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Pejenaute-Ochoa MD, Tomás-Gallardo L, Ibeas JI, Barrales RR. Row1, a member of a new family of conserved fungal proteins involved in infection, is required for appressoria functionality in Ustilago maydis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:1101-1122. [PMID: 38742361 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19798] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The appressorium of phytopathogenic fungi is a specific structure with a crucial role in plant cuticle penetration. Pathogens with melanized appressoria break the cuticle through cell wall melanization and intracellular turgor pressure. However, in fungi with nonmelanized appressorium, the mechanisms governing cuticle penetration are poorly understood. Here we characterize Row1, a previously uncharacterized appressoria-specific protein of Ustilago maydis that localizes to membrane and secretory vesicles. Deletion of row1 decreases appressoria formation and plant penetration, thereby reducing virulence. Specifically, the Δrow1 mutant has a thicker cell wall that is more resistant to glucanase degradation. We also observed that the Δrow1 mutant has secretion defects. We show that Row1 is functionally conserved at least among Ustilaginaceae and belongs to the Row family, which consists of five other proteins that are highly conserved among Basidiomycota fungi and are involved in U. maydis virulence. We observed similarities in localization between Row1 and Row2, which is also involved in cell wall remodelling and secretion, suggesting similar molecular functions for members of this protein family. Our data suggest that Row1 could modify the chitin-glucan matrix of the fungal cell wall and may be involved in unconventional protein secretion, thereby promoting both appressoria maturation and penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Dolores Pejenaute-Ochoa
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Laura Tomás-Gallardo
- Proteomics and Biochemistry Platform, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km. 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - José I Ibeas
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Ramón R Barrales
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
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2
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Lu S, Guo F, Wang Z, Shen X, Deng Y, Meng J, Jiang Z, Chen B. Genetic Dissection of T-DNA Insertional Mutants Reveals Uncoupling of Dikaryotic Filamentation and Virulence in Sugarcane Smut Fungus. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2021; 111:2303-2308. [PMID: 33978448 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-03-21-0114-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The biotrophic basidiomycetous fungus Sporisorium scitamineum causing smut disease in sugarcane is characterized by a life cycle composed of a yeast-like nonpathogenic haploid basidiosporial stage outside the plant and filamentous pathogenic dikaryotic hyphae within the plant. Under field conditions, dikaryotic hyphae are formed after mating of two opposite mating-type strains. However, the mechanisms underlying genetic regulation of filamentation and its association with pathogenicity and development of teliospores are unclear. This study has focused on the characterization and genetic dissection of haploid filamentous mutants derived from T-DNA insertional mutagenesis. Our results support the existence of at least three genotypes among the six haploid filamentous mutants that differentially contribute to virulence and development of the whip and teliospore, providing a novel foundation for further investigation of the regulatory networks associated with pathogenicity and teliospore development in S. scitamineum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Feng Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Xiaorui Shen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Yizhen Deng
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 China
| | - Jiaorong Meng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Zide Jiang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 China
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
- Ministry & Province co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Nanning, 530004 China
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3
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Wang S, Liang H, Wei Y, Zhang P, Dang Y, Li G, Zhang SH. Alternative Splicing of MoPTEN Is Important for Growth and Pathogenesis in Magnaporthe oryzae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:715773. [PMID: 34335554 PMCID: PMC8322540 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.715773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Human PTEN, a dual-phosphatase tumor suppressor, is frequently dysregulated by alternative splicing. Fungi harbor PTEN homologs, but alternative splicing of fungal PTENs has not been reported as far as we know. Here, we described an alternative splicing case in the PTEN homolog of Magnaporthe oryzae (MoPTEN). Two splice variants of MoPTEN were detected and identified, which are resulted from an intron retention and exclusion (MoPTEN-1/2). Both proteins were different in lipid and protein phosphatase activity and in expression patterns. The MoPTEN deletion mutant (ΔMoPTEN) showed the defects in conidiation, appressorium formation, and pathogenesis. ΔMoPTEN could be completely restored by MoPTEN, but rescued partially by MoPTEN-1 in the defect of conidium and appressorium formation, and by MoPTEN-2 in the defect of invasive development. Assays to assess sensitivity to oxidative stress reveal the involvement of MoPTEN-2 in scavenging exogenous and host-derived H2O2. Taken together, MoPTEN undergoes alternative splicing, and both variants cooperatively contribute to conidium and appressorium development, and invasive hyphae growth in plant cells, revealing a novel disease development pathway in M. oryzae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowei Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hao Liang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Wei
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Center for Extreme-Environmental Microorganisms, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Penghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuejia Dang
- Center for Extreme-Environmental Microorganisms, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guihua Li
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Center for Extreme-Environmental Microorganisms, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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4
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Starke J, Harting R, Maurus I, Leonard M, Bremenkamp R, Heimel K, Kronstad JW, Braus GH. Unfolded Protein Response and Scaffold Independent Pheromone MAP Kinase Signaling Control Verticillium dahliae Growth, Development, and Plant Pathogenesis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7040305. [PMID: 33921172 PMCID: PMC8071499 DOI: 10.3390/jof7040305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiation, growth, and virulence of the vascular plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae depend on a network of interconnected cellular signaling cascades. The transcription factor Hac1 of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated unfolded protein response (UPR) is required for initial root colonization, fungal growth, and vascular propagation by conidiation. Hac1 is essential for the formation of microsclerotia as long-time survival resting structures in the field. Single endoplasmic reticulum-associated enzymes for linoleic acid production as precursors for oxylipin signal molecules support fungal growth but not pathogenicity. Microsclerotia development, growth, and virulence further require the pheromone response mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, but without the Ham5 scaffold function. The MAPK phosphatase Rok1 limits resting structure development of V.dahliae, but promotes growth, conidiation, and virulence. The interplay between UPR and MAPK signaling cascades includes several potential targets for fungal growth control for supporting disease management of the vascular pathogen V.dahliae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Starke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Rebekka Harting
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Isabel Maurus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Miriam Leonard
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Rica Bremenkamp
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Kai Heimel
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
| | - James W. Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
| | - Gerhard H. Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; (J.S.); (R.H.); (I.M.); (M.L.); (R.B.); (K.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)551-39-33771
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5
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Wang S, Li G, Wei Y, Wang G, Dang Y, Zhang P, Zhang SH. Involvement of the Mitochondrial Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase PTPM1 in the Promotion of Conidiation, Development, and Pathogenicity in Colletotrichum graminicola. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:605738. [PMID: 33519752 PMCID: PMC7841309 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.605738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphorylation status of proteins, which is determined by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), governs many cellular actions. In fungal pathogens, phosphorylation-mediated signal transduction has been considered to be one of the most important mechanisms in pathogenicity. Colletotrichum graminicola is an economically important corn pathogen. However, whether phosphorylation is involved in its pathogenicity is unknown. A mitochondrial protein tyrosine phosphatase gene, designated CgPTPM1, was deduced in C. graminicola through the use of bioinformatics and confirmed by enzyme activity assays and observation of its subcellular localization. We then created a CgPTPM1 deletion mutant (ΔCgPTPM1) to analyze its biological function. The results indicated that the loss of CgPTPM1 dramatically affected the formation of conidia and the development and differentiation into appressoria. However, the colony growth and conidial morphology of the ΔCgPTPM1 strains were unaffected. Importantly, the ΔCgPTPM1 mutant strains exhibited an obvious reduction of virulence, and the delayed infected hyphae failed to expand in the host cells. In comparison with the wild-type, ΔCgPTPM1 accumulated a larger amount of H2O2 and was sensitive to exogenous H2O2. Interestingly, the host cells infected by the mutant also exhibited an increased accumulation of H2O2 around the infection sites. Since the expression of the CgHYR1, CgGST1, CgGLR1, CgGSH1 and CgPAP1 genes was upregulated with the H2O2 treatment, our results suggest that the mitochondrial protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPM1 plays an essential role in promoting the pathogenicity of C. graminicola by regulating the excessive in vivo and in vitro production of H2O2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowei Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guihua Li
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Wei
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Gang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yuejia Dang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Penghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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6
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Kijpornyongpan T, Aime MC. Investigating the Smuts: Common Cues, Signaling Pathways, and the Role of MAT in Dimorphic Switching and Pathogenesis. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040368. [PMID: 33339287 PMCID: PMC7766764 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis serves as a model species for studying fungal dimorphism and its role in phytopathogenic development. The pathogen has two growth phases: a saprobic yeast phase and a pathogenic filamentous phase. Dimorphic transition of U. maydis involves complex processes of signal perception, mating, and cellular reprogramming. Recent advances in improvement of reference genomes, high-throughput sequencing and molecular genetics studies have been expanding research in this field. However, the biology of other non-model species is frequently overlooked. This leads to uncertainty regarding how much of what is known in U. maydis is applicable to other dimorphic fungi. In this review, we will discuss dimorphic fungi in the aspects of physiology, reproductive biology, genomics, and molecular genetics. We also perform comparative analyses between U. maydis and other fungi in Ustilaginomycotina, the subphylum to which U. maydis belongs. We find that lipid/hydrophobicity is a potential common cue for dimorphic transition in plant-associated dimorphic fungi. However, genomic profiles alone are not adequate to explain dimorphism across different fungi.
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7
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The Unfolded Protein Response Regulates Pathogenic Development of Ustilago maydis by Rok1-Dependent Inhibition of Mating-Type Signaling. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02756-19. [PMID: 31848283 PMCID: PMC6918084 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02756-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is crucial for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and disease development in fungal pathogens. In the plant-pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis, the UPR supports fungal proliferation in planta and effector secretion for plant defense suppression. In this study, we uncovered that UPR activity, which is normally restricted to the biotrophic stage in planta, inhibits mating and the formation of infectious filaments by Rok1-dependent dephosphorylation of the pheromone responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Kpp2. This observation is relevant for understanding how the fungal virulence program is regulated by cellular physiology. UPR-mediated control of mating-type signaling pathways predicts that effector gene expression and the virulence potential are controlled by ER stress levels. Fungal pathogens require the unfolded protein response (UPR) to maintain protein homeostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during pathogenic development. In the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis, pathogenic development is controlled by the a and b mating-type loci. The UPR is specifically activated after plant penetration and required for efficient secretion of effectors and suppression of the plant defense response. The interaction between the UPR regulator Cib1 and the central developmental regulator Clp1 modulates the pathogenic program and triggers fungal colonization of the host plant. By contrast, when activated before plant penetration, the UPR interferes with fungal virulence by reducing expression of bE and bW, the central regulators of pathogenic development encoded by the b mating-type locus. Here, we show that this inhibitory effect results from UPR-mediated suppression of the pheromone response pathway upstream of the b regulatory network. UPR activity prompts dephosphorylation of the pheromone-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Kpp2, reducing activity of the pheromone response factor Prf1 that regulates expression of bE and bW. Deletion of the dual specificity phosphatase rok1 fully suppressed UPR-dependent inhibition of Kpp2 phosphorylation, formation of infectious filaments, and fungal virulence. Rok1 determines the activity of mating-type signaling pathways and thus the degree of fungal virulence. We propose that UPR-dependent regulation of Rok1 aligns ER physiology with fungal aggressiveness and effector gene expression during biotrophic growth of U. maydis in the host plant.
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8
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Zhang Y, Liu H, Cao Q, Ge Q, Cui H, Yu X, Ye Z. Cloning and characterization of the UePrf1 gene in Ustilago esculenta. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 365:4956762. [PMID: 29617942 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ustilago esculenta, an obligate parasite of Zizania latifolia, is a typical dimorphic fungus which induces host stem swelling and inhibits host inflorescence development, but is not found in host leaves. Previous studies have shown that dimorphic switching is essential for fungal pathogenicity and is regulated by protein kinase A and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways that are integrated by Prf1 in Ustilago maydis. In this study we identified a Prf1 homolog in U. esculenta, designated UePrf1, encoding 830 amino acids with a conserved high mobility group domain located between amino acids 124 and 195. UePrf1 was upregulated during the mating process, which induces dimorphism in U. esculenta. In vitro, UePrf1 mutants showed defects in the mating process, including cell fusion and hyphal growth. UePrf1 mutants also show reduced expression of a genes, even during the cell fusion process. Additionally, the defect in hyphal growth of the UeKpp2 and UeKpp6 mutants (MAPK signaling pathway mutants) was partially counteracted by UePrf1 overexpression, along with induced b gene expression. These results provide evidence that UePrf1 is a key factor coordinating dimorphism in U. esculenta and suggest a conserved role for UePrf1 in the regulation of the a and b genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafen Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Honglei Liu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Qianchao Cao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Qianwen Ge
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Haifeng Cui
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
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9
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González-Rubio G, Fernández-Acero T, Martín H, Molina M. Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases (MKPs) in Fungal Signaling: Conservation, Function, and Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071709. [PMID: 30959830 PMCID: PMC6479966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are key mediators of signaling in fungi, participating in the response to diverse stresses and in developmental processes. Since the precise regulation of MAPKs is fundamental for cell physiology, fungi bear dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) that act as MAP kinase phosphatases (MKPs). Whereas fungal MKPs share characteristic domains of this phosphatase subfamily, they also have specific interaction motifs and particular activation mechanisms, which, for example, allow some yeast MKPs, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sdp1, to couple oxidative stress with substrate recognition. Model yeasts show that MKPs play a key role in the modulation of MAPK signaling flow. Mutants affected in S. cerevisiae Msg5 or in Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pmp1 display MAPK hyperactivation and specific phenotypes. MKPs from virulent fungi, such as Candida albicans Cpp1, Fusarium graminearum Msg5, and Pyricularia oryzae Pmp1, are relevant for pathogenicity. Apart from transcriptional regulation, MKPs can be post-transcriptionally regulated by RNA-binding proteins such as Rnc1, which stabilizes the S. pombePMP1 mRNA. P. oryzae Pmp1 activity and S. cerevisiae Msg5 stability are regulated by phosphorylation and ubiquitination, respectively. Therefore, fungi offer a platform to gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms that control MKPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema González-Rubio
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Farmacia. Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Teresa Fernández-Acero
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Farmacia. Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Humberto Martín
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Farmacia. Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Molina
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Farmacia. Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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10
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Han X, Altegoer F, Steinchen W, Binnebesel L, Schuhmacher J, Glatter T, Giammarinaro PI, Djamei A, Rensing SA, Reissmann S, Kahmann R, Bange G. A kiwellin disarms the metabolic activity of a secreted fungal virulence factor. Nature 2019; 565:650-653. [PMID: 30651637 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0857-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fungi-induced plant diseases affect global food security and plant ecology. The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize (Zea mays) plants by secreting numerous virulence effectors that reprogram plant metabolism and immune responses1,2. The secreted fungal chorismate mutase Cmu1 presumably affects biosynthesis of the plant immune signal salicylic acid by channelling chorismate into the phenylpropanoid pathway3. Here we show that one of the 20 maize-encoded kiwellins (ZmKWL1) specifically blocks the catalytic activity of Cmu1. ZmKWL1 hinders substrate access to the active site of Cmu1 through intimate interactions involving structural features that are specific to fungal Cmu1 orthologues. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that plant kiwellins have a versatile scaffold that can specifically counteract pathogen effectors such as Cmu1. We reveal the biological activity of a member of the kiwellin family, a widely conserved group of proteins that have previously been recognized only as important human allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Han
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Florian Altegoer
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lynn Binnebesel
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jan Schuhmacher
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Timo Glatter
- Facility for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Pietro I Giammarinaro
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Armin Djamei
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.,Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan A Rensing
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Reissmann
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Regine Kahmann
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Gert Bange
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) and Department of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany.
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Zhang Y, Ge Q, Cao Q, Cui H, Hu P, Yu X, Ye Z. Cloning and Characterization of Two MAPK Genes UeKpp2 and UeKpp6 in Ustilago esculenta. Curr Microbiol 2018; 75:1016-1024. [PMID: 29594403 PMCID: PMC6018589 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-018-1483-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ustilago esculenta, resembling a fungal endophyte in Zizania latifolia, inhibits the host plant flowering and induces the host stems to swell and form edible galls. It is well believed that when and how the fungus infects and proliferates in the host plants during the host development is of importance in the edible gall formation. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have been found to play an important role in sensing environment cues and regulating infection. Two MAPK genes UeKpp2 and UeKpp6 from U. esculenta were cloned and suggested to be involved in the Fus3/Kss1 pathway by a phylogenetic analysis with the neighbor-joining method. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses indicated that expression of UeKpp2 and UeKpp6 were induced during mating and infection processes, and their expression patterns displayed differentially under different carbon and nitrogen sources. In addition, subcellular localization of UeKpp2 or UeKpp6 fused with the reporter green fluoresce protein was observed by confocal laser scanning microscope, and yeast two-hybrid assays were carried out. Results showed that both UeKpp2 and UeKpp6 were located in cytoplasm and interacted with UePrf1, indicating their involvement in hyphal growth and host-pathogen regulation. Only UeKpp2 but not UeKpp6 interacted with the upstream MAPK kinase UeFuz7, implying an additional MAPK pathway, in which UeKpp6 involved, existed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafen Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qianwen Ge
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qianchao Cao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haifeng Cui
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Peng Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China.
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Jiang
- NWAFU-Purdue Joint Research Center, College of Plant Protection, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, P. R. China
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Xue Zhang
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Huiquan Liu
- NWAFU-Purdue Joint Research Center, College of Plant Protection, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Jin-Rong Xu
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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13
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Moretti M, Wang L, Grognet P, Lanver D, Link H, Kahmann R. Three regulators of G protein signaling differentially affect mating, morphology and virulence in the smut fungusUstilago maydis. Mol Microbiol 2017; 105:901-921. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marino Moretti
- Department of Organismic Interactions; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Organismic Interactions; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Pierre Grognet
- Department of Organismic Interactions; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Daniel Lanver
- Department of Organismic Interactions; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Hannes Link
- Dynamic Control of Metabolic Networks; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 16, Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Regine Kahmann
- Department of Organismic Interactions; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology; Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, Marburg D-35043 Germany
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14
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Yuan L, Su Y, Zhou S, Feng Y, Guo W, Wang X. A RACK1-like protein regulates hyphal morphogenesis, root entry and in vivo virulence in Verticillium dahliae. Fungal Genet Biol 2017; 99:52-61. [PMID: 28089629 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
To identify key genes expressed in Verticillium dahliae in early stages of infection of cotton roots, spore suspensions of eight V. dahliae isolates with different virulence levels were induced by cotton roots and genes expressed in these isolates during the early stages of infection were profiled. A gene that was differentially expressed between highly and less virulent strains was identified. Cloning and bioinformatics analysis of the gene suggested that it belongs to the putative Gβ-like/RACK1 protein family, and has seven WD40 domains. Targeted deletion of the gene revealed that it controls a number of growth-related phenotypes, including conidia and microsclerotia production, normal spore germination and hyphal development. RACK1 is a component of eukaryotic ribosomes, and here we found by qRT-PCR that disruption of RACK1 in V. dahliae (designated VdRACK1) significantly altered the transcriptional levels of other ribosomal proteins, suggesting possible global effects of VdRACK1 deletion on the protein translation of other genes. VdRACK1-null mutants lost the ability to penetrate intact cotton roots. However, the mutant strain was able to infect root-wounded cotton plants and, intriguingly, resulted in a hypervirulent phenotype, implicating a role for VdRACK1 in the restriction of rampant growth within the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yaxin Su
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuai Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yigao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wangzhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
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15
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Rabe F, Seitner D, Bauer L, Navarrete F, Czedik-Eysenberg A, Rabanal FA, Djamei A. Phytohormone sensing in the biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis - the dual role of the transcription factor Rss1. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:290-305. [PMID: 27387604 PMCID: PMC5082525 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The phenolic compound salicylic acid (SA) is a key signalling molecule regulating local and systemic plant defense responses, mainly against biotrophs. Many microbial organisms, including pathogens, share the ability to degrade SA. However, the mechanism by which they perceive SA is unknown. Here we show that Ustilago maydis, the causal agent of corn smut disease, employs a so far uncharacterized SA sensing mechanism. We identified and characterized the novel SA sensing regulator, Rss1, a binuclear zinc cluster protein with dual functions as putative SA receptor and transcriptional activator regulating genes important for SA and tryptophan degradation. Rss1 represents a major component in the identified SA sensing pathway during the fungus' saprophytic stage. However, Rss1 does not have a detectable impact on virulence. The data presented in this work indicate that alternative or redundant sensing cascades exist that regulate the expression of SA-responsive genes in U. maydis during its pathogenic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Rabe
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Denise Seitner
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Lisa Bauer
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Fernando Navarrete
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Angelika Czedik-Eysenberg
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Fernando A Rabanal
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Armin Djamei
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna, 1030, Austria.
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16
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Winkelströter LK, Dolan SK, Fernanda Dos Reis T, Bom VLP, Alves de Castro P, Hagiwara D, Alowni R, Jones GW, Doyle S, Brown NA, Goldman GH. Systematic Global Analysis of Genes Encoding Protein Phosphatases in Aspergillus fumigatus. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2015; 5:1525-39. [PMID: 25943523 PMCID: PMC4502386 DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.016766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungal pathogen that causes several invasive and noninvasive diseases named aspergillosis. This disease is generally regarded as multifactorial, considering that several pathogenicity determinants are present during the establishment of this illness. It is necessary to obtain an increased knowledge of how, and which, A. fumigatus signal transduction pathways are engaged in the regulation of these processes. Protein phosphatases are essential to several signal transduction pathways. We identified 32 phosphatase catalytic subunit-encoding genes in A. fumigatus, of which we were able to construct 24 viable deletion mutants. The role of nine phosphatase mutants in the HOG (high osmolarity glycerol response) pathway was evaluated by measuring phosphorylation of the p38 MAPK (SakA) and expression of osmo-dependent genes. We were also able to identify 11 phosphatases involved in iron assimilation, six that are related to gliotoxin resistance, and three implicated in gliotoxin production. These results present the creation of a fundamental resource for the study of signaling in A. fumigatus and its implications in the regulation of pathogenicity determinants and virulence in this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizziane K Winkelströter
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Stephen K Dolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Thaila Fernanda Dos Reis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Leite Pedro Bom
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Raneem Alowni
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Gary W Jones
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Neil Andrew Brown
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 13083-970 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil National Laboratory of Science and Technology of Bioethanol (CTBE), 13083-970 Campinas, Brazil
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17
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Winkelströter LK, Bom VLP, de Castro PA, Ramalho LNZ, Goldman MHS, Brown NA, Rajendran R, Ramage G, Bovier E, Dos Reis TF, Savoldi M, Hagiwara D, Goldman GH. High osmolarity glycerol response PtcB phosphatase is important for Aspergillus fumigatus virulence. Mol Microbiol 2015; 96:42-54. [PMID: 25597841 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungal pathogen that is capable of adapting to different host niches and to avoid host defenses. An enhanced understanding of how, and which, A. fumigatus signal transduction pathways are engaged in the regulation of these processes is essential for the development of improved disease control strategies. Protein phosphatases are central to numerous signal transduction pathways. To comprehend the functions of protein phosphatases in A. fumigatus, 32 phosphatase catalytic subunit encoding genes were identified. We have recognized PtcB as one of the phosphatases involved in the high osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathway. The ΔptcB mutant has both increased phosphorylation of the p38 MAPK (SakA) and expression of osmo-dependent genes. The ΔptcB strain was more sensitive to cell wall damaging agents, had increased chitin and β-1,3-glucan, and impaired biofilm formation. The ΔptcB strain was avirulent in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results stress the importance of the HOG pathway in the regulation of pathogenicity determinants and virulence in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizziane K Winkelströter
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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18
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Global analysis of serine/threonine and tyrosine protein phosphatase catalytic subunit genes in Neurospora crassa reveals interplay between phosphatases and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2014; 4:349-65. [PMID: 24347630 PMCID: PMC3931568 DOI: 10.1534/g3.113.008813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphatases are integral components of the cellular signaling machinery in eukaryotes, regulating diverse aspects of growth and development. The genome of the filamentous fungus and model organism Neurospora crassa encodes catalytic subunits for 30 protein phosphatase genes. In this study, we have characterized 24 viable N. crassa phosphatase catalytic subunit knockout mutants for phenotypes during growth, asexual development, and sexual development. We found that 91% of the mutants had defects in at least one of these traits, whereas 29% possessed phenotypes in all three. Chemical sensitivity screens were conducted to reveal additional phenotypes for the mutants. This resulted in the identification of at least one chemical sensitivity phenotype for 17 phosphatase knockout mutants, including novel chemical sensitivities for two phosphatase mutants lacking a growth or developmental phenotype. Hence, chemical sensitivity or growth/developmental phenotype was observed for all 24 viable mutants. We investigated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation profiles in the phosphatase mutants and identified nine potential candidates for regulators of the p38 MAPK. We demonstrated that the PP2C class phosphatase pph-8 (NCU04600) is an important regulator of female sexual development in N. crassa. In addition, we showed that the Δcsp-6 (ΔNCU08380) mutant exhibits a phenotype similar to the previously identified conidial separation mutants, Δcsp-1 and Δcsp-2, that lack transcription factors important for regulation of conidiation and the circadian clock.
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19
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Heimel K, Freitag J, Hampel M, Ast J, Bölker M, Kämper J. Crosstalk between the unfolded protein response and pathways that regulate pathogenic development in Ustilago maydis. THE PLANT CELL 2013; 25:4262-77. [PMID: 24179126 PMCID: PMC3877826 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.113.115899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a conserved eukaryotic signaling pathway regulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis during ER stress, which results, for example, from an increased demand for protein secretion. Here, we characterize the homologs of the central UPR regulatory proteins Hac1 (for Homologous to ATF/CREB1) and Inositol Requiring Enzyme1 in the plant pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis and demonstrate that the UPR is tightly interlinked with the b mating-type-dependent signaling pathway that regulates pathogenic development. Exact timing of UPR is required for virulence, since premature activation interferes with the b-dependent switch from budding to filamentous growth. In addition, we found crosstalk between UPR and the b target Clampless1 (Clp1), which is essential for cell cycle release and proliferation in planta. The unusual C-terminal extension of the U. maydis Hac1 homolog, Cib1 (for Clp1 interacting bZIP1), mediates direct interaction with Clp1. The interaction between Clp1 and Cib1 promotes stabilization of Clp1, resulting in enhanced ER stress tolerance that prevents deleterious UPR hyperactivation. Thus, the interaction between Cib1 and Clp1 constitutes a checkpoint to time developmental progression and increased secretion of effector proteins at the onset of biotrophic development. Crosstalk between UPR and the b mating-type regulated developmental program adapts ER homeostasis to the changing demands during biotrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Heimel
- Georg-August-University Göttingen, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Bioscience, Department of Genetics, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Johannes Freitag
- Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Biology, 35032 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Hampel
- Georg-August-University Göttingen, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Julia Ast
- Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Biology, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bölker
- Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Biology, 35032 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35032 Marburg, Germany
- Address correspondence to
| | - Jörg Kämper
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Bioscience, Department of Genetics, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
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20
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Rabe F, Ajami-Rashidi Z, Doehlemann G, Kahmann R, Djamei A. Degradation of the plant defence hormone salicylic acid by the biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis. Mol Microbiol 2013; 89:179-88. [PMID: 23692401 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Salicylic acid (SA) is a key plant defence hormone which plays an important role in local and systemic defence responses against biotrophic pathogens like the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Here we identified Shy1, a cytoplasmic U. maydis salicylate hydroxylase which has orthologues in the closely related smuts Ustilago hordei and Sporisorium reilianum. shy1 is transcriptionally induced during the biotrophic stages of development but not required for virulence during seedling infection. Shy1 activity is needed for growth on plates with SA as a sole carbon source. The trigger for shy1 transcriptional induction is SA, suggesting the possibility of a SA sensing mechanism in this fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Rabe
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 10, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
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21
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Cho Y, Srivastava A, Ohm RA, Lawrence CB, Wang KH, Grigoriev IV, Marahatta SP. Transcription factor Amr1 induces melanin biosynthesis and suppresses virulence in Alternaria brassicicola. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1002974. [PMID: 23133370 PMCID: PMC3486909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternaria brassicicola is a successful saprophyte and necrotrophic plant pathogen. Several A. brassicicola genes have been characterized as affecting pathogenesis of Brassica species. To study regulatory mechanisms of pathogenesis, we mined 421 genes in silico encoding putative transcription factors in a machine-annotated, draft genome sequence of A. brassicicola. In this study, targeted gene disruption mutants for 117 of the transcription factor genes were produced and screened. Three of these genes were associated with pathogenesis. Disruption mutants of one gene (AbPacC) were nonpathogenic and another gene (AbVf8) caused lesions less than half the diameter of wild-type lesions. Unexpectedly, mutants of the third gene, Amr1, caused lesions with a two-fold larger diameter than the wild type and complementation mutants. Amr1 is a homolog of Cmr1, a transcription factor that regulates melanin biosynthesis in several fungi. We created gene deletion mutants of Δamr1 and characterized their phenotypes. The Δamr1 mutants used pectin as a carbon source more efficiently than the wild type, were melanin-deficient, and more sensitive to UV light and glucanase digestion. The AMR1 protein was localized in the nuclei of hyphae and in highly melanized conidia during the late stage of plant pathogenesis. RNA-seq analysis revealed that three genes in the melanin biosynthesis pathway, along with the deleted Amr1 gene, were expressed at low levels in the mutants. In contrast, many hydrolytic enzyme-coding genes were expressed at higher levels in the mutants than in the wild type during pathogenesis. The results of this study suggested that a gene important for survival in nature negatively affected virulence, probably by a less efficient use of plant cell-wall materials. We speculate that the functions of the Amr1 gene are important to the success of A. brassicicola as a competitive saprophyte and plant parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangrae Cho
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America.
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22
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Metabolic priming by a secreted fungal effector. Nature 2011; 478:395-8. [PMID: 21976020 DOI: 10.1038/nature10454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 401] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2011] [Accepted: 08/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Maize smut caused by the fungus Ustilago maydis is a widespread disease characterized by the development of large plant tumours. U. maydis is a biotrophic pathogen that requires living plant tissue for its development and establishes an intimate interaction zone between fungal hyphae and the plant plasma membrane. U. maydis actively suppresses plant defence responses by secreted protein effectors. Its effector repertoire comprises at least 386 genes mostly encoding proteins of unknown function and expressed exclusively during the biotrophic stage. The U. maydis secretome also contains about 150 proteins with probable roles in fungal nutrition, fungal cell wall modification and host penetration as well as proteins unlikely to act in the fungal-host interface like a chorismate mutase. Chorismate mutases are key enzymes of the shikimate pathway and catalyse the conversion of chorismate to prephenate, the precursor for tyrosine and phenylalanine synthesis. Root-knot nematodes inject a secreted chorismate mutase into plant cells likely to affect development. Here we show that the chorismate mutase Cmu1 secreted by U. maydis is a virulence factor. The enzyme is taken up by plant cells, can spread to neighbouring cells and changes the metabolic status of these cells through metabolic priming. Secreted chorismate mutases are found in many plant-associated microbes and might serve as general tools for host manipulation.
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23
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Tückmantel S, Greul JN, Janning P, Brockmeyer A, Grütter C, Simard JR, Gutbrod O, Beck ME, Tietjen K, Rauh D, Schreier PH. Identification of Ustilago maydis Aurora kinase as a novel antifungal target. ACS Chem Biol 2011; 6:926-33. [PMID: 21671622 DOI: 10.1021/cb200112y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Infestation of crops by pathogenic fungi has continued to have a major impact by reducing yield and quality, emphasizing the need to identify new targets and develop new agents to improve methods of crop protection. Here we present Aurora kinase from the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis as a novel target for N-substituted diaminopyrimidines, a class of small-molecule kinase inhibitors. We show that Aurora kinase is essential in U. maydis and that diaminopyrimidines inhibit its activity in vitro. Furthermore, we observed an overall good correlation between in vitro inhibition of Aurora kinase and growth inhibition of diverse fungi in vivo. In vitro inhibition assays with Ustilago and human Aurora kinases indicate that some compounds of the N-substituted diaminopyrimidine class show specificity for the Ustilago enzyme, thus revealing their potential as selective fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Tückmantel
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jörg N. Greul
- Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, D-40789 Monheim, Germany
| | - Petra Janning
- Department IV - Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Andreas Brockmeyer
- Department IV - Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Christian Grütter
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jeffrey R. Simard
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Oliver Gutbrod
- Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, D-40789 Monheim, Germany
| | - Michael E. Beck
- Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, D-40789 Monheim, Germany
| | - Klaus Tietjen
- Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, D-40789 Monheim, Germany
| | - Daniel Rauh
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Fakultät Chemie - Chemische Biologie, Technische Universität Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Peter H. Schreier
- Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, D-40789 Monheim, Germany
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
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Vollmeister E, Schipper K, Baumann S, Haag C, Pohlmann T, Stock J, Feldbrügge M. Fungal development of the plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2011; 36:59-77. [PMID: 21729109 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2011.00296.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The maize pathogen Ustilago maydis has to undergo various morphological transitions for the completion of its sexual life cycle. For example, haploid cells respond to pheromone by forming conjugation tubes that fuse at their tips. The resulting dikaryon grows filamentously, expanding rapidly at the apex and inserting retraction septa at the basal pole. In this review, we present progress on the underlying mechanisms regulating such defined developmental programmes. The key findings of the postgenomic era are as follows: (1) endosomes function not only during receptor recycling, but also as multifunctional transport platforms; (2) a new transcriptional master regulator for pathogenicity is part of an intricate transcriptional network; (3) determinants for uniparental mitochondrial inheritance are encoded at the a2 mating-type locus; (4) microtubule-dependent mRNA transport is important in determining the axis of polarity; and (5) a battery of fungal effectors encoded in gene clusters is crucial for plant infection. Importantly, most processes are tightly controlled at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational levels, resulting in a complex regulatory network. This intricate system is crucial for the timing of the correct order of developmental phases. Thus, new insights from all layers of regulation have substantially advanced our understanding of fungal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Vollmeister
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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Berndt P, Lanver D, Kahmann R. The AGC Ser/Thr kinase Aga1 is essential for appressorium formation and maintenance of the actin cytoskeleton in the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Mol Microbiol 2010; 78:1484-99. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07422.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Heimel K, Scherer M, Schuler D, Kämper J. The Ustilago maydis Clp1 protein orchestrates pheromone and b-dependent signaling pathways to coordinate the cell cycle and pathogenic development. THE PLANT CELL 2010; 22:2908-22. [PMID: 20729384 PMCID: PMC2947178 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.110.076265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2010] [Revised: 07/30/2010] [Accepted: 08/05/2010] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of the cell cycle and morphogenetic switching during pathogenic and sexual development in Ustilago maydis is orchestrated by a concerted action of the a and b mating-type loci. Activation of either mating-type locus triggers the G2 cell cycle arrest that is a prerequisite for the formation of the infectious dikaryon; this cell cycle arrest is released only after penetration of the host plant. Here, we show that bW, one of the two homeodomain transcription factors encoded by the b mating-type locus, and the zinc-finger transcription factor Rbf1, a master regulator for pathogenic development, interact with Clp1 (clampless 1), a protein required for the distribution of nuclei during cell division of the dikaryon. In addition, we identify Cib1, a previously undiscovered bZIP transcription factor required for pathogenic development, as a Clp1-interacting protein. Clp1 interaction with bW blocks b-dependent functions, such as the b-dependent G2 cell cycle arrest and dimorphic switching. The interaction of Clp1 with Rbf1 results in the repression of the a-dependent pheromone pathway, conjugation tube formation, and the a-induced G2 cell cycle arrest. The concerted interaction of Clp1 with Rbf1 and bW coordinates a- and b-dependent cell cycle control and ensures cell cycle release and progression at the onset of biotrophic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Heimel
- Department of Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Mario Scherer
- Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - David Schuler
- Department of Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jörg Kämper
- Department of Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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Lanver D, Mendoza-Mendoza A, Brachmann A, Kahmann R. Sho1 and Msb2-related proteins regulate appressorium development in the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. THE PLANT CELL 2010; 22:2085-101. [PMID: 20587773 PMCID: PMC2910971 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.109.073734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2010] [Revised: 05/03/2010] [Accepted: 06/11/2010] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis switches from budding to hyphal growth on the plant surface. In response to hydrophobicity and hydroxy fatty acids, U. maydis develops infection structures called appressoria. Here, we report that, unlike in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other fungi where Sho1 (synthetic high osmolarity sensitive) and Msb2 (multicopy suppressor of a budding defect) regulate stress responses and pseudohyphal growth, Sho1 and Msb2-like proteins play a key role during appressorium differentiation in U. maydis. Sho1 was identified through a two-hybrid screen as an interaction partner of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase Kpp6. Epistasis analysis revealed that sho1 and msb2 act upstream of the MAP kinases kpp2 and kpp6. Furthermore, Sho1 was shown to destabilize Kpp6 through direct interaction with the unique N-terminal domain in Kpp6, indicating a role of Sho1 in fine-tuning Kpp6 activity. Morphological differentiation in response to a hydrophobic surface was strongly attenuated in sho1 msb2 mutants, while hydroxy fatty acid-induced differentiation was unaffected. These data suggest that Sho1 and the transmembrane mucin Msb2 are involved in plant surface sensing in U. maydis.
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Brefort T, Doehlemann G, Mendoza-Mendoza A, Reissmann S, Djamei A, Kahmann R. Ustilago maydis as a Pathogen. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2009; 47:423-45. [PMID: 19400641 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-080508-081923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The Ustilago maydis-maize pathosystem has emerged as the current model for plant pathogenic basidiomycetes and as one of the few models for a true biotrophic interaction that persists throughout fungal development inside the host plant. This is based on the highly advanced genetic system for both the pathogen and its host, the ability to propagate U. maydis in axenic culture, and its unique capacity to induce prominent disease symptoms (tumors) on all aerial parts of maize within less than a week. The corn smut pathogen, though economically not threatening, will continue to serve as a model for related obligate biotrophic fungi such as the rusts, but also for closely related smut species that induce symptoms only in the flower organs of their hosts. In this review we describe the most prominent features of the U. maydis-maize pathosystem as well as genes and pathways most relevant to disease. We highlight recent developments that place this system at the forefront of understanding the function of secreted effectors in eukaryotic pathogens and describe the expected spin-offs for closely related species exploiting comparative genomics approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Brefort
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Organismic Interactions, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
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