (NRPS31) are unique to F. fujikuroi. The metabolites derived from these clusters were identified by HPLC-FTMS-based analyses of engineered F. fujikuroi strains overexpressing cluster genes. In planta expression studies suggest a specific role for the PKS19-derived product during rice infection. Thus, our results indicate that combined comparative genomics and genome-wide experimental analyses identified novel genes and secondary metabolites that contribute to the evolutionary success of F. fujikuroi as a rice pathogen.

Infection structure-specific reductive iron assimilation is required for cell wall integrity and full virulence of the maize pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola

Ferroxidases are essential components of the high-affinity reductive iron assimilation pathway in fungi. Two ferroxidase genes, FET3-1 and FET3-2, have been identified in the genome of the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola. Complementation of growth defects of the ferroxidase-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain Δfet3fet4 showed that both Fet3-1 and Fet3-2 of C. graminicola represent functional ferroxidases. Expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein fusions in yeast and C. graminicola indicated that both ferroxidase proteins localize to the plasma membrane. Transcript abundance of FET3-1 increased dramatically under iron-limiting conditions but those of FET3-2 were hardly detectable. Δfet3-1 and Δfet3-2 single as well as Δfet3-1/2 double-deletion strains were generated. Under iron-sufficient or deficient conditions, vegetative growth rates of these strains did not significantly differ from that of the wild type but Δfet3-1 and Δfet3-1/2 strains showed increased sensitivity to reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, under iron-limiting conditions, appressoria of Δfet3-1 and Δfet3-1/2 strains showed significantly reduced transcript abundance of a class V chitin synthase and exhibited severe cell wall defects. Infection assays on intact and wounded maize leaves, quantitative data of infection structure differentiation, and infection stage-specific expression of FET3-1 showed that reductive iron assimilation is required for appressorial penetration, biotrophic development, and full virulence.

Role of mannitol metabolism in the pathogenicity of the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola

In this study, the physiological functions of fungal mannitol metabolism in the pathogenicity and protection against environmental stresses were investigated in the necrotrophic fungus Alternaria brassicicola. Mannitol metabolism was examined during infection of Brassica oleracea leaves by sequential HPLC quantification of the major soluble carbohydrates and expression analysis of genes encoding two proteins of mannitol metabolism, i.e., a mannitol dehydrogenase (AbMdh), and a mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (AbMpd). Knockout mutants deficient for AbMdh or AbMpd and a double mutant lacking both enzyme activities were constructed. Their capacity to cope with various oxidative and drought stresses and their pathogenic behavior were evaluated. Metabolic and gene expression profiling indicated an increase in mannitol production during plant infection. Depending on the mutants, distinct pathogenic processes, such as leaf and silique colonization, sporulation, survival on seeds, were impaired by comparison to the wild-type. This pathogenic alteration could be partly explained by the differential susceptibilities of mutants to oxidative and drought stresses. These results highlight the importance of mannitol metabolism with respect to the ability of A. brassicicola to efficiently accomplish key steps of its pathogenic life cycle.

Cch1 and Mid1 are functionally required for vegetative growth under low-calcium conditions in the phytopathogenic ascomycete Botrytis cinerea

In the filamentous phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea, the Ca(2+)/calcineurin signaling cascade has been shown to play an important role in fungal growth, differentiation, and virulence. This study deals with the functional characterization of two components of this pathway, the putative calcium channel proteins Cch1 and Mid1. The cch1 and mid1 genes were deleted, and single and double knockout mutants were analyzed during different stages of the fungal life cycle. Our data indicate that Cch1 and Mid1 are functionally required for vegetative growth under conditions of low extracellular calcium, since the growth of both deletion mutants is strongly impaired when they are exposed to the Ca(2+)-chelating agents EGTA and 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). The impact of external Ca(2+) was investigated by supplementing with CaCl(2) and the ionophore A23187, both of which resulted in elevated growth for all mutants. However, deletion of either gene had no impact on germination, sporulation, hyphal morphology, or virulence. By use of the aequorin reporter system to measure intracellular calcium levels, no differences between the mutant strains and the wild type were obtained. Localization studies revealed a subcellular distribution of the Mid1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein in network-like filaments, probably the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, indicating that Mid1 is not a plasma membrane-located calcium channel in B. cinerea.

Signaling governed by G proteins and cAMP is crucial for growth, secondary metabolism and sexual development in Fusarium fujikuroi

The plant-pathogenic fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is a notorious rice pathogen causing hyper-elongation of infected plants due to the production of gibberellic acids (GAs). In addition to GAs, F. fujikuroi produces a wide range of other secondary metabolites, such as fusarins, fusaric acid or the red polyketides bikaverins and fusarubins. The recent availability of the fungal genome sequence for this species has revealed the potential of many more putative secondary metabolite gene clusters whose products remain to be identified. However, the complex regulation of secondary metabolism is far from being understood. Here we studied the impact of the heterotrimeric G protein and the cAMP-mediated signaling network, including the regulatory subunits of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), to study their effect on colony morphology, sexual development and regulation of bikaverins, fusarubins and GAs. We demonstrated that fusarubin biosynthesis is negatively regulated by at least two Gα subunits, FfG1 and FfG3, which both function as stimulators of the adenylyl cyclase FfAC. Surprisingly, the primary downstream target of the adenylyl cyclase, the PKA, is not involved in the regulation of fusarubins, suggesting that additional, yet unidentified, cAMP-binding protein(s) exist. In contrast, bikaverin biosynthesis is significantly reduced in ffg1 and ffg3 deletion mutants and positively regulated by FfAC and FfPKA1, while GA biosynthesis depends on the active FfAC and FfPKA2 in an FfG1- and FfG3-independent manner. In addition, we provide evidence that G Protein-mediated/cAMP signaling is important for growth in F. fujikuroi because deletion of ffg3, ffac and ffpka1 resulted in impaired growth on minimal and rich media. Finally, sexual crosses of ffg1 mutants showed the importance of a functional FfG1 protein for development of perithecia in the mating strain that carries the MAT1-1 idiomorph.

Transcription factor Amr1 induces melanin biosynthesis and suppresses virulence in Alternaria brassicicola

Alternaria brassicicola is a successful saprophyte and necrotrophic plant pathogen. Several A. brassicicola genes have been characterized as affecting pathogenesis of Brassica species. To study regulatory mechanisms of pathogenesis, we mined 421 genes in silico encoding putative transcription factors in a machine-annotated, draft genome sequence of A. brassicicola. In this study, targeted gene disruption mutants for 117 of the transcription factor genes were produced and screened. Three of these genes were associated with pathogenesis. Disruption mutants of one gene (AbPacC) were nonpathogenic and another gene (AbVf8) caused lesions less than half the diameter of wild-type lesions. Unexpectedly, mutants of the third gene, Amr1, caused lesions with a two-fold larger diameter than the wild type and complementation mutants. Amr1 is a homolog of Cmr1, a transcription factor that regulates melanin biosynthesis in several fungi. We created gene deletion mutants of Δamr1 and characterized their phenotypes. The Δamr1 mutants used pectin as a carbon source more efficiently than the wild type, were melanin-deficient, and more sensitive to UV light and glucanase digestion. The AMR1 protein was localized in the nuclei of hyphae and in highly melanized conidia during the late stage of plant pathogenesis. RNA-seq analysis revealed that three genes in the melanin biosynthesis pathway, along with the deleted Amr1 gene, were expressed at low levels in the mutants. In contrast, many hydrolytic enzyme-coding genes were expressed at higher levels in the mutants than in the wild type during pathogenesis. The results of this study suggested that a gene important for survival in nature negatively affected virulence, probably by a less efficient use of plant cell-wall materials. We speculate that the functions of the Amr1 gene are important to the success of A. brassicicola as a competitive saprophyte and plant parasite.

BcAtf1, a global regulator, controls various differentiation processes and phytotoxin production in Botrytis cinerea

Atf1-homologous basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are known to act downstream of the stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (SAPK) cascade in mammals, as well as in several fungi; they regulate the transcription of genes involved in the general stress response. Functional analyses of BcAtf1 in Botrytis cinerea show that it is also connected to the SAPK BcSak1, as it shares several stress response target genes. However, Δbcatf1 mutants are not hypersensitive to osmotic or oxidative stress, as are Δbcsak1 mutants. Both BcSak1 and BcAtf1 are regulators of differentiation, but their roles in these processes are almost inverse as, in contrast with Δbcsak1, Δbcatf1 mutants are significantly impaired in conidia production and do not differentiate any sclerotia. They show extremely vigorous growth in axenic culture, with a thick layer of aerial hyphae and a marked increase in colonization efficiency on different host plants and tissues. In addition, the sensitivity to cell wall-interfering agents is increased strongly. Microarray analyses demonstrate that the loss of BcAtf1 leads to extensive transcriptional changes: apart from stress response genes, the expression of a broad set of genes, probably involved in primary metabolism, cell wall synthesis and development, is affected by BcAtf1. Unexpectedly, BcAtf1 also controls secondary metabolism: the mutant contains significantly elevated levels of phytotoxins. These data indicate that BcAtf1 controls a diversity of cellular processes and has broad regulatory functions.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase BcSak1 of Botrytis cinerea is required for pathogenic development and has broad regulatory functions beyond stress response

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) BcSak1 of Botrytis cinerea is activated upon exposure to H(2)O(2) and, hence, might be involved in coping with oxidative stress during infection. However, beside osmotic and oxidative stress sensitivity, Δbcsak1 mutants have a pleiotropic phenotype, as they do not produce conidia and are unable to penetrate unwounded host tissue. In this study, the role of BcSak1 was investigated in the stress response and during infection of French beans by Botrytis cinerea. Using a macroarray approach, it was shown that BcSak1 is only marginally involved in the specific oxidative stress response. In fact, the induction of several genes after oxidative stress treatment is BcSak1-dependent, but most of these genes are also induced under conditions of osmotic stress. The majority of genes regulated by BcSak1 are not involved in the stress response at all. Using a translational fusion of BcSak1 to green fluorescent protein, it was shown clearly that the localization of this MAPK depends on the type of stress being applied; it associates rapidly to the nucleus only under osmotic stress. Therefore, a model is proposed in which BcSak1 acts in the cytosol by activation of one or more transcription factors under oxidative stress and, at the same time, it reacts to osmotic stress by migrating to the nucleus. Interestingly, the MAPK is also involved in the regulation of secondary metabolism, as the major phytotoxins secreted by this fungus are reduced in the Δbcsak1 deletion mutant. Experiments done in planta underlined the essential role of BcSak1 in the early stages of infection, when it translocates to the nucleus and then changes to cytosolic distribution during hyphal growth within the tissue.

The Sfp-type 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Ppt1 of Fusarium fujikuroi controls development, secondary metabolism and pathogenicity

The heterothallic ascomycete Fusarium fujikuroi is a notorious rice pathogen causing super-elongation of plants due to the production of terpene-derived gibberellic acids (GAs) that function as natural plant hormones. Additionally, F. fujikuroi is able to produce a variety of polyketide- and non-ribosomal peptide-derived metabolites such as bikaverins, fusarubins and fusarins as well as metabolites from yet unidentified biosynthetic pathways, e.g. moniliformin. The key enzymes needed for their production belong to the family of polyketide synthases (PKSs) and non-ribosomal peptide synthases (NRPSs) that are generally known to be post-translationally modified by a Sfp-type 4′phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase). In this study we provide evidence that the F. fujikuroi Sfp-type PPTase FfPpt1 is essentially involved in lysine biosynthesis and production of bikaverins, fusarubins and fusarins, but not moniliformin as shown by analytical methods. Concomitantly, targeted Ffppt1 deletion mutants reveal an enhancement of terpene-derived metabolites like GAs and volatile substances such as α-acorenol. Pathogenicity assays on rice roots using fluorescent labeled wild-type and Ffppt1 mutant strains indicate that lysine biosynthesis and iron acquisition but not PKS and NRPS metabolism is essential for establishment of primary infections of F. fujikuroi. Additionally, FfPpt1 is involved in conidiation and sexual mating recognition possibly by activating PKS- and/or NRPS-derived metabolites that could act as diffusible signals. Furthermore, the effect on iron acquisition of Ffppt1 mutants led us to identify a previously uncharacterized putative third reductive iron uptake system (FfFtr3/FfFet3) that is closely related to the FtrA/FetC system of A. fumigatus. Functional characterization provides evidence that both proteins are involved in iron acquisition and are liable to transcriptional repression of the homolog of the Aspergillus GATA-type transcription factor SreA under iron-replete conditions. Targeted deletion of the first Fusarium homolog of this GATA-type transcription factor-encoding gene, Ffsre1, strongly indicates its involvement in regulation of iron homeostasis and oxidative stress resistance.

Biosynthesis of fusarubins accounts for pigmentation of Fusarium fujikuroi perithecia

Fusarium fujikuroi produces a variety of secondary metabolites, of which polyketides form the most diverse group. Among these are the highly pigmented naphthoquinones, which have been shown to possess different functional properties for the fungus. A group of naphthoquinones, polyketides related to fusarubin, were identified in Fusarium spp. more than 60 years ago, but neither the genes responsible for their formation nor their biological function has been discovered to date. In addition, although it is known that the sexual fruiting bodies in which the progeny of the fungus develops are darkly colored by a polyketide synthase (PKS)-derived pigment, the structure of this pigment has never been elucidated. Here we present data that link the fusarubin-type polyketides to a defined gene cluster, which we designate fsr, and demonstrate that the fusarubins are the pigments responsible for the coloration of the perithecia. We studied their regulation and the function of the single genes within the cluster by a combination of gene replacements and overexpression of the PKS-encoding gene, and we present a model for the biosynthetic pathway of the fusarubins based on these data.

Tools for Botrytis cinerea: New expression vectors make the gray mold fungus more accessible to cell biology approaches

Targeted gene inactivation is extensively used in the plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea for gene function analysis while strategies involving the expression of reporter genes have been rarely used due to the lack of appropriate expression vectors. Hence, an approach was initiated to establish an expression system for B.cinerea possessing the following features: (i) the targeted integration of constructs at defined gene loci which are dispensable under standard growth conditions, (ii) the use of promoter and terminator sequences allowing optimal gene expression, (iii) the use of codon-optimized reporter genes (Leroch et al., 2011), (iv) the use of multiple selection markers, and (v) the incorporation of a highly efficient cloning system. A set of basic vectors was generated by yeast recombinational cloning permitting a variety of protein fusions. The successful application of the expression system for labeling F-actin, the cytosol, the nuclei, the membrane, the ER and the peroxisomes was demonstrated. In addition, cloning vectors for bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analyses for studying protein-protein interactions in situ were generated by splitting the codon-optimized gfp. The functionality of the constructed BiFC vectors was validated by demonstrating the interaction of the two white collar-like transcription factors BcWCL1 and BcWCL2 in the nuclei of growing B. cinerea hyphae.

A zinc-finger-family transcription factor, AbVf19, is required for the induction of a gene subset important for virulence in Alternaria brassicicola

Alternaria brassicicola is a successful saprophyte and necrotrophic plant pathogen with a broad host range within the family Brassicaceae. It produces secondary metabolites that marginally affect virulence. Cell wall-degrading enzymes (CDWE) have been considered important for pathogenesis but none of them individually have been identified as significant virulence factors in A. brassicicola. In this study, knockout mutants of a gene, AbVf19, were created and produced considerably smaller lesions than the wild type on inoculated host plants. The presence of tandem zinc-finger domains in the predicted amino acid sequence and nuclear localization of AbVf19-reporter protein suggested that it was a transcription factor. Gene expression comparisons using RNA-seq identified 74 genes being downregulated in the mutant during a late stage of infection. Among the 74 downregulated genes, 28 were putative CWDE genes. These were hydrolytic enzyme genes that composed a small fraction of genes within each family of cellulases, pectinases, cutinases, and proteinases. The mutants grew slower than the wild type on an axenic medium with pectin as a major carbon source. This study demonstrated the existence and the importance of a transcription factor that regulates a suite of genes that are important for decomposing and utilizing plant material during the late stage of plant infection.

Identification of pathogenesis-associated genes by T-DNA-mediated insertional mutagenesis in Botrytis cinerea: a type 2A phosphoprotein phosphatase and an SPT3 transcription factor have significant impact on virulence

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was used to generate an insertional mutant library of the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea. From a total of 2,367 transformants, 68 mutants showing significant reduction in virulence on tomato and bean plants were analyzed in detail. As reported for other fungal ATMT libraries, integrations were mostly single copy, occurred preferentially in noncoding (regulatory) regions, and were frequently accompanied by small deletions of the target sequences and loss of parts of the border sequence. Two T-DNA integration events that were found to be linked to virulence were characterized in more detail: a catalytic subunit of a PP2A serine/threonine protein phosphatase (BcPP2Ac) and the SPT3 subunit of a Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase (SAGA-like) transcriptional regulator complex. Gene replacement and silencing approaches revealed that both Bcpp2Ac and SPT3 are crucial for virulence, growth, and differentiation as well as for resistance to H(2)O(2) in B. cinerea.

Identification and functional characterization of indole-3-acetamide-mediated IAA biosynthesis in plant-associated Fusarium species

The plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) can be synthesized from tryptophan via the intermediate indole-3-acetamide (IAM). The two genes, IaaM (encoding tryptophan monooxygenase) and IaaH (encoding indole-3-acetamide hydrolase) that constitute the IAM pathway have been described in plant-associated bacteria. We have identified putative homologs of the bacterial IaaM and IaaH genes in four Fusarium species -Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium fujikuroi, and Fusarium oxysporum. In all four species the two genes are organized next to each other in a head to head orientation and are separated by a short non-coding region. However, the pathway is fully functional only in the orchid endophytic strain F. proliferatum ET1, which produces significant amounts of IAM and IAA. Minor amounts of IAM are produced by the corn pathogen F. verticillioides strain 149, while in the two other species, the rice pathogen F. fujikuroi strain m567 and the tomato pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici strain 42-87 the IAM pathway is inactive. Deletion of the entire gene locus in F. proliferatum ET1 resulted in drastic reduction of IAA production. Conversely, transgenic strains of F. fujikuroi over-expressing the F. proliferatum IAM genes produced elevated levels of both IAM and IAA. Analysis of the intergenic promoter region in F. proliferatum showed that transcriptional activation in direction of the IaaH gene is about 3-fold stronger than in direction of the IaaM gene. The regulation of the IAM genes and the limiting factors of IAA production via the IAM pathway are discussed.

The Botrytis cinerea Reg1 protein, a putative transcriptional regulator, is required for pathogenicity, conidiogenesis, and the production of secondary metabolites

Botrytis cinerea, which causes gray-mold rot, attacks a wide range of plant species. To understand the infection process, the role of a putative transcriptional regulator, BcReg1 (regulator 1), in pathogenicity was studied. This transcriptional regulator shows similarity to the morphological switch regulators Candida albicans Wor1 and Histoplasma capsulatum Ryp1. Gene knock-out and complementation studies revealed that bcreg1 is required for pathogenicity. The bcreg1 mutant is able to penetrate plant tissue but is not able to cause necrotic lesions. In addition, the mutant is blocked in conidia formation and does not produce detectable levels of the sesquiterpene botrydial and the polyketide botcinic acid. Based on transcript expression levels, it can be concluded that bcreg1 is a downstream target of two mitogen-activated protein kinases, BcSak1 and Bmp3.