Polygalacturonase Isozymes Produced by Phomopsis cucurbitae in Relation to Postharvest Decay of Cantaloupe Fruit

Real-time PCR-based monitoring of DNA pools in the tri-trophic interaction between Norway spruce, the rust Thekopsora areolata, and an opportunistic ascomycetous Phomopsis sp

The difficulty in subculturing biotrophic fungi complicates etiological studies related to the associated plant diseases. By employing internal transcribed spacer rDNA-targeted quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we now show that the heteroecious rust Thekopsora areolata, commonly associated in natural conditions to sapling shoots and cones of Norway spruce and leaves of wild bird cherry, frequently infects nursery-grown seedlings of the conifer. A spatial sampling scheme was used to investigate seedlings and saplings of Norway spruce showing phloem necrosis: the highest concentration of DNA of T. areolata was recorded in the area with necrotic phloem. The separate analysis of bark and wood tissues suggested that the initial spread of the rust to healthy tissues neighboring the infection site takes place in the bark. A Phomopsis species found to coexist with T. areolata in several seedlings showed very high DNA levels in the upper part of the lesion, and even in the visually healthy proximal tissues above the lesions, which indicates that the ascomycete, most probably a secondary invader following primary infection by T. areolata, has a latent stage during early host colonization. We hypothesize that this hemibiotrophic mode of infection contributes to the successful coexistence of Phomopsis with a biotrophic rust.

Differential screening reveals genes differentially expressed in low- and high-virulence near-isogenic Phytophthora sojae lines

To explore the molecular mechanisms involved in virulence variations in Phytophthora sojae, the low-virulence isolate PS2 was inoculated successively on a resistant soybean (Glycine max) cultivar. After 14 successive inoculations, a high-virulence progeny, termed PS2-vir, was obtained and demonstrated to exhibit lower oospore production. DNA fingerprinting revealed no large-scale DNA differences in PS2 and PS2-vir. A suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach was developed to investigate differences in gene expression between PS2 and PS2-vir in the early stages of soybean infection. Of the 323 sequences chosen for examination, 74 putative unigenes were identified that exhibit high expression in PS2-vir. These sequences are predicted to encode proteins involved in energy production, protein biosynthesis, cell signaling, cell-wall biogenesis, and transcription regulation. Ten clones were selected for temporal expression analysis using RT-PCR based on the results of the dot-blot screens. The possible genetic mechanisms involved in these phenomena are discussed.

Cloning and analysis of pppg1, an inducible endopolygalacturonase gene from the oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora parasitica

Phytophthora parasitica is an oomycete plant pathogen that causes severe disease in a wide variety of crops. Here, we report the isolation of a gene, named pppg1, which encodes an extracellular endopolygalacturonase in P. parasitica. Both cDNA and a genomic clone were isolated and sequenced. The pppg1 gene showed standard characteristics with respect to core promoter and intron sequences of Phytophthora. The predicted protein of pppg1 has a calculated molecular mass of 39.7 kDa and a pI value of 5.2, and contains a putative signal peptide of 20 amino acid residues on the N-terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence is highly conserved with those of other Phytophthora and fungal endopolygalacturonases. Analysis by reverse transcription followed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that transcription of pppg1 was repressed by glucose, but induced by pectin in the culture. Moreover, pppg1 is highly expressed during interaction of P. parasitica with the host plant, suggesting its involvement in the process of host infection. Heterologous expression of pppg1 in Pichia pastoris produced proteins with molecular mass ranging from 75 to 200 kDa, very likely due to differential glycosylation by the yeast. Deglycosylation of the recombinant protein resulted in a complete loss of the endopolygalacturonase activity.

The purification, physical/chemical characterization, and cDNA sequence of cantaloupe fruit polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein

ABSTRACT Polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) are believed to aid in plant defense against fungal pathogens by inhibiting polygalacturonases (PGs) secreted by the invading organism. In an effort to better understand this type of plant-pathogen interaction in cucurbits, we have isolated a cantaloupe PGIP (CmPGIP) from 5 to 15 day postanthesis cantaloupe fruit. CmPGIP inhibited crude extracts of PG from two of four fungal pathogens of cantaloupe that were tested. Results from assays for PG activity that utilized rate of substrate viscosity reduction or rate of reducing group formation were consistent with CmPGIP inhibition of endo-PG activity. The M(r) of CmPGIP by sedimentation equilibrium or MALDITOF MS was 38,500. The pI of CmPGIP was approximately 8.2, and its absorptivity at 280 nm was 0.93 ml/mg. The circular dichroism spectrum of native CmPGIP exhibited strong negative ellipticity in the near UV and possessed a far UV spectrum indicative of beta-sheet periodic structure. Amino acid sequences of the N terminus and a cyanogen bromide peptide were used to construct oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reaction sequencing. The sequenced open reading frame predicts a mature protein of 307 amino acids with up to 68% identity to other PGIP molecules. Northern blot analysis revealed differential expression during fruit development. The isolation and structural information obtained for CmPGIP by this investigation provide a foundation for the development of molecular strategies for pre- and postharvest crop protection.

Relationship of Developmental Stage of Cantaloupe Fruit to Black Rot Susceptibility and Enzyme Production by Didymella bryoniae

Black rot of cantaloupe fruit, caused by Didymella bryoniae, can be severe when environmental conditions and fruit developmental stages are favorable for infection. Symptoms of black rot on cantaloupe fruit varied greatly depending on fruit age. The black rot phase was observed only on mature fruit. Inoculation of cantaloupe fruit at different developmental stages with five D. bryoniae isolates resulted in the greatest amount of decay on 10-day-old fruit compared with 20-, 30-, 40-, or 50-day-old fruit. There was no difference in lesion size among 20-, 30-, 40-, or 50-day-old fruit, although there was variation in lesion size among fungal isolates. Five fungal isolates all produced the greatest polygalacturonase (PG) activity in inoculated 10-day-old fruit compared with 20-, 30-, 40- or 50-day-old fruit. There was a positive correlation between lesion size and total fungal PG activity in decayed tissue. Using a representative D. bryoniae isolate (OK 963096), multiple PG isozymes were detected in both fungal shake culture and decayed fruit. Eleven PG isozymes (pI 4.7 to 7.9) were detected from fungal shake culture using pectin or polygalacturonic acid as the sole carbon source. Twelve PG isozymes (pI 4.7 to 8.7) were detected from decayed tissue of 10-day-old fruit, and 13 PG isozymes (pI 4.2 to 8.7) were observed from decayed tissue of 50-day-old fruit. The activity of D. bryoniae PG produced in vitro and in vivo was optimum at pH 5.0 and 5.5, respectively. The activity of the fungal PG produced in vitro exhibited primarily an endo-mode of action. In contrast, PG extracted from decayed tissue was predominately exo-PG. Thus, PG may play an important role in pathogenesis of D. bryoniae during cantaloupe fruit decay.