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Müller T, Bronkhorst J, Müller J, Safari N, Hahn M, Sprakel J, Scheuring D. Plant infection by the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis requires actin-dependent generation of high invasive turgor pressure. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:192-201. [PMID: 39107894 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
The devastating pathogen Botrytis cinerea infects a broad spectrum of host plants, causing great socio-economic losses. The necrotrophic fungus rapidly kills plant cells, nourishing their wall and cellular contents. To this end, necrotrophs secrete a cocktail of cell wall degrading enzymes, phytotoxic proteins and metabolites. Additionally, many fungi produce specialized invasion organs that generate high invasive pressures to force their way into the plant cell. However, for most necrotrophs, including Botrytis, the biomechanics of penetration and its contribution to virulence are poorly understood. Here, we use a combination of quantitative micromechanical imaging and CRISPR-Cas-guided mutagenesis to show that Botrytis uses substantial invasive pressure, in combination with strong surface adherence, for penetration. We found that the fungus establishes a unique mechanical geometry of penetration that develops over time during penetration events, and which is actin cytoskeleton dependent. Furthermore, interference of force generation by blocking actin polymerization was found to decrease Botrytis virulence, indicating that also for necrotrophs, mechanical pressure is important in host colonization. Our results demonstrate for the first time mechanistically how a necrotrophic fungus such as Botrytis employs this 'brute force' approach, in addition to the secretion of lytic proteins and phytotoxic metabolites, to overcome plant host resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Müller
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Jochem Bronkhorst
- Green Mechanobiology, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jonas Müller
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Nassim Safari
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Matthias Hahn
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Joris Sprakel
- Green Mechanobiology, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - David Scheuring
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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Yang X, Jiang S, Zhang M, Li T, Jin Z, Wu X, Chi YR. Discovery of novel piperidine-containing thymol derivatives as potent antifungal agents for crop protection. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:4906-4914. [PMID: 38817109 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8203] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant fungal diseases pose a significant threat to crop production. The extensive use of chemical pesticides has led to growing environmental safety risks and pesticide resistance of various plant pathogens. Therefore, it is an urgent task to explore novel eco-friendly fungicidal agents with high efficacy to combat fungal infection. RESULTS In this study, we rationally designed a series of novel thymol derivatives by incorporation of the sulfonamide moiety and evaluated their biological activities against plant pathogenic fungi. The bioassay results underscored the remarkable in vitro antifungal activity of compounds 5m and 5t against Phytophthora capsici (P. capsici), with EC50 values of 8.420 and 8.414 μg/mL, respectively. Their efficacies were superior to that of widely used commercial fungicides azoxystrobin (AZO, 20.649 μg/mL) and cabendazim (CAB, 251.625 μg/mL). Furthermore, compound 5v exhibited excellent in vitro antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum), with an EC50 value of 12.829 μg/mL, significantly outperforming AZO (63.629 μg/mL). In vivo bioassays demonstrated the impactful activity of compound 5v against S. sclerotiorum, achieving over 98% curative and protective efficacies at the concentration of 200 μg/mL. Further mechanistic investigations unveiled that compound 5v induced mycelial shrinkage and collapse in S. sclerotiorum, resulting in organelle damage and the accumulation of antioxidant enzyme activity. CONCLUSION The significant antifungal efficacy of the prepared thymol derivatives shall encourage further exploration of compound 5v as a promising candidate to develop novel fungicides for crop protection. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Shichun Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhichao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xingxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yonggui Robin Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide; Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Müller T, Scheuring D. At knifepoint: Appressoria-dependent turgor pressure of filamentous plant pathogens. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 82:102628. [PMID: 39265521 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Filamentous pathogens need to overcome plant barriers for successful infection. To this end, special structures, most commonly appressoria, are used for penetration. In differentiated appressoria, the generation of high turgor pressure is mandatory to breach plant cell wall and cuticle. However, quantitative description of turgor pressure and resulting invasive forces are only described for a handful of plant pathogens. Recent advances in methodology allowed determination of surprisingly high pressures and corresponding forces in oomycetes and a necrotrophic fungus. Here, we describe turgor generation in appressoria as essential function for host penetration. We summarize the known experimentally determined turgor pressure as well as invasive forces and discuss their universal role in plant pathogen infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Müller
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany
| | - David Scheuring
- Plant Pathology, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany.
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Feng S, Wang C, Xu Z, Dou B, Wang X, Yang L, Lu B, Gao J. Evaluation of the Antifungal and Biochemical Activities of Fungicides and Biological Agents against Ginseng Sclerotinia Root Rot Caused by Sclerotinia nivalis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1761. [PMID: 39338436 PMCID: PMC11433978 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12091761] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify effective agents for the prevention and control of ginseng Sclerotinia root rot disease caused by Sclerotinia nivalis. The inhibitory effects of 16 chemical fungicides and 10 biocontrol agents (strains) on mycelial growth and sclerotium formation in S. nivalis were determined using a plate confrontation essay. The results showed that the best chemical agents for inhibiting the mycelial growth and sclerotium formation of S. nivalis were fluconazole and fludioxonil, while Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FS6 and B. subtilis (Kono) were the best biocontrol agents (strains). The results of field trials in 2022 and 2023 showed that the control effects of fluconazole and fludioxonil on ginseng Sclerotinia root rot disease were 90.60-98.16%, and those of the biocontrol agents B. amyloliquefaciens FS6 and B. subtilis (Kono) were 94.80-97.24%, respectively. Chemical agents produced abnormal and twisted mycelia, while the biocontrol agents increased mycelial branching, dilated the mycelium tip, and revealed an abnormal balloon. All of the fungicides decreased the ergosterol content, changed the cell membrane permeability, and increased the protein and nucleic acid permeability. These results suggest that these are potential agents for controlling ginseng Sclerotinia root rot disease, and their biochemical mechanisms of chemical and biocontrol of this disease were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Feng
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Chunlin Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Zhaoyang Xu
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Baozhu Dou
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Xue Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Lina Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Baohui Lu
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Jie Gao
- State-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ginseng Breeding and Application, Changchun 130118, China
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Yang X, Jiang S, Jin Z, Li T. Application of Asymmetric Catalysis in Chiral Pesticide Active Molecule Synthesis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:17153-17165. [PMID: 39051451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c02343] [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: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The different configurations of chiral pesticides generally have significant influence on their biological activities. Chiral agrochemicals with high optical purities have become a prominent topic in the research field of new pesticides due to their advantages including lower toxicity, higher efficiency, and reduced residue levels. However, most commercially available pesticides that possess chiral elements are still used in their racemic forms. To date, asymmetric catalysis has emerged as a versatile tool for the enantioselective synthesis of various chiral agrochemicals and novel chiral pesticide active molecules. This perspective provides a comprehensive overview of the applications of diverse asymmetric catalytic approaches in the facile preparation of numerous novel pesticide active molecules, and our own outlook on the future development of this highly active research direction is also presented at the end of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Shichun Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhichao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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6
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Simko I, Mamo BE, Foster CE, Adhikari ND, Subbarao KV. Host cell wall composition and localized microenvironment implicated in resistance to basal stem degradation by lettuce drop (Sclerotinia minor). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:717. [PMID: 39069632 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05399-5] [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: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sclerotinia spp. are generalist fungal pathogens, infecting over 700 plant hosts worldwide, including major crops. While host resistance is the most sustainable and cost-effective method for disease management, complete resistance to Sclerotinia diseases is rare. We recently identified soft basal stem as a potential susceptibility factor to Sclerotinia minor infection in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under greenhouse conditions. RESULTS Analysis of stem and root cell wall composition in five L. sativa and one L. serriola accessions with varying growth habits and S. minor resistance levels revealed strong association between hemicellulose constituents, lignin polymers, disease phenotypes, and basal stem mechanical strength. Accessions resistant to basal stem degradation consistently exhibited higher levels of syringyl, guaiacyl, and xylose, but lower levels of fucose in stems. These findings suggest that stem cell wall polymers recalcitrant to breakdown by lignocellulolytic enzymes may contribute to stem strength-mediated resistance against S. minor. CONCLUSIONS The lignin content, particularly guaiacyl and syringyl, along with xylose could potentially serve as biomarkers for identifying more resistant lettuce accessions and breeding lines. Basal stem degradation by S. minor was influenced by localized microenvironment conditions around the stem base of the plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Simko
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, Salinas, CA, 93905, USA.
| | - Bullo Erena Mamo
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, Salinas, CA, 93905, USA
- Present address: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Clifton E Foster
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Present address: Pace Analytical, Wixom, MI, 48393, USA
| | - Neil D Adhikari
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, Salinas, CA, 93905, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, Salinas, CA, 93905, USA
- Present address: California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
| | - Krishna V Subbarao
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, Salinas, CA, 93905, USA.
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7
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Pant P, Kaur J. Control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum via an RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated targeting of SsPac1 and SsSmk1. PLANTA 2024; 259:153. [PMID: 38744752 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04430-1] [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: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION The study evaluates the potential of Spray-Induced Gene Silencing and Host-Induced Gene Silencing for sustainable crop protection against the broad-spectrum necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, an aggressive ascomycete fungus causes white rot or cottony rot on a broad range of crops including Brassica juncea. The lack of sustainable control measures has necessitated biotechnological interventions such as RNA interference (RNAi) for effective pathogen control. Here we adopted two RNAi-based strategies-Spray-Induced Gene Silencing (SIGS) and Host-Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) to control S. sclerotiorum. SIGS was successful in controlling white rot on Nicotiana benthamiana and B. juncea by targeting SsPac1, a pH-responsive transcription factor and SsSmk1, a MAP kinase involved in fungal development and pathogenesis. Topical application of dsRNA targeting SsPac1 and SsSmk1 delayed infection initiation and progression on B. juncea. Further, altered hyphal morphology and reduced radial growth were also observed following dsRNA application. We also explored the impact of stable dsRNA expression in A. thaliana against S. sclerotiorum. In this report, we highlight the utility of RNAi as a biofungicide and a tool for preliminary functional genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratibha Pant
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Jagreet Kaur
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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8
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Ma M, Tang L, Sun R, Lyu X, Xie J, Fu Y, Li B, Chen T, Lin Y, Yu X, Chen W, Jiang D, Cheng J. An effector SsCVNH promotes the virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum through targeting class III peroxidase AtPRX71. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13464. [PMID: 38695733 PMCID: PMC11064801 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Many plant pathogens secrete effector proteins into the host plant to suppress host immunity and facilitate pathogen colonization. The necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes severe plant diseases and results in enormous economic losses, in which secreted proteins play a crucial role. SsCVNH was previously reported as a secreted protein, and its expression is significantly upregulated at 3 h after inoculation on the host plant. Here, we further demonstrated that deletion of SsCVNH leads to attenuated virulence. Heterologous expression of SsCVNH in Arabidopsis enhanced pathogen infection, inhibited the host PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) response and increased plant susceptibility to S. sclerotiorum. SsCVNH interacted with class III peroxidase AtPRX71, a positive regulator of innate immunity against plant pathogens. SsCVNH could also interact with other class III peroxidases, thus reducing peroxidase activity and suppressing plant immunity. Our results reveal a new infection strategy employed by S. sclerotiorum in which the fungus suppresses the function of class III peroxidases, the major component of PTI to promote its own infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Liguang Tang
- Wuhan Vegetable Research InstituteWuhan Academy of Agricultural ScienceWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Rui Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Xueliang Lyu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Jiatao Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Bo Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Tao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Yang Lin
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Xiao Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Weidong Chen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | - Daohong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
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Qin L, Gong X, Nong J, Tang X, Cui K, Zhao Y, Xia S. Histone Methyltransferase SsDim5 Regulates Fungal Virulence through H3K9 Trimethylation in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:271. [PMID: 38667942 PMCID: PMC11051235 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040271] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone post-translational modification is one of the main mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, which plays a crucial role in the control of gene expression and various biological processes. However, whether or not it affects fungal virulence in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is not clear. In this study, we identified and cloned the histone methyltransferase Defective in methylation 5 (Dim5) in S. sclerotiorum, which encodes a protein containing a typical SET domain. SsDim5 was found to be dynamically expressed during infection. Knockout experiment demonstrated that deletion of SsDim5 reduced the virulence in Ssdim5-1/Ssdim5-2 mutant strains, accompanied by a significant decrease in H3K9 trimethylation levels. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed the downregulation of genes associated with mycotoxins biosynthesis in SsDim5 deletion mutants. Additionally, the absence of SsDim5 affected the fungus's response to oxidative and osmotic, as well as cellular integrity. Together, our results indicate that the H3K9 methyltransferase SsDim5 is essential for H3K9 trimethylation, regulating fungal virulence throug mycotoxins biosynthesis, and the response to environmental stresses in S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Qin
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xin Gong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jieying Nong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xianyu Tang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Kan Cui
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China;
| | - Yan Zhao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Shitou Xia
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (X.G.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (Y.Z.)
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10
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Tian L, Li J, Xu Y, Qiu Y, Zhang Y, Li X. A MAP kinase cascade broadly regulates the lifestyle of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and can be targeted by HIGS for disease control. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:324-344. [PMID: 38149487 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes white mold or stem rot in a wide range of economically important plants, bringing significant yield losses worldwide. Control of this pathogen is difficult as its resting structure sclerotia can survive in soil for years, and no Resistance genes have been identified in S. sclerotiorum hosts. Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) has shown promising effects in controlling many fungal pathogens, including S. sclerotiorum. However, better molecular genetic understanding of signaling pathways involved in its development and pathogenicity is needed to provide effective HIGS gene targets. Here, by employing a forward genetic screen, we characterized an evolutionarily conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in S. sclerotiorum, consisting of SsSte50-SsSte11-SsSte7-Smk1, which controls mycelial growth, sclerotia development, compound appressoria formation, virulence, and hyphal fusion. Moreover, disruption of the putative downstream transcription factor SsSte12 led to normal sclerotia but deformed appressoria and attenuated host penetration, as well as impaired apothecia formation, suggestive of diverged regulation downstream of the MAPK cascade. Most importantly, targeting SsSte50 using host-expressed double-stranded RNA resulted in largely reduced virulence of S. sclerotiorum on both Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Therefore, this MAPK signaling cascade is generally needed for its growth, development, and pathogenesis and can serve as ideal HIGS targets for mitigating economic damages caused by S. sclerotiorum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Tian
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Josh Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yan Xu
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yilan Qiu
- Department of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Yuelin Zhang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Xin Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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11
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Jiao W, Li M, Lei T, Liu X, Zhang J, Hu J, Zhang X, Liu J, Shi S, Pan H, Zhang Y. The APSES Transcription Factor SsStuA Regulating Cell Wall Integrity Is Essential for Sclerotia Formation and Pathogenicity in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:238. [PMID: 38667909 PMCID: PMC11051248 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040238] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
APSES (Asm1p, Phd1p, Sok2p, Efg1p, and StuAp) family transcription factors play crucial roles in various biological processes of fungi, however, their functional characterization in phytopathogenic fungi is limited. In this study, we explored the role of SsStuA, a typical APSES transcription factor, in the regulation of cell wall integrity (CWI), sclerotia formation and pathogenicity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which is a globally important plant pathogenic fungus. A deficiency of SsStuA led to abnormal phosphorylation level of SsSmk3, the key gene SsAGM1 for UDP-GlcNAc synthesis was unable to respond to cell wall stress, and decreased tolerance to tebuconazole. In addition, ΔSsStuA was unable to form sclerotia but produced more compound appressoria. Nevertheless, the virulence of ΔSsStuA was significantly reduced due to the deficiency of the invasive hyphal growth and increased susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide. We also revealed that SsStuA could bind to the promoter of catalase family genes which regulate the expression of catalase genes. Furthermore, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation was found to be increased in ΔSsStuA. In summary, SsStuA, as a core transcription factor involved in the CWI pathway and ROS response, is required for vegetative growth, sclerotia formation, fungicide tolerance and the full virulence of S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Jiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Maoxiang Li
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Tianyi Lei
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve Management Committee, Scientific Research Center, Dongying 257091, China
| | - Junting Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Jun Hu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Xianghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Shusen Shi
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Yanhua Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
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12
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Huang Y, Zhaxi Z, Fu Y, Xie J, Chen T, Li B, Yu X, Lin Y, Jiang D, Cheng J. The Transcription Factor SsZNC1 Mediates Virulence, Sclerotial Development, and Osmotic Stress Response in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:135. [PMID: 38392807 PMCID: PMC10890190 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020135] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a fungal pathogen with a broad range of hosts, which can cause diseases and pose a great threat to many crops. Fungal-specific Zn2Cys6 transcription factors (TFs) constitute a large family prevalent among plant pathogens. However, the function of Zn2Cys6 TFs remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized SsZNC1, a Zn2Cys6 TF in S. sclerotiorum, which is involved in virulence, sclerotial development, and osmotic stress response. The expression of SsZNC1 was significantly up-regulated in the early stages of S. sclerotiorum infection on Arabidopsis leaves. The target deletion of SsZNC1 resulted in reduced virulence on Arabidopsis and oilseed rape. In addition, sclerotial development ability and growth ability under hyperosmotic conditions of SsZNC1 knockout transformants were reduced. A transcriptomic analysis unveiled its regulatory role in key cellular functions, including cellulose catabolic process, methyltransferase activity, and virulence, etc. Together, our results indicated that SsZNC1, a core regulatory gene involved in virulence, sclerotial development and stress response, provides new insight into the transcription regulation and pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkun Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhima Zhaxi
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Bo Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Lin
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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13
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Shang Q, Jiang D, Xie J, Cheng J, Xiao X. The schizotrophic lifestyle of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13423. [PMID: 38407560 PMCID: PMC10895550 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13423] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a cosmopolitan and typical necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that infects hundreds of plant species. Because no cultivars highly resistant to S. sclerotiorum are available, managing Sclerotinia disease caused by S. sclerotiorum is still challenging. However, recent studies have demonstrated that S. sclerotiorum has a beneficial effect and can live mutualistically as an endophyte in graminaceous plants, protecting the plants against major fungal diseases. An in-depth understanding of the schizotrophic lifestyle of S. sclerotiorum during interactions with plants under different environmental conditions will provide new strategies for controlling fungal disease. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis mechanisms of S. sclerotiorum during its attack of host plants as a destructive pathogen and discuss its lifestyle as a beneficial endophytic fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingna Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Daohong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiatao Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xueqiong Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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14
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Wu J, Xin R, Jiang Y, Jin H, Liu H, Zhang H, Jiang D, Fu Y, Xie J, Cheng J, Lin Y. Botrytis cinerea type II inhibitor of apoptosis BcBIR1 enhances the biocontrol capacity of Coniothyrium minitans. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14402. [PMID: 38393322 PMCID: PMC10886433 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis-like programmed cell death is associated with fungal development, ageing, pathogenicity and stress responses. Here, to explore the potential of Botrytis cinerea type II inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) BcBIR1 in elevating the biocontrol efficacy of Coniothyrium minitans, the BcBIR1 gene was heterologously expressed in C. minitans. Results indicated that the strains expressing BcBIR1 had higher rates of conidiation, mycelial growth and biomass growth than the wild-type strain. Moreover, BcBIR1 was found to inhibit apoptosis, indicating its role as an IAP in C. minitans. Under various abiotic stresses, the growth rates of BcBIR1-expressing strains were significantly higher than that of the wild-type strain. Moreover, the conidial survival rate of the BcBIR1-expressing strains treated with ultraviolet irradiation was enhanced. In antifungal activity assay, the culture filtrates of BcBIR1-expressing strains displayed a stronger inhibitory effect on B. cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum than the wild-type strain. The study also found that BcBIR1 expression increased the mycoparasitism against the sclerotia, but not the hyphae of S. sclerotiorum. Taken together, these results suggest that BcBIR1 enhances vegetative growth, conidiation, anti-apoptosis activity, abiotic stress resistance, antifungal activity and mycoparasitism in C. minitans. As an IAP, BcBIR1 may improve the control capacity of C. minitans against S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Ruolong Xin
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yachan Jiang
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Huanan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti‐cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province, Holistic Integrative Pharmacy Institute, Health Science CenterHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Hao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hongxiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yang Lin
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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15
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Wang K, Wang S, Wang T, Xia Q, Xia S. The Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6 Plays an Essential Role in Abiotic Stress Response and Fungal Virulence to Host Plants. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 10:12. [PMID: 38248922 PMCID: PMC10817261 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010012] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6), as the only member of the Arf family III protein, has been extensively studied for its diverse biological functions in animals. Previously, the Arf6 protein in Magnaporthe oryzae was found to be crucial for endocytosis and polarity establishment during asexual development. However, its role remains unclear in S. sclerotiorum. Here, we identified and characterized SsArf6 in S. sclerotiorum using a reverse genetic approach. Deletion of SsArf6 impaired hyphal growth and development and produced more branches. Interestingly, knockout of SsArf6 resulted in an augmented tolerance of S. sclerotiorum towards oxidative stress, and increased its sensitivity towards osmotic stress, indicative of the different roles of SsArf6 in various stress responses. Simultaneously, SsArf6 deletion led to an elevation in melanin accumulation. Moreover, the appressorium formation was severely impaired, and fungal virulence to host plants was significantly reduced. Overall, our findings demonstrate the essential role of SsArf6 in hyphal development, stress responses, appressorium formation, and fungal virulence to host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shitou Xia
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (K.W.); (S.W.); (T.W.)
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16
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Macioszek VK, Marciniak P, Kononowicz AK. Impact of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Infection on Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) Survival and Phenolics Content-A Case Study in a Horticulture Farm in Poland. Pathogens 2023; 12:1416. [PMID: 38133299 PMCID: PMC10747159 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121416] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a cause of a prevalent and destructive disease that attacks many horticultural food crops, such as lettuce. This soil-borne necrotrophic fungal pathogen causes significant economic losses in worldwide lettuce production annually. Furthermore, current methods utilized for management and combatting the disease, such as biocontrol, are insufficient. In this study, three cultivars of lettuce (one Crispy and two Leafy cultivars of red and green lettuce) were grown in central Poland (Lodz Voivodeship), a widely known Polish horticultural region. In the summer and early autumn, lettuce cultivars were grown in control and S. sclerotiorum-infected fields. The lettuce cultivars (Templin, Lollo Rossa, and Lollo Bionda) differed phenotypically and in terms of the survival of the fungal infection. The Crispy iceberg Templin was the most susceptible to S. sclerotiorum infection compared to the other cultivars during both vegetation seasons. The total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanins varied among cultivars and fluctuated during infection. Moreover, phenolic content was affected by vegetation season with alterable environmental factors such as air temperature, humidity, soil temperature, and pH. The most increased levels of phenolics, both flavonoids and anthocyanins in infected plants, were observed in the Leafy red Lollo Rossa cultivar in both crops. However, the highest survival/resistance to the fungus was noticed for Lollo Rossa in the summer crop and Lollo Bionda in the autumn crop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta Katarzyna Macioszek
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Paulina Marciniak
- Wiesław and Izabela Królikiewicz Horticulture Market Farm, 97-306 Majków Średni, Poland
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kiejstut Kononowicz
- Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland;
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17
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Liu J, Wu J, Jin P, Hu J, Lamour K, Yang Z. Activity of the Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor Fungicide Benzovindiflupyr Against Clarireedia spp. PLANT DISEASE 2023; 107:3924-3932. [PMID: 37340553 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-02-23-0201-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Dollar spot (DS), caused by Clarireedia spp. (formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpa), is one of the most important diseases of turfgrasses worldwide. Benzovindiflupyr, a pyrazole carboxamide fungicide belonging to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors, was recently registered for DS control. In this study, baseline sensitivity, toxicity, and control efficacy of benzovindiflupyr against Clarireedia spp. were evaluated. The frequency of sensitivities had a unimodal distribution (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, P > 0.10). The mean EC50 value was 1.109 ± 0.555 μg/ml, with individual values ranging from 0.160 to 2.548 μg/ml. Benzovindiflupyr increased the number of hyphal offshoots and cell membrane permeability and inhibited oxalic acid production. Positive cross-resistance was observed between benzovindiflupyr and boscalid, but not between benzovindiflupyr and thiophanate-methyl, propiconazole, or iprodione. Benzovindiflupyr showed high protective and curative control efficacies in vivo and in field applications. Both protective and curative control efficacies of benzovindiflupyr were significantly better than propiconazole, and equivalent to boscalid, over 2 years of field research. The results have important implications for managing DS and fungicide resistance problems in Clarireedia spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- College of Agro-Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Jiaxuan Wu
- College of Agro-Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Peiyuan Jin
- College of Agro-Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Jian Hu
- College of Agro-Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Kurt Lamour
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, U.S.A
| | - Zhimin Yang
- College of Agro-Grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
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18
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Wang Y, Yu H, Xu Y, Wu M, Zhang J, Tsuda K, Liu S, Jiang D, Chen W, Wei Y, Li G, Yang L. Expression of a mycoparasite protease in plant petals suppresses the petal-mediated infection by necrotrophic pathogens. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113290. [PMID: 37874677 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea are necrotrophic plant-pathogenic fungi, causing substantial economic losses on many crops. So far, resistant cultivars against these pathogens are unavailable in most crops. Here, we show that the serine protease CmSp1 of Coniothyrium minitans, a well-characterized mycoparasite of S. sclerotiorum, contributed to suppressing the petal-mediated infection by S. sclerotiorum in rapeseed. Application of recombinant CmSp1 proteins facilitates the bulk degradation of S. sclerotiorum proteins and inhibits spore germination and hyphal growth of S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea, thereby preventing the development of both diseases. Stable transgenic rapeseed plants with tissue-specific expression of CmSp1 in flower petals inhibit the petal-mediated infection by both S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea, and resulting transgenic plants have no adverse effect on other agronomic traits. Thus, our findings provide a novel mechanism by which a mycoparasite inhibits fungal pathogens and an environmentally friendly disease management strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Han Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingde Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kenichi Tsuda
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Weidong Chen
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Yangdou Wei
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Guoqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Long Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
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19
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Zhang Q, Wang J, Wang J, Liu M, Ma X, Bai Y, Chen Q, Sheng S, Wang F. Nano-Silicon Triggers Rapid Transcriptomic Reprogramming and Biochemical Defenses in Brassica napus Challenged with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1108. [PMID: 37998913 PMCID: PMC10672660 DOI: 10.3390/jof9111108] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum poses a significant threat to global agriculture, leading to substantial economic losses. To explore innovative integrated pest management strategies and elucidate the underlying mechanisms, this study examined the impact of nano-silicon on enhancing resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus. Bacteriostatic assays revealed that nano-silicon effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in a dose-dependent manner. Field trials corroborated the utility of nano-silicon as a fertilizer, substantially bolstering resistance in the Brassica napus cultivar Xiangyou 420. Specifically, the disease index was reduced by 39-52% across three distinct geographical locations when compared to untreated controls. This heightened resistance was attributed to nano-silicon's role in promoting the accumulation of essential elements such as silicon (Si), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca), while concurrently reducing sodium (Na) absorption. Furthermore, nano-silicon was found to elevate the levels of soluble sugars and lignin, while reducing cellulose content in both leaves and stems. It also enhanced the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 22,546 differentially expressed genes in Si-treated Brassica napus post-Sclerotinia inoculation, with the most pronounced transcriptional changes observed one day post-inoculation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified a module comprising 45 hub genes that are implicated in signaling, transcriptional regulation, metabolism, and defense mechanisms. In summary, nano-silicon confers resistance to Brassica napus against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by modulating biochemical defenses, enhancing antioxidative activities, and rapidly reprogramming key resistance-associated genes. These findings contribute to our mechanistic understanding of Si-mediated resistance against necrotrophic fungi and offer valuable insights for the development of stem-rot-resistant Brassica napus cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuping Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
- Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Jiajia Wang
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Mulan Liu
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Xiao Ma
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Yang Bai
- Zhongshanshi Junyejiate Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., Zhongshan 528400, China (Q.C.)
| | - Qiang Chen
- Zhongshanshi Junyejiate Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., Zhongshan 528400, China (Q.C.)
| | - Song Sheng
- Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China
- College of Forest, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Feng Wang
- College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (Q.Z.); (J.W.)
- Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China
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20
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Bar M, Romanazzi G. Editorial: Highlights from the Botrytis and Sclerotinia 2022 Joint Conference. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1326020. [PMID: 38023886 PMCID: PMC10664566 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1326020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maya Bar
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Gianfranco Romanazzi
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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21
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Reglinski T, Wurms KV, Vanneste JL, Ah Chee A, Schipper M, Cornish D, Yu J, McAlinden J, Hedderley D. Kiwifruit Resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae and Defence Induction by Acibenzolar-S-methyl and Methyl Jasmonate Are Cultivar Dependent. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15952. [PMID: 37958935 PMCID: PMC10647243 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115952] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogen susceptibility and defence gene inducibility were compared between the Actinidia arguta cultivar 'Hortgem Tahi' and the two cultivars of A. chinensis 'Hayward' and 'Zesy002'. Plants were treated with acibenzolar-s-methyl (ASM) or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) one week before inoculation with Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa biovar3) or Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or secondary induction with chitosan+glucan (Ch-Glu) as a potential pathogen proxy. Defence expression was evaluated by measuring the expression of 18 putative defence genes. 'Hortgem Tahi' was highly susceptible to sclerotinia and very resistant to Psa, whereas 'Zesy002' was highly resistant to both, and 'Hayward' was moderately susceptible to both. Gene expression in 'Hayward' and 'Zesy002' was alike but differed significantly from 'Hortgem Tahi' which had higher basal levels of PR1-i, PR5-i, JIH1, NPR3 and WRKY70 but lower expression of RD22 and PR2-i. Treatment with ASM caused upregulation of NIMIN2, PR1-i, WRKY70, DMR6 and PR5-i in all cultivars and induced resistance to Psa in 'Zesy002' and 'Hayward' but decreased resistance to sclerotinia in 'Zesy002'. MeJA application caused upregulation of LOX2 and downregulation of NIMIN2, DMR6 and PR2-i but did not affect disease susceptibility. The Ch-Glu inducer induced PR-gene families in each cultivar, highlighting its possible effectiveness as an alternative to actual pathogen inoculation. The significance of variations in fundamental and inducible gene expression among the cultivars is explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Reglinski
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Kirstin V. Wurms
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Joel L. Vanneste
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Annette Ah Chee
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Magan Schipper
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Deirdre Cornish
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Janet Yu
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Jordan McAlinden
- Ruakura Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand; (K.V.W.); (J.L.V.); (A.A.C.); (M.S.); (D.C.); (J.Y.); (J.M.)
| | - Duncan Hedderley
- Palmerston North Research Centre, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand;
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22
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Sahu N, Indic B, Wong-Bajracharya J, Merényi Z, Ke HM, Ahrendt S, Monk TL, Kocsubé S, Drula E, Lipzen A, Bálint B, Henrissat B, Andreopoulos B, Martin FM, Bugge Harder C, Rigling D, Ford KL, Foster GD, Pangilinan J, Papanicolaou A, Barry K, LaButti K, Virágh M, Koriabine M, Yan M, Riley R, Champramary S, Plett KL, Grigoriev IV, Tsai IJ, Slot J, Sipos G, Plett J, Nagy LG. Vertical and horizontal gene transfer shaped plant colonization and biomass degradation in the fungal genus Armillaria. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1668-1681. [PMID: 37550506 PMCID: PMC7615209 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01448-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
The fungal genus Armillaria contains necrotrophic pathogens and some of the largest terrestrial organisms that cause tremendous losses in diverse ecosystems, yet how they evolved pathogenicity in a clade of dominantly non-pathogenic wood degraders remains elusive. Here we show that Armillaria species, in addition to gene duplications and de novo gene origins, acquired at least 1,025 genes via 124 horizontal gene transfer events, primarily from Ascomycota. Horizontal gene transfer might have affected plant biomass degrading and virulence abilities of Armillaria, and provides an explanation for their unusual, soft rot-like wood decay strategy. Combined multi-species expression data revealed extensive regulation of horizontally acquired and wood-decay related genes, putative virulence factors and two novel conserved pathogenicity-induced small secreted proteins, which induced necrosis in planta. Overall, this study details how evolution knitted together horizontally and vertically inherited genes in complex adaptive traits of plant biomass degradation and pathogenicity in important fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Sahu
- Biological Research Center, Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Boris Indic
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Forest and Natural Resource Management, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Johanna Wong-Bajracharya
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zsolt Merényi
- Biological Research Center, Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Huei-Mien Ke
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Steven Ahrendt
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tori-Lee Monk
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sándor Kocsubé
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- ELKH-SZTE Fungal Pathogenicity Mechanisms Research Group, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Elodie Drula
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
- INRAE, UMR 1163, Biodiversité et Biotechnologie Fongiques, Marseille, France
| | - Anna Lipzen
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Balázs Bálint
- Biological Research Center, Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Bernard Henrissat
- DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bill Andreopoulos
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Francis M Martin
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR 1136 'Interactions Arbres/Microorganismes', Centre INRAE Grand Est - Nancy, Champenoux, France
| | - Christoffer Bugge Harder
- Department of Biology, Section of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Copenhagen, København Ø, Denmark
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniel Rigling
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Kathryn L Ford
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gary D Foster
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jasmyn Pangilinan
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Alexie Papanicolaou
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kerrie Barry
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kurt LaButti
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Máté Virágh
- Biological Research Center, Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Maxim Koriabine
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mi Yan
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Robert Riley
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Simang Champramary
- Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Forest and Natural Resource Management, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Krista L Plett
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Jason Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - György Sipos
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Forest and Natural Resource Management, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Jonathan Plett
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - László G Nagy
- Biological Research Center, Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Szeged, Hungary.
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23
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Qin L, Nong J, Cui K, Tang X, Gong X, Xia Y, Xu Y, Qiu Y, Li X, Xia S. SsCak1 Regulates Growth and Pathogenicity in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12610. [PMID: 37628791 PMCID: PMC10454577 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612610] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating fungal pathogen that causes severe crop losses worldwide. It is of vital importance to understand its pathogenic mechanism for disease control. Through a forward genetic screen combined with next-generation sequencing, a putative protein kinase, SsCak1, was found to be involved in the growth and pathogenicity of S. sclerotiorum. Knockout and complementation experiments confirmed that deletions in SsCak1 caused defects in mycelium and sclerotia development, as well as appressoria formation and host penetration, leading to complete loss of virulence. These findings suggest that SsCak1 is essential for the growth, development, and pathogenicity of S. sclerotiorum. Therefore, SsCak1 could serve as a potential target for the control of S. sclerotiorum infection through host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), which could increase crop resistance to the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Qin
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
| | - Jieying Nong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
| | - Kan Cui
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China;
| | - Xianyu Tang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
| | - Xin Gong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
| | - Yunong Xia
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
| | - Yan Xu
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yilan Qiu
- Department of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China;
| | - Xin Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Shitou Xia
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (L.Q.); (J.N.); (X.T.); (X.G.); (Y.X.)
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24
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Newman TE, Kim H, Khentry Y, Sohn KH, Derbyshire MC, Kamphuis LG. The broad host range pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum produces multiple effector proteins that induce host cell death intracellularly. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:866-881. [PMID: 37038612 PMCID: PMC10346375 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13333] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a broad host range necrotrophic fungal pathogen, which causes disease on many economically important crop species. S. sclerotiorum has been shown to secrete small effector proteins to kill host cells and acquire nutrients. We set out to discover novel necrosis-inducing effectors and characterize their activity using transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Five intracellular necrosis-inducing effectors were identified with differing host subcellular localization patterns, which were named intracellular necrosis-inducing effector 1-5 (SsINE1-5). We show for the first time a broad host range pathogen effector, SsINE1, that uses an RxLR-like motif to enter host cells. Furthermore, we provide preliminary evidence that SsINE5 induces necrosis via an NLR protein. All five of the identified effectors are highly conserved in globally sourced S. sclerotiorum isolates. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of the virulence mechanisms employed by S. sclerotiorum and reveal potential avenues for enhancing genetic resistance to this damaging fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby E. Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Haseong Kim
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Yuphin Khentry
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kee Hoon Sohn
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologySeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Mark C. Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Lars G. Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
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25
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Wang Y, Xu Y, Wei J, Zhang J, Wu M, Li G, Yang L. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Agglutinin Modulates Sclerotial Development, Pathogenicity and Response to Abiotic and Biotic Stresses in Different Manners. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:737. [PMID: 37504726 PMCID: PMC10381867 DOI: 10.3390/jof9070737] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an important plant pathogenic fungus of many crops. Our previous study identified the S. sclerotiorum agglutinin (SSA) that can be partially degraded by the serine protease CmSp1 from the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans. However, the biological functions of SSA in the pathogenicity of S. sclerotiorum and in its response to infection by C. minitans, as well as to environmental stresses, remain unknown. In this study, SSA disruption and complementary mutants were generated for characterization of its biological functions. Both the wild-type (WT) of S. sclerotiorum and the mutants were compared for growth and sclerotial formation on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and autoclaved carrot slices (ACS), for pathogenicity on oilseed rape, as well as for susceptibility to chemical stresses (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, sorbitol, mannitol, sucrose, sodium dodecyl sulfate, H2O2) and to the mycoparasitism of C. minitans. The disruption mutants (ΔSSA-175, ΔSSA-178, ΔSSA-225) did not differ from the WT and the complementary mutant ΔSSA-178C in mycelial growth. However, compared to the WT and ΔSSA-178C, the disruption mutants formed immature sclerotia on PDA, and produced less but larger sclerotia on ACS; they became less sensitive to the eight investigated chemical stresses, but more aggressive in infecting leaves of oilseed rape, and more susceptible to mycoparasitism by C. minitans. These results suggest that SSA positively regulates sclerotial development and resistance to C. minitans mycoparasitism, but negatively regulates pathogenicity and resistance to chemical stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yuping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinfeng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Mingde Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Long Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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26
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Singh S, Sarki YN, Marwein R, Singha DL, Velmurugan N, Chikkaputtaiah C. Unraveling the role of effector proteins in Bipolaris oryzae infecting North East Indian rice cultivars through time-course transcriptomics analysis. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1098-1110. [PMID: 37495300 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.05.003] [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: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Bipolaris oryzae, causing brown spot disease in rice, is one of the neglected diseases reducing rice productivity. Limited knowledge is available on the genetics of host-pathogen interaction. Here, we used time-course transcriptome sequencing to elucidate the differential transcriptional responses of the pathogen genes in two contradictory infection-responsive rice hosts. Evaluation of transcriptome data showed similar regulation of fungal genes within susceptible (1733) and resistant (1846) hosts at an early stage however, in the later stage, the number was significantly higher in susceptible (2877) compared to resistant (1955) hosts. GO enrichment terms for upregulated genes showed a similar pattern in both the hosts at an early stage, but in the later stage terms related to degradation of carbohydrates, carbohydrate transport, and pathogenesis are enriched extensively within the susceptible host. Likewise, similar expression responses were observed with the secretory and effector proteins. Plant pathogenic homologs genes such as those involved in appressorium and conidia formation, host cell wall degradative enzymes, etc. were reported to be highly upregulated within the susceptible host. This study predicts the successful establishment of B. oryzae BO1 in both the host surfaces at an early stage, while disease progression only occurs in the susceptible host in later stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Singh
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India
| | - Yogita N Sarki
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Riwandahun Marwein
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Dhanawantari L Singha
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India
| | - Natarajan Velmurugan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India; Biological Sciences Division, Branch Laboratory-Itanagar, CSIR-NEIST, Naharlagun, 791110, Arunachal Pradesh, India
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India.
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27
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Rai P, Prasad L, Rai PK. Fungal effectors versus defense-related genes of B. juncea and the status of resistant transgenics against fungal pathogens. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1139009. [PMID: 37360735 PMCID: PMC10285668 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1139009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Oilseed brassica has become instrumental in securing global food and nutritional security. B. juncea, colloquially known as Indian mustard, is cultivated across tropics and subtropics including Indian subcontinent. The production of Indian mustard is severely hampered by fungal pathogens which necessitates human interventions. Chemicals are often resorted to as they are quick and effective, but due to their economic and ecological unsustainability, there is a need to explore their alternatives. The B. juncea-fungal pathosystem is quite diverse as it covers broad-host range necrotrophs (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), narrow-host range necrotrophs (Alternaria brassicae and A. brassicicola) and biotrophic oomycetes (Albugo candida and Hyaloperonospora brassica). Plants ward off fungal pathogens through two-step resistance mechanism; PTI which involves recognition of elicitors and ETI where the resistance gene (R gene) interacts with the fungal effectors. The hormonal signalling is also found to play a vital role in defense as the JA/ET pathway is initiated at the time of necrotroph infection and SA pathway is induced when the biotrophs attack plants. The review discuss the prevalence of fungal pathogens of Indian mustard and the studies conducted on effectoromics. It covers both pathogenicity conferring genes and host-specific toxins (HSTs) that can be used for a variety of purposes such as identifying cognate R genes, understanding pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms, and establishing the phylogeny of fungal pathogens. It further encompasses the studies on identifying resistant sources and characterisation of R genes/quantitative trait loci and defense-related genes identified in Brassicaceae and unrelated species which, upon introgression or overexpression, confer resistance. Finally, the studies conducted on developing resistant transgenics in Brassicaceae have been covered in which chitinase and glucanase genes are mostly used. The knowledge gained from this review can further be used for imparting resistance against major fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajjwal Rai
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Laxman Prasad
- Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Pramod Kumar Rai
- Division of Plant Pathology, Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, India
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28
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Priyashantha AKH, Dai DQ, Bhat DJ, Stephenson SL, Promputtha I, Kaushik P, Tibpromma S, Karunarathna SC. Plant-Fungi Interactions: Where It Goes? BIOLOGY 2023; 12:809. [PMID: 37372094 PMCID: PMC10295453 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Fungi live different lifestyles-including pathogenic and symbiotic-by interacting with living plants. Recently, there has been a substantial increase in the study of phytopathogenic fungi and their interactions with plants. Symbiotic relationships with plants appear to be lagging behind, although progressive. Phytopathogenic fungi cause diseases in plants and put pressure on survival. Plants fight back against such pathogens through complicated self-defense mechanisms. However, phytopathogenic fungi develop virulent responses to overcome plant defense reactions, thus continuing their deteriorative impacts. Symbiotic relationships positively influence both plants and fungi. More interestingly, they also help plants protect themselves from pathogens. In light of the nonstop discovery of novel fungi and their strains, it is imperative to pay more attention to plant-fungi interactions. Both plants and fungi are responsive to environmental changes, therefore construction of their interaction effects has emerged as a new field of study. In this review, we first attempt to highlight the evolutionary aspect of plant-fungi interactions, then the mechanism of plants to avoid the negative impact of pathogenic fungi, and fungal strategies to overcome the plant defensive responses once they have been invaded, and finally the changes of such interactions under the different environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. K. Hasith Priyashantha
- Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China; (A.K.H.P.); (D.-Q.D.)
| | - Dong-Qin Dai
- Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China; (A.K.H.P.); (D.-Q.D.)
| | - Darbhe J. Bhat
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
- Biology Division, Vishnugupta Vishwavidyapeetam, Gokarna 581326, India
| | - Steven L. Stephenson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Itthayakorn Promputtha
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
| | | | - Saowaluck Tibpromma
- Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China; (A.K.H.P.); (D.-Q.D.)
| | - Samantha C. Karunarathna
- Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biological Resource and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China; (A.K.H.P.); (D.-Q.D.)
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), Hantana Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
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Xu Y, Qiu Y, Zhang Y, Li X. A cAMP phosphodiesterase is essential for sclerotia formation and virulence in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1175552. [PMID: 37324679 PMCID: PMC10264682 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1175552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes white mold or stem rot diseases. It affects mostly dicotyledonous crops, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. Sclerotia formation is a special feature of S. sclerotiorum, allowing its survival in soil for extended periods and facilitates the spread of the pathogen. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of how sclerotia are formed and how virulence is achieved in S. sclerotiorum are not fully understood. Here, we report the identification of a mutant that cannot form sclerotia using a forward genetics approach. Next-generation sequencing of the mutant's whole genome revealed candidate genes. Through knockout experiments, the causal gene was found to encode a cAMP phosphodiesterase (SsPDE2). From mutant phenotypic examinations, we found that SsPDE2 plays essential roles not only in sclerotia formation, but also in the regulation of oxalic acid accumulation, infection cushion functionality and virulence. Downregulation of SsSMK1 transcripts in Sspde2 mutants revealed that these morphological defects are likely caused by cAMP-dependent inhibition of MAPK signaling. Moreover, when we introduced HIGS construct targeting SsPDE2 in Nicotiana benthamiana, largely compromised virulence was observed against S. sclerotiorum. Taken together, SsPDE2 is indispensable for key biological processes of S. sclerotiorum and can potentially serve as a HIGS target to control stem rot in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yilan Qiu
- Department of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuelin Zhang
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Xin Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Wang Y, Lu N, Wang K, Li Y, Zhang M, Liu S, Li Y, Zhou F. Fluxapyroxad Resistance Mechanisms in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. PLANT DISEASE 2023; 107:1035-1043. [PMID: 36058635 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-07-22-1615-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has a global distribution and a wide host range, making it one of the most damaging and economically important of all plant pathogens. The current study found that fluxapyroxad, a typical succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide, had a strong inhibitory effect against S. sclerotiorum, with mean effective concentration for 50% inhibition (EC50) values ranging from 0.021 to 0.095 µg/ml. Further investigation of five highly resistant S. sclerotiorum mutants, with EC50 values of 12.37 to 31.36 µg/ml, found that fluxapyroxad resistance was accompanied by a certain cost to fitness. All of the mutants were found to have significantly (P < 0.05) reduced mycelial growth and altered sclerotia production in artificial culture, as well as reduced pathogenicity, compared with wild-type isolates, with one mutant completely losing the capacity to infect detached soybean leaves. Sequence analysis demonstrated that four of the mutants had point mutations leading to amino acid changes in the SsSdhB subunit of the fungicide target protein succinate dehydrogenase. In addition, two of the mutants were also found to have amino acid changes in the predicted sequence of their SsSdhD subunit, while the fifth mutant had no changes in any of its SsSdh sequences, indicating that an alternative mechanism might be responsible for the observed resistance in this mutant. No cross-resistance was found between fluxapyroxad and any of the other fungicides tested, including tebuconazole, prochloraz, dimethachlone, carbendazim, procymidone, pyraclostrobin, boscalid, fluazinam, fludioxonil, and cyprodinil, which indicates that fluxapyroxad has great potential as an alternative method of control for the Sclerotinia stem rot caused by S. sclerotiorum, and which could provide ongoing protection to the soybean fields of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfen Wang
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Ninghai Lu
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Kuaikuai Wang
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Yinna Li
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Mengli Zhang
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Yanling Li
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- School of Resources and Environment, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, China
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Hossain MM, Sultana F, Li W, Tran LSP, Mostofa MG. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary: Insights into the Pathogenomic Features of a Global Pathogen. Cells 2023; 12:cells12071063. [PMID: 37048136 PMCID: PMC10093061 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a broad host-range fungus that infects an inclusive array of plant species and afflicts significant yield losses globally. Despite being a notorious pathogen, it has an uncomplicated life cycle consisting of either basal infection from myceliogenically germinated sclerotia or aerial infection from ascospores of carpogenically germinated sclerotia. This fungus is unique among necrotrophic pathogens in that it inevitably colonizes aging tissues to initiate an infection, where a saprophytic stage follows the pathogenic phase. The release of cell wall-degrading enzymes, oxalic acid, and effector proteins are considered critical virulence factors necessary for the effective pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum. Nevertheless, the molecular basis of S. sclerotiorum pathogenesis is still imprecise and remains a topic of continuing research. Previous comprehensive sequencing of the S. sclerotiorum genome has revealed new insights into its genome organization and provided a deeper comprehension of the sophisticated processes involved in its growth, development, and virulence. This review focuses on the genetic and genomic aspects of fungal biology and molecular pathogenicity to summarize current knowledge of the processes utilized by S. sclerotiorum to parasitize its hosts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating the infection process of S. sclerotiorum will contribute to devising strategies for preventing infections caused by this destructive pathogen.
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Jiao W, Ding W, Rollins JA, Liu J, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Pan H. Cross-Talk and Multiple Control of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0001323. [PMID: 36943069 PMCID: PMC10100786 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00013-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that cross-talks with its hosts for control of cell-death pathways for colonization. Target of rapamycin (TOR) is a central regulator that controls cell growth, intracellular metabolism, and stress responses in a variety of eukaryotes, but little is known about TOR signaling in S. sclerotiorum. In this study, we identified a conserved TOR signaling pathway and characterized SsTOR as a critical component of this pathway. Hyphal growth of S. sclerotiorum was retarded by silencing SsTOR, moreover, sclerotia and compound appressoria formation were severely disrupted. Notably, pathogenicity assays of strains shows that the virulence of the SsTOR-silenced strains were dramatically decreased. SsTOR was determined to participate in cell wall integrity (CWI) by regulating the phosphorylation level of SsSmk3, a core MAP kinase in the CWI pathway. Importantly, the inactivation of SsTOR induced autophagy in S. sclerotiorum potentially through SsAtg1 and SsAtg13. Taken together, our results suggest that SsTOR is a global regulator controlling cell growth, stress responses, cell wall integrity, autophagy, and virulence of S. sclerotiorum. IMPORTANCE TOR is a conserved protein kinase that regulates cell growth and metabolism in response to growth factors and nutrient abundance. Here, we used gene silencing to characterize SsTOR, which is a critical component of TOR signaling pathway. SsTOR-silenced strains have limited mycelium growth, and the virulence of the SsTOR-silenced strains was decreased. Phosphorylation analysis indicated that SsTOR influenced CWI by regulating the phosphorylation level of SsSmk3. Autophagy is essential to preserve cellular homeostasis in response to cellular and environmental stresses. Inactivation of SsTOR induced autophagy in S. sclerotiorum potentially through SsAtg1 and SsAtg13. These findings further indicated that SsTOR is a global regulator of the growth, development, and pathogenicity of S. sclerotiorum in multiple ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Jiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Weichen Ding
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jeffrey A. Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jinliang Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanhua Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Adobor S, Banniza S, Vandenberg A, Purves RW. Untargeted profiling of secondary metabolites and phytotoxins associated with stemphylium blight of lentil. PLANTA 2023; 257:73. [PMID: 36864322 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04105-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Stemphylium botryosum alters lentil secondary metabolism and differentially affects resistant and susceptible genotypes. Untargeted metabolomics identifies metabolites and their potential biosynthetic pathways that play a crucial role in resistance to S. botryosum. The molecular and metabolic processes that mediate resistance to stemphylium blight caused by Stemphylium botryosum Wallr. in lentil are largely unknown. Identifying metabolites and pathways associated with Stemphylium infection may provide valuable insights and novel targets to breed for enhanced resistance. The metabolic changes following infection of four lentil genotypes by S. botryosum were investigated by comprehensive untargeted metabolic profiling employing reversed-phase or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to a Q-Exactive mass spectrometer. At the pre-flowering stage, plants were inoculated with S. botryosum isolate SB19 spore suspension and leaf samples were collected at 24, 96 and 144 h post-inoculation (hpi). Mock-inoculated plants were used as negative controls. After analyte separation, high-resolution mass spectrometry data was acquired in positive and negative ionization modes. Multivariate modeling revealed significant treatment, genotype and hpi effects on metabolic profile changes that reflect lentil response to Stemphylium infection. In addition, univariate analyses highlighted numerous differentially accumulated metabolites. By contrasting the metabolic profiles of SB19-inoculated and mock-inoculated plants and among lentil genotypes, 840 pathogenesis-related metabolites were detected including seven S. botryosum phytotoxins. These metabolites included amino acids, sugars, fatty acids and flavonoids in primary and secondary metabolism. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed 11 significant pathways including flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which were affected upon S. botryosum infection. This research contributes to ongoing efforts toward a comprehensive understanding of the regulation and reprogramming of lentil metabolism under biotic stress, which will provide targets for potential applications in breeding for enhanced disease resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley Adobor
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Sabine Banniza
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Albert Vandenberg
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Randy W Purves
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
- Centre for Veterinary Drug Residues, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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Leibman-Markus M, Gupta R, Pizarro L, Bar M. The LeEIX Locus Determines Pathogen Resistance in Tomato. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 113:277-285. [PMID: 36044638 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-22-0035-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the ability of plants to differentiate between pathogens and commensals in their environment are currently unresolved. It has been suggested that spatiotemporal regulation of pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) content could be one of the components providing plants with the ability to distinguish between pathogens and nonpathogenic microbes. The LeEIX PRRs recognize xylanases derived from beneficial or commensal plant colonizers of Trichoderma species, including the xylanase known as EIX. Here, we investigated possible general roles of PRRs from the LeEIX locus in immunity and pathogen resistance in tomato. Mutating the inhibitory PRR LeEIX1, or overexpressing the activating PRR LeEIX2, resulted in resistance to a wide range of pathogens and increased basal and elicited immunity. LeEIX1 knockout caused increases in the expression level of several tested PRRs, including FLS2, as well as bacterial pathogen resistance coupled with an increase in flg22-mediated immunity. The wild tomato relative Solanum pennellii contains inactive LeEIX PRR variants. S. pennellii does not respond to elicitation with the LeEIX PRR ligand EIX. Given that EIX is derived from a mostly nonpathogenic microbe, the connection of its PRRs to disease resistance has not previously been investigated directly. Here, we observed that compared with S. lycopersicum cultivar M82, S. pennellii was more sensitive to several fungal and bacterial pathogens. Our results suggest that the LeEIX locus might determine resistance to fungal necrotrophs, whereas the resistance to biotrophs is effected in combination with a gene/quantitative trait locus not within the LeEIX locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirav Leibman-Markus
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Rupali Gupta
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Lorena Pizarro
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Maya Bar
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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Liu L, Qin L, Safdar LB, Zhao C, Cheng X, Xie M, Zhang Y, Gao F, Bai Z, Huang J, Bhalerao RP, Liu S, Wei Y. The plant trans-Golgi network component ECHIDNA regulates defense, cell death, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:558-574. [PMID: 36018261 PMCID: PMC9806577 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The trans-Golgi network (TGN) acts as a central platform for sorting and secreting various cargoes to the cell surface, thus being essential for the full execution of plant immunity. However, the fine-tuned regulation of TGN components in plant defense and stress response has been not fully elucidated. Our study revealed that despite largely compromising penetration resistance, the loss-of-function mutation of the TGN component protein ECHIDNA (ECH) induced enhanced postinvasion resistance to powdery mildew in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic and transcriptome analyses and hormone profiling demonstrated that ECH loss resulted in salicylic acid (SA) hyperaccumulation via the ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1 biosynthesis pathway, thereby constitutively activating SA-dependent innate immunity that was largely responsible for the enhanced postinvasion resistance. Furthermore, the ech mutant displayed accelerated SA-independent spontaneous cell death and constitutive POWDERY MILDEW RESISTANCE 4-mediated callose depositions. In addition, ECH loss led to a chronically prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress in the ech mutant. These results provide insights into understanding the role of TGN components in the regulation of plant immunity and stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Li Qin
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Luqman Bin Safdar
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond 5064, Australia
| | - Chuanji Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiaohui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Meili Xie
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Zetao Bai
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Junyan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Rishikesh P Bhalerao
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, S-901 83, Sweden
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The SsAtg1 Activating Autophagy Is Required for Sclerotia Formation and Pathogenicity in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121314. [PMID: 36547647 PMCID: PMC9787769 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that produces sclerotia. Sclerotia are essential components of the survival and disease cycle of this devastating pathogen. In this study, we analyzed comparative transcriptomics of hyphae and sclerotia. A total of 1959 differentially expressed genes, 919 down-regulated and 1040 up-regulated, were identified. Transcriptomes data provide the possibility to precisely comprehend the sclerotia development. We further analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in sclerotia to explore the molecular mechanism of sclerotia development, which include ribosome biogenesis and translation, melanin biosynthesis, autophagy and reactivate oxygen metabolism. Among these, the autophagy-related gene SsAtg1 was up-regulated in sclerotia. Atg1 homologs play critical roles in autophagy, a ubiquitous and evolutionarily highly conserved cellular mechanism for turnover of intracellular materials in eukaryotes. Therefore, we investigated the function of SsAtg1 to explore the function of the autophagy pathway in S. sclerotiorum. Deficiency of SsAtg1 inhibited autophagosome accumulation in the vacuoles of nitrogen-starved cells. Notably, ΔSsAtg1 was unable to form sclerotia and displayed defects in vegetative growth under conditions of nutrient restriction. Furthermore, the development and penetration of the compound appressoria in ΔSsAtg1 was abnormal. Pathogenicity analysis showed that SsAtg1 was required for full virulence of S. sclerotiorum. Taken together, these results indicate that SsAtg1 is a core autophagy-related gene that has vital functions in nutrient utilization, sclerotia development and pathogenicity in S. sclerotiorum.
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Gupta NC, Yadav S, Arora S, Mishra DC, Budhlakoti N, Gaikwad K, Rao M, Prasad L, Rai PK, Sharma P. Draft genome sequencing and secretome profiling of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum revealed effector repertoire diversity and allied broad-host range necrotrophy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21855. [PMID: 36528657 PMCID: PMC9759525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22028-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
White mold commonly known as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes stem rot disease and has emerged as one of the major fungal pathogens of oilseed Brassica across the world. In the present study, consistently virulent S. sclerotiorum isolate "ESR-01" was sequenced and an assembly size of ~ 41 Mb with 328 scaffolds having N50 of 447,128 was obtained. Additionally, 27,450 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from 155 scaffolds against S. sclerotiorum 1980 isolate, with an average SNP density of ~ 1.5 per kb genome. 667 repetitive elements were identified and approximately comprised 7% of the total annotated genes. The DDE_1 with 454 in numbers was found to be the most abundant and accounts for 68% of the total predicted repetitive elements. In total, 3844 simple sequence repeats are identified in the 328 scaffolds. A total of 9469 protein-coding genes were predicted from the whole genome assembly with an average gene length of 1587 bp and their distribution as 230.95 genes per Mb in the genome. Out of 9469 predicted protein-coding genes, 529 genes were observed encoding the CAZymes (Carbohydrate-Active enzymes) capable of degradation of the complex polysaccharides. Glycosyltransferase (GT) families were most abundant (49.71%) among the predicted CAZymes and GT2 (23%), GT4 (20%), and glycoside hydrolase (GH) 23% with GH18 (11%) were the prominent cell wall degrading enzyme families in the ESR-01 secretome. Besides this, 156 genes essential for the pathogen-host interactions were also identified. The effector analysis in the whole genome proteomics dataset revealed a total of 57 effector candidates (ECs) and 27 of them were having their analogs whereas the remaining 30 were novel ones. Eleven selected ECs were validated experimentally by analyzing the expression profile of the ESR-01 isolate of S. sclerotiorum. Together, the present investigation offers a better understanding of the S. sclerotiorum genome, secretome, and its effector repertoire which will help in refining the present knowledge on S. sclerotiorum-Brassica interactions and necrotrophic lifestyle of the phytopathogen in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navin C Gupta
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
| | - Sunita Yadav
- Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Shaweta Arora
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Dwijesh C Mishra
- Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Neeraj Budhlakoti
- Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Kishore Gaikwad
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahesh Rao
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Lakshman Prasad
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, India
| | - Pramod K Rai
- ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Pankaj Sharma
- ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India.
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Guimaraes PM, Quintana AC, Mota APZ, Berbert PS, Ferreira DDS, de Aguiar MN, Pereira BM, de Araújo ACG, Brasileiro ACM. Engineering Resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Using a Truncated NLR (TNx) and a Defense-Priming Gene. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3483. [PMID: 36559595 PMCID: PMC9786959 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The association of both cell-surface PRRs (Pattern Recognition Receptors) and intracellular receptor NLRs (Nucleotide-Binding Leucine-Rich Repeat) in engineered plants have the potential to activate strong defenses against a broad range of pathogens. Here, we describe the identification, characterization, and in planta functional analysis of a novel truncated NLR (TNx) gene from the wild species Arachis stenosperma (AsTIR19), with a protein structure lacking the C-terminal LRR (Leucine Rich Repeat) domain involved in pathogen perception. Overexpression of AsTIR19 in tobacco plants led to a significant reduction in infection caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with a further reduction in pyramid lines containing an expansin-like B gene (AdEXLB8) potentially involved in defense priming. Transcription analysis of tobacco transgenic lines revealed induction of hormone defense pathways (SA; JA-ET) and PRs (Pathogenesis-Related proteins) production. The strong upregulation of the respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (RbohD) gene in the pyramid lines suggests its central role in mediating immune responses in plants co-expressing the two transgenes, with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production enhanced by AdEXLB8 cues leading to stronger defense response. Here, we demonstrate that the association of potential priming elicitors and truncated NLRs can produce a synergistic effect on fungal resistance, constituting a promising strategy for improved, non-specific resistance to plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Messenberg Guimaraes
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Brasilia 70770-917, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Paula Zotta Mota
- INRAE, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, CNRS, Université Côte d’Azur, 06903 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ana Cristina Miranda Brasileiro
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Plant Stress Biotech), Brasilia 70770-917, Brazil
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Zhang H, Cheng Q, Wang X, Jia W, Xie J, Fan G, Han C, Zhao X. Selenium Improved Phenylacetic Acid Content in Oilseed Rape and Thus Enhanced the Prevention of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by Dimethachlon. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1193. [PMID: 36422013 PMCID: PMC9694027 DOI: 10.3390/jof8111193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a broad-spectrum necrotrophic phytopathogen that can infect many plant species worldwide. The application of fungicides is a common measure for controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Due to the risk of developing resistance to fungicides, it is imperative to find ways to be environmentally friendly and even effective. Using bioactive compounds in plants to reduce the amounts of fungicides has become a clean and sustainable strategy of controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Our study found that selenium in soil mediated the phenylacetic acid-related metabolic pathway in oilseed rape and reduced the incidence rate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The growth-inhibition rates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were observed at 25.82%, 19.67%, and 52.61% for treatments of 0.8 mg·L-1 dimethachlon, 0.1 mg·mL-1 phenylacetic acid, and dimethachlon (0.8 mg·L-1) + phenylacetic acid (0.1 mg·mL-1), respectively. Phenylacetic acid reduced the application amount of dimethachlon and enhanced the inhibition effect for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Results also suggested that phenylacetic acid severely damaged the morphological structure, changed the electrical conductivity, and reduced the capacity of acid production and oxalic acid secretion of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum mycelium. Further studies revealed that phenylacetic acid increased the gene-expression level of Ssodc1, Ssodc2, CWDE2 and CWDE10 in mycelium while decreasing the expression level of SsGgt1, and phenylacetic acid + dimethachlon reduced the relative expression level of SsBil. These findings verified that phenylacetic acid could partially replace the amount of dimethachlon, as well as enhance the prevention of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by dimethachlon, which provides evidence for developing an environment-friendly method for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Institute of Quality Standard and Monitoring Technology for Agro-Products of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Qin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Monitoring Technology for Agro-Products of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Guocheng Fan
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Monitoring and Integrated Management of Crop Pests, Fuzhou 350003, China
| | - Chuang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaohu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Proteomics analysis of the phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: a narrative review. JOURNAL OF BIO-X RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1097/jbr.0000000000000130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Li W, Lu J, Yang C, Arildsen K, Li X, Xia S. An Amidase Contributes to Full Virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:11207. [PMID: 36232508 PMCID: PMC9570306 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most notorious and ubiquitous soilborne plant pathogens, causing serious economic losses to a large number of hosts worldwide. Although virulence factors have been identified in this filamentous fungus, including various cell-wall-degrading enzymes, toxins, oxalic acids and effectors, our understanding of its virulence strategies is far from complete. To explore novel factors contributing to disease, a new pipeline combining forward genetic screening and next-generation sequencing was utilized in this study. Analysis of a hypovirulent mutant revealed that a mutation in an amidase-encoding gene, Sscle_10g079050, resulted in reduced virulence. This is a first report on the contribution of an amidase to fungal virulence, likely through affecting oxalic acid homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- College of Life Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Junxing Lu
- College of Life Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Chenghuizi Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Kate Arildsen
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Xin Li
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Shitou Xia
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
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Wytinck N, Ziegler DJ, Walker PL, Sullivan DS, Biggar KT, Khan D, Sakariyahu SK, Wilkins O, Whyard S, Belmonte MF. Host induced gene silencing of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ABHYDROLASE-3 gene reduces disease severity in Brassica napus. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261102. [PMID: 36018839 PMCID: PMC9417021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a pathogenic fungus that infects hundreds of crop species, causing extensive yield loss every year. Chemical fungicides are used to control this phytopathogen, but with concerns about increasing resistance and impacts on non-target species, there is a need to develop alternative control measures. In the present study, we engineered Brassica napus to constitutively express a hairpin (hp)RNA molecule to silence ABHYRDOLASE-3 in S. sclerotiorum. We demonstrate the potential for Host Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) to protect B. napus from S. sclerotiorum using leaf, stem and whole plant infection assays. The interaction between the transgenic host plant and invading pathogen was further characterized at the molecular level using dual-RNA sequencing and at the anatomical level through microscopy to understand the processes and possible mechanisms leading to increased tolerance to this damaging necrotroph. We observed significant shifts in the expression of genes relating to plant defense as well as cellular differences in the form of structural barriers around the site of infection in the HIGS-protected plants. Our results provide proof-of-concept that HIGS is an effective means of limiting damage caused by S. sclerotiorum to the plant and demonstrates the utility of this biotechnology in the development of resistance against fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Wytinck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Dylan J. Ziegler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Philip L. Walker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Daniel S. Sullivan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kirsten T. Biggar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Deirdre Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Solihu K. Sakariyahu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Olivia Wilkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Steve Whyard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Mark F. Belmonte
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Yu YY, Si FJ, Wang N, Wang T, Jin Y, Zheng Y, Yang W, Luo YM, Niu DD, Guo JH, Jiang CH. Bacillus-Secreted Oxalic Acid Induces Tomato Resistance Against Gray Mold Disease Caused by Botrytis cinerea by Activating the JA/ET Pathway. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2022; 35:659-671. [PMID: 36043906 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-21-0289-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus spp. are known for their ability to control plant diseases; however, the mechanism of disease control by Bacillus spp. is still unclear. Previously, bacterial organic acids have been implicated in the process of disease suppression. We extracted the total organic acid from Bacillus cereus AR156 culture filtrate and identified oxalic acid (OA) as the programmed cell death-inducing factor. OA strongly suppressed the lesion caused by Botrytis cinerea without significant antagonism against the fungus. Low concentration of OA produced by Bacillus spp. inhibited cell death caused by high concentrations of OA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with a low concentration of OA led to higher accumulation of active oxygen-scavenging enzymes in tomato leaves and provoked the expression of defense-related genes. The activation of gene expression relied on the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway but not the salicylic acid (SA) pathway. The disease suppression capacity of OA was confirmed on wild-type tomato and its SA accumulation-deficient line, while the control effect was diminished in JA synthesis-deficient mutant, suggesting that the OA-triggered resistance relied on JA and ethylene (ET) signaling transduction. OA secretion ability was widely distributed among the tested Bacillus strains and the final environmental OA concentration was under strict regulation by a pH-sensitive degradation mechanism. This study provides the first systematic analysis on the role of low-concentration OA secreted and maintained by Bacillus spp. in suppression of gray mold disease and determines the dependence of OA-mediated resistance on the JA/ET signaling pathway. [Formula: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 "No Rights Reserved" license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Yang Yu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fang-Jie Si
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yu Jin
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an 223300, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Yu-Ming Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an 223300, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an 223300, China
| | - Dong-Dong Niu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jian-Hua Guo
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chun-Hao Jiang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
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Analysis of Tissue-Specific Defense Responses to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11152001. [PMID: 35956479 PMCID: PMC9370628 DOI: 10.3390/plants11152001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum) is the main disease threat of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), resulting in huge economic losses every year. SSR resistance manifests as quantitative disease resistance (QDR), and no gene with complete SSR resistance has been cloned or reported so far. Transcriptome analysis has revealed a large number of defense-related genes and response processes. However, the similarities and differences in the defense responses of different tissues are rarely reported. In this study, we analyzed the similarities and differences of different tissues in response to S. sclerotiorum at 24 h post inoculation (hpi) by using the published transcriptome data for respective leaf and stem inoculation. At 24 hpi, large differences in gene expression exist in leaf and stem, and there are more differentially expressed genes and larger expression differences in leaf. The leaf is more sensitive to S. sclerotiorum and shows a stronger response than stem. Different defense responses appear in the leaf and stem, and the biosynthesis of lignin, callose, lectin, chitinase, PGIP, and PR protein is activated in leaf. In the stem, lipid metabolism-mediated defense responses are obviously enhanced. For the common defense responses in both leaf and stem, the chain reactions resulting from signal transduction and biological process take the primary responsibility. This research will be beneficial to exploit the potential of different tissues in plant defense and find higher resistance levels of genotypic variability in different environments. Our results are significant in the identification of resistance genes and analysis of defense mechanisms.
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Zuo R, Xie M, Gao F, Liu J, Tang M, Cheng X, Liu Y, Bai Z, Liu S. Genome-wide identification and functional exploration of the legume lectin genes in Brassica napus and their roles in Sclerotinia disease resistance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:963263. [PMID: 35968144 PMCID: PMC9374194 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.963263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As one of the largest classes of lectins, legume lectins have a variety of desirable features such as antibacterial and insecticidal activities as well as anti-abiotic stress ability. The Sclerotinia disease (SD) caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating disease affecting most oil crops such as Brassica napus. Here, we identified 130 legume lectin (LegLu) genes in B. napus, which could be phylogenetically classified into seven clusters. The BnLegLu gene family has been significantly expanded since the whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication. Gene structure and conserved motif analysis suggested that the BnLegLu genes were well conserved in each cluster. Moreover, relative to those genes only containing the legume lectin domain in cluster VI-VII, the genes in cluster I-V harbored a transmembrane domain and a kinase domain linked to the legume lectin domain in the C terminus. The expression of most BnLegLu genes was relatively low in various tissues. Thirty-five BnLegLu genes were responsive to abiotic stress, and 40 BnLegLu genes were strongly induced by S. sclerotiorum, with a most significant up-regulation of 715-fold, indicating their functional roles in SD resistance. Four BnLegLu genes were located in the candidate regions of genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) results which resulted from a worldwide rapeseed population consisting of 324 accessions associated with SD. Among them, the positive role of BnLegLus-16 in SD resistance was validated by transient expression in tobacco leaves. This study provides important information on BnLegLu genes, particularly about their roles in SD resistance, which may help targeted functional research and genetic improvement in the breeding of B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zuo
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Meili Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Gao
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Xiaohui Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yueying Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zetao Bai
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengyi Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Liu L, Lyu X, Pan Z, Wang Q, Mu W, Benny U, Rollins JA, Pan H. The C2H2 Transcription Factor SsZFH1 Regulates the Size, Number, and Development of Apothecia in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:1476-1485. [PMID: 35021860 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-09-21-0378-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a notorious phytopathogenic Ascomycota fungus with a host range of >600 plant species worldwide. This homothallic Leotiomycetes species reproduces sexually through a multicellular apothecium that produces and releases ascospores. These ascospores serve as the primary inoculum source for disease initiation in the majority of S. sclerotiorum disease cycles. The regulation of apothecium development for this pathogen and other apothecium-producing fungi remains largely unknown. Here, we report that a C2H2 transcription factor, SsZFH1 (zinc finger homologous protein), is necessary for the proper development and maturation of sclerotia and apothecia in S. sclerotiorum and is required for the normal growth rate of hyphae. Furthermore, ΔSszfh1 strains exhibit decreased H2O2 accumulation in hyphae, increased melanin deposition, and enhanced tolerance to H2O2 in the process of vegetative growth and sclerotia formation. Infection assays on common bean leaves, with thin cuticles, and soybean and tomato leaves, with thick cuticles, suggest that the deletion of Sszfh1 slows the mycelial growth rate, which in turn affects the expansion of leaf lesions. Collectively, our results provide novel insights into a major fungal factor mediating maturation of apothecia with additional effects on hyphae and sclerotia development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Xingming Lyu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Zequn Pan
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Qiaochu Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Wenhui Mu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Ulla Benny
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A
| | - Jeffrey A Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
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Zhang J, Xiao K, Li M, Hu H, Zhang X, Liu J, Pan H, Zhang Y. SsAGM1-Mediated Uridine Diphosphate-N-Acetylglucosamine Synthesis Is Essential for Development, Stress Response, and Pathogenicity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:938784. [PMID: 35814696 PMCID: PMC9260252 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.938784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating pathogen. S. sclerotiorum can cause Sclerotinia stem rot in more than 600 species of plants, which results in serious economic losses every year. Chitin is one of the most important polysaccharides in fungal cell walls. Chitin and β-Glucan form a scaffold that wraps around the cell and determines the vegetative growth and pathogenicity of pathogens. UDP-GlcNAc is a direct precursor of chitin synthesis. During the synthesis of UDP-GlcNAc, the conversion of GlcNAc-6P to GlcNAc-1P that is catalyzed by AGM1 (N-acetylglucosamine-phosphate mutase) is a key step. However, the significance and role of AGM1 in phytopathogenic fungus are unclear. We identified a cytoplasm-localized SsAGM1 in S. sclerotiorum, which is homologous to AGM1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We utilized RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression to characterize the function of SsAGM1 in S. sclerotiorum. After reducing the expression of SsAGM1, the contents of chitin and UDP-GlcNAc decreased significantly. Concomitantly, the gene-silenced transformants of SsAGM1 slowed vegetative growth and, importantly, lost the ability to produce sclerotia and infection cushion; it also lost virulence, even on wounded leaves. In addition, SsAGM1 was also involved in the response to osmotic stress and inhibitors of cell wall synthesis. Our results revealed the function of SsAGM1 in the growth, development, stress response, and pathogenicity in S. sclerotiorum.
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Polyphasic Characterization of Four Aspergillus Species as Potential Biocontrol Agents for White Mold Disease of Bean. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8060626. [PMID: 35736109 PMCID: PMC9224856 DOI: 10.3390/jof8060626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus comprises several species that play pivotal roles in agriculture. Herein, we morphologically and physiologically characterized four genetically distinct Aspergillus spp., namely A. japonicus, A. niger, A. flavus, and A. pseudoelegans, and examined their ability to suppress the white mold disease of bean caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro and under greenhouse conditions. Seriation type of Aspergillus spp. correlates with conidiospores discharge as detected on the Petri glass lid. Members of Nigri section cover their conidial heads with hard shells after prolonged incubation. In addition, sporulation of the tested Aspergillus isolates is temperature sensitive as it becomes inhibited at low temperatures and the colonies become white. Examined Aspergillus spp. were neither infectious to legumes nor aflatoxigenic as confirmed by HPLC except for A. flavus and A. pseudoelegans which, secreted 5 and 1 ppm of aflatoxin B1, respectively. Co-inoculations of Sclerotinia’s mycelium or sclerotia with a spore suspension of Aspergillus spp. inhibited their germination on PDA at 18 °C and 28 °C, and halted disease onset on detached common bean and soybean leaves. Similarly, plants treated with A. japonicus and A. niger showed the highest survival rates compared to untreated plants. In conclusion, black Aspergillus spp. are efficient biocides and safe alternatives for the management of plant diseases, particularly in organic farms.
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Jahan R, Siddique SS, Jannat R, Hossain MM. Cosmos white rot: First characterization, physiology, host range, disease resistance, and chemical control. J Basic Microbiol 2022; 62:911-929. [PMID: 35642304 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202200098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A new disease of Cosmos sulphureus Cav. causing external and internal stem discoloration, premature death, and wilting was observed in 27.8% of plants with an average disease severity rating of 4.4 in Gazipur, Bangladesh. Morphological, pathological, and molecular analyses identified the isolated fungus as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib) de Bary, the causative agent of white rot disease. The optimum growth and sclerotium formation of S. sclerotiorum occurred at 20°C and pH 5.0, while glucose, peptone, yeast extract, casein, and ascorbic acid were the appropriate nutrient sources. Furthermore, mycelial growth and sclerotial development were favored in media containing potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. As many as 20 plant species of 10 families; Calendula officinalisi, Chrysanthemum indicum, Catharanthus roseus, Solanum tuberosum, S. lycopersicum, S. melongena, Capsicum annum, Lablab purpureus, Phaseolus vulgari, Lens culinaris, Vigna radiata, Vigna mungo, Daucus carota, Raphanus sativus, Brassica juncea, Punica granatum, Spinacia oleracea, Ipomoea batatas, Ipomoea aquatica, and Elaeocarpus serratus were identified as the new hosts of the pathogen in Bangladesh. None of the C. sulphureus and Cosmos bipinnatus germplasms screened were genetically resistant to the pathogen. Among the tested fungicides, Autostin 50 WDG (carbendazim) and Rovral (Dicarboxamide) were most inhibitory to the fungus, while Autostin 50 WDG provided an efficient control of the pathogen in vivo up to 15 days after spray. The acquired results on characterization, physiology, host range, resistance, and fungicidal control of the pathogen could be valuable for effectively managing cosmos white rot in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeka Jahan
- Department of Plant Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
| | - Shaikh S Siddique
- Department of Plant Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
| | - Rayhanur Jannat
- Department of Plant Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
| | - Md Motaher Hossain
- Department of Plant Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
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Cong J, Xiao K, Jiao W, Zhang C, Zhang X, Liu J, Zhang Y, Pan H. The Coupling Between Cell Wall Integrity Mediated by MAPK Kinases and SsFkh1 Is Involved in Sclerotia Formation and Pathogenicity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:816091. [PMID: 35547112 PMCID: PMC9081980 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.816091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant pathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum can survive on a wide range of hosts and cause significant losses on crop yields. FKH, a forkhead box (FOX)-containing protein, functions to regulate transcription and signal transduction. As a transcription factor (TF) with multiple biological functions in eukaryotic organisms, little research has been done on the role of FKH protein in pathogenic fungi. SsFkh1 encodes a protein which has been predicted to contain FOX domain in S. sclerotiorum. In this study, the deletion mutant of SsFkh1 resulted in severe defects in hyphal development, virulence, and sclerotia formation. Moreover, knockout of SsFkh1 lead to gene functional enrichment in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in transcriptome analysis and SsFkh1 was found to be involved in the maintenance of the cell wall integrity (CWI) and the MAPK signaling pathway. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that SsFkh1 interacts with SsMkk1. In addition, we explored the conserved MAPK signaling pathway components, including Bck1, Mkk1, Pkc1, and Smk3 in S. sclerotiorum. ΔSsmkk1, ΔSspkc1, ΔSsbck1, and ΔSssmk3knockout mutant strains together with ΔSsmkk1com, ΔSspkc1com, ΔSsbck1com, and ΔSssmk3com complementation mutant strains were obtained. The results indicated that ΔSsmkk1, ΔSspkc1, ΔSsbck1, and ΔSssmk3 displayed similar phenotypes to ΔSsfkh1 in sclerotia formation, compound appressorium development, and pathogenicity. Taken together, SsFkh1 may be the downstream substrate of SsMkk1 and involved in sclerotia formation, compound appressorium development, and pathogenicity in S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Cong
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Kunqin Xiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wenli Jiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- College of Resource and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanhua Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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