Adaptive regulation of virulence genes by microRNA-like RNAs in Valsa mali

Identification of an SCF Ubiquitin Ligase Complex that Contributes to Resistance Against Valsa Canker in Apple

E3 ubiquitin ligases play a critical role in plant disease resistance. Among them, the Skp1-Cullin-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex is the largest family and regulates the ubiquitination of a wide range of proteins. Apple Valsa canker (AVC) is a fungal disease of apple trees caused by the fungus Valsa mali, which can lead to significant economic losses. However, the function of the SCF complex in apple resistance to this disease is still largely unknown. In this study, we identified an SCF ubiquitin ligase complex that can enhance resistance to Valsa canker in apple. Disease evaluation experiments demonstrated that MdSkp1 increased apple resistance to AVC. Furthermore, MdSkp1 interacted with an F-box protein, MdSKIP14, and interacted with a cullin-1 protein, MdCUL1, to form an SCF ubiquitin ligase complex. Additionally, we revealed both MdSKIP14 and MdCUL1 as positive regulators of AVC resistance. In conclusion, our results identified an SCF complex capable of contributing to apple resistance against AVC, providing a theoretical basis for apple disease resistance and the sustainable development of the industry. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Adaptive regulation of miRNAs/milRNAs in tissue-specific interaction between apple and Valsa mali

In plant-pathogen interactions, pathogens display tissue specificity, infecting and causing disease in particular tissues. However, the involvement of microRNAs/microRNA-like RNAs (miRNAs/milRNAs) in tissue-specific regulation during plant-pathogen interactions remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the differential expression of miRNAs/milRNAs, as well as their corresponding target genes, in interactions between Valsa mali (Vm) and different apple tissues. The results demonstrated that both apple miRNAs and Vm milRNAs exhibited distinct expression profiles when Vm infected bark and leaves, with functionally diverse corresponding target genes. Furthermore, one apple miRNA (Mdo-miR482a) and one Vm milRNA (Vm-milR57) were identified as exhibiting tissue-specific expression in interactions between Vm and apple bark or leaves. Mdo-miR482a was exclusively up-regulated in response to Vm infection in bark and target a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) gene of apple. When Mdo-miR482a was transiently over-expressed or silenced, the resistance was significantly reduced or improved. Similarly, transient expression of the NLR gene also showed an increase in resistance. Vm-milR57 could target two essential pathogenicity-related genes of Vm. During Vm infection in bark, the expression of Vm-milR57 was down-regulated to enhance the expression of the corresponding target gene to improve the pathogenicity. The study is the first to reveal tissue-specific characteristics of apple miRNAs and Vm milRNAs in interactions between Vm and different apple tissues, providing new insights into adaptive regulation in tissue-specific interactions between plants and fungi.

A novel and ubiquitous miRNA-involved regulatory module ensures precise phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II and proper transcription

Proper transcription orchestrated by RNA polymerase II (RNPII) is crucial for cellular development, which is rely on the phosphorylation state of RNPII's carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD). Sporangia, developed from mycelia, are essential for the destructive oomycetes Phytophthora, remarkable transcriptional changes are observed during the morphological transition. However, how these changes are rapidly triggered and their relationship with the versatile RNPII-CTD phosphorylation remain enigmatic. Herein, we found that Phytophthora capsici undergone an elevation of Ser5-phosphorylation in its uncanonical heptapeptide repeats of RNPII-CTD during sporangia development, which subsequently changed the chromosomal occupation of RNPII and primarily activated transcription of certain genes. A cyclin-dependent kinase, PcCDK7, was highly induced and phosphorylated RNPII-CTD during this morphological transition. Mechanistically, a novel DCL1-dependent microRNA, pcamiR1, was found to be a feedback modulator for the precise phosphorylation of RNPII-CTD by complexing with PcAGO1 and regulating the accumulation of PcCDK7. Moreover, this study revealed that the pcamiR1-CDK7-RNPII regulatory module is evolutionarily conserved and the impairment of the balance between pcamiR1 and PcCDK7 could efficiently reduce growth and virulence of P. capsici. Collectively, this study uncovers a novel and evolutionary conserved mechanism of transcription regulation which could facilitate correct development and identifies pcamiR1 as a promising target for disease control.

Recent advancements in the role of histone acetylation dynamics to improve stress responses in plants

In eukaryotes, transcriptional regulation is determined by the DNA sequence and is facilitated through sophisticated and complex chromatin alterations and histone remodelling. Recent research has shown that the histone acetylation dynamic, an intermittent and reversible substitution, constitutes a prerequisite for chromatin modification. These changes in chromatin structure modulate genome-wide and specific changes in response to external and internal cues like cell differentiation, development, growth, light temperature, and biotic stresses. Histone acetylation dynamics also control the cell cycle. HATs and HDACs play a critical role in gene expression modulation during plant growth and response to environmental circumstances. It has been well established that HATs and HDACs interact with various distinct transcription factors and chromatin-remodelling proteins (CRPs) involved in the transcriptional regulation of several developmental processes. This review explores recent research on histone acyltransferases and histone deacetylases, mainly focusing on their involvement in plant biotic stress responses. Moreover, we also emphasized the research gaps that must be filled to fully understand the complete function of histone acetylation dynamics during biotic stress responses in plants. A thorough understanding of histone acetylation will make it possible to enhance tolerance against various kinds of stress and decrease yield losses in many crops.

Biocontrol activity of an endophytic Alternaria alternata Aa-Lcht against apple Valsa canker

Apple Valsa canker (AVC), caused by Valsa mali, is the most serious branch disease for apples in East Asia. Biocontrol constitutes a desirable alternative strategy to alleviate the problems of orchard environment pollution and pathogen resistance risk. It is particularly important to explore efficient biocontrol microorganism resources to develop new biocontrol technologies and products. In this study, an endophytic fungus, which results in the specific inhibition of the growth of V. mali, was isolated from the twig tissue of Malus micromalus with a good tolerance to AVC. The fungus was identified as Alternaria alternata, based on morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis, and was named Aa-Lcht. Aa-Lcht showed a strong preventive effect against AVC, as determined with an in vitro twig evaluation method. When V. mali was inhibited by Aa-Lcht, according to morphological and cytological observations, the hyphae was deformed and it had more branches, a degradation in protoplasm, breakages in cell walls, and then finally died completely due to mycelium cells. Transcriptome analysis indicated that Aa-Lcht could suppress the growth of V. mali by inhibiting the activity of various hydrolases, destroying carbohydrate metabolic processes, and damaging the pathogen membrane system. It was further demonstrated that Aa-Lcht could colonize apple twig tissues without damaging the tissue's integrity. More importantly, Aa-Lcht could also stimulate the up-regulated expression of defense-related genes in apples together with the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and callose deposition in apple leaf cells. Summarizing the above, one endophytic biocontrol resource was isolated, and it can colonize apple twig tissue and play a biocontrol role through both pathogen inhibition and resistance inducement.

MdVQ12 confers resistance to Valsa mali by regulating MdHDA19 expression in apple

Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins play a crucial role in plant biotic stress responses. Apple Valsa canker, caused by the ascomycete Valsa mali, stands as one of the most severe diseases affecting apple trees. Nonetheless, the underlying resistance mechanism of VQ proteins against this disease has remained largely unexplored. This study reports MdVQ12, a VQ motif-containing protein, as a positive regulator of apple Valsa canker resistance. Genetic transformation experiments demonstrated that MdVQ12 overexpression increased resistance to V. mali, while gene silencing lines exhibited significantly reduced resistance. MdVQ12 interacted with the transcription factor MdWRKY23, which bound to the promoter of the histone deacetylase gene MdHDA19, activating its expression. MdHDA19 enhanced apple resistance to V. mali by participating in the jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signalling pathways. Additionally, MdVQ12 promoted the transcriptional activity of MdWRKY23 towards MdHDA19. Our findings reveal that MdVQ12 enhances apple resistance to V. mali by regulating MdHDA19 expression and thereby regulating the JA and ET signalling pathways, offering potential candidate gene resources for breeding apple Valsa canker-resistant germplasm.

Transboundary milRNAs: Indispensable molecules in the process of Trichoderma breve T069 mycoparasitism of Botrytis cinerea

Despite the increasing number of fungal microRNA-like small RNAs (milRNAs) being identified and reported, profiling of milRNAs in biocontrol fungi and their roles in the mycoparasitism of pathogenic fungi remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we constructed a GFP fluorescence strain to evaluate the critical period of mycoparasitism in the interaction system between T. breve T069 and B. cinerea. The results showed that the early stage of Trichoderma mycoparasitism occurred 12 h after hyphal contact and was characterized by hyphal parallelism, whereas the middle stage lasted 36 h was characterized by wrapping. The late stage of mycoparasitism occurred at 72 h was characterized by the degradation of B. cinerea mycelia. We subsequently identified the sRNAs of T. breve T069 and B. cinerea during the critical period of mycoparasitism using high-throughput sequencing. In ltR1, 45 potential milRNA targets were identified for 243 genes, and 73 milRNAs targeted 733 genes in ltR3. Additionally, to identify potential transboundary miRNAs in T. breve T069, we screened for miRNAs that were exclusively expressed and had precursor structures in the T. breve T069 genome but were absent in the B. cinerea genome. Next, we predicted the target genes of B. cinerea. Our findings showed that 14 potential transboundary milRNAs from T. breve T069 targeted 41 genes in B. cinerea. Notably, cme-MIR164a-p5_1ss17CT can target 15 genes, including Rim15 (BCIN_15g00280), Nop53 (BCIN_12g03770), Skn7 (BCIN_02g08650), and Vel3 (BCIN_03g06410), while ppe-MIR477b-p3_1ss11TC targeted polyketide synthase (BCIN_03g04360, PKS3). The target gene of PC-5p-27397_41 was a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (BCIN_01g03730, Bcnrps6). PC-3p-0029 (Tri-milR29) targeted chitin synthetase 7. These genes play crucial roles in normal mycelial growth and pathogenicity of B. cinerea. In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of milRNAs in Trichoderma mycoparasitism of B. cinerea. This discovery provides a new strategy for the application of miRNAs in the prevention and treatment of fungal pathogens.

VmPma1 contributes to virulence via regulation of the acidification process during host infection in Valsa mali

Valsa mali is a destructive phytopathogenic fungus that mainly infects apple and pear trees. Infection with V. mali results in host tissue acidification via the generation of citric acid, which promote invasion. Here, two plasma membrane H⁺-ATPases, VmPma1 and VmPma2, were identified in V. mali. The VmPma1 deletion mutant (∆VmPma1) displayed higher intracellular acid accumulation and a lower growth rate compared to the wild type. In contrast, the VmPma2 deletion mutant (∆VmPma2) showed no obvious phenotypic differences. Meanwhile, loss of VmPma1, but not VmPma2, in V. mali led to a significant decrease in growth under acidic or alkaline conditions compared with WT. More importantly, ∆VmPma1 showed a greater reduction in ATPase hydrolase activity and acidification of the external environment, more sensitivity to abiotic stress, and weaker pathogenicity than ∆VmPma2. This evidence indicates that VmPma1 is the main gene of the two plasma membrane H⁺-ATPases. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that many metabolic processes regulated by VmPma1 are strictly pH-regulated. Besides, we identified two genes (named VmAgn1p and Vmap1) that contribute to the pathogenicity of V. mali by differentially regulating external acidification capacity. Overall, our findings show that VmPma1 plays a pivotal role in pathogenicity by affecting the acidification of V. mali.

The Apple Receptor-Like Kinase MdSRLK3 Positively Regulates Resistance Against Pathogenic Fungus Valsa mali by Affecting the Ca2+ Signaling Pathway

Valsa mali is the main pathogenic fungus that causes the apple Valsa canker, a destructive disease severely threatening apple production in the world. However, the underlying key components involved in resistance against V. mali in apple trees remain largely unexplored. Here, we isolated and functionally characterized a G-type lectin S-receptor-like protein kinase MdSRLK3 from the cultivar Royal Gala derivative line GL-3. qRT-PCR showed that the relative expression of MdSRLK3 in apple branches reached its highest level at 24 h post V. mali inoculation, which was 13.42 times higher than without inoculation. Transient overexpression of MdSRLK3 enhanced apple resistance against V. mali, while transient silencing of MdSRLK3 reduced its resistance against the pathogen. More importantly, stable silencing of MdSRLK3 resulted in reduced resistance against this fungus. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MdSRLK3 positively regulated apple resistance by affecting the Ca²⁺ signaling pathway, and the regulation was also related to the H₂O₂ and callose signaling pathways. Overall, our data reveal that MdSRLK3 is a positive regulator of apple immunity.

The apple FERONIA receptor-like kinase MdMRLK2 negatively regulates Valsa canker resistance by suppressing defence responses and hypersensitive reaction

Valsa canker, caused by the fungus Valsa mali, is one of the most destructive diseases of apple trees in China and other East Asian countries. The plant receptor-like kinase FERONIA is involved in plant cell growth, development, and immunity. However, little is known about the function of FERONIA in apple defence against V. mali. In this study, we found that MdMRLK2 was highly induced by V. mali in twigs of V. mali-susceptible Malus mellana but not in those of the resistant species Malus yunnaensis. 35S:MdMRLK2 apple plants showed compromised resistance relative to wild-type (WT) plants. Further analyses indicated that 35S:MdMRLK2 apple plants had enhanced abscisic acid (ABA) levels and reduced salicylic acid (SA) levels relative to the WT on V. mali infection. MdMRLK2 overexpression also suppressed polyphenol accumulation and inhibited the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), and chitinase (CHT) during V. mali infection. Moreover, MdMRLK2 interacted with MdHIR1, a hypersensitive-induced response protein, and suppressed the MdHIR1-mediated hypersensitive reaction (HR), probably by impairing MdHIR1 self-interaction. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that overexpression of MdMRLK2 compromises Valsa canker resistance, probably by (a) altering ABA and SA levels, (b) suppressing polyphenol accumulation, (c) inhibiting PAL, GLU, and CHT activities, and (d) blocking MdHIR1-mediated HR by disrupting MdHIR1 self-interaction.

Exploring the Effectiveness and Durability of Trans-Kingdom Silencing of Fungal Genes in the Vascular Pathogen Verticillium dahliae

Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) based on trans-kingdom RNA interference (RNAi) has been successfully exploited to engineer host resistance to pests and pathogens, including fungi and oomycetes. However, revealing the mechanisms underlying trans-kingdom RNAi between hosts and pathogens lags behind applications. The effectiveness and durability of trans-kingdom silencing of pathogenic genes are uncharacterized. In this study, using our transgenic 35S-VdH1i cotton plants in which dsVdH1-derived small RNAs (siVdH1) accumulated, small RNA sequencing analysis revealed that siVdH1s exclusively occur within the double-stranded (ds)VdH1 region, and no transitive siRNAs were produced beyond this region in recovered hyphae of Verticillium dahliae (V. dahliae). Accordingly, we found that VdH1 silencing was reduced over time in recovered hyphae cultured in vitro, inferring that once the fungus got rid of the 35S-VdH1i cotton plants would gradually regain their pathogenicity. To explore whether continually exporting dsRNAs/siRNAs from transgenic plants into recipient fungal cells guaranteed the effectiveness and stability of HIGS, we created GFP/RFP double-labeled V. dahliae and transgenic Arabidopsis expressing dsGFP (35S-GFPi plants). Confocal images visually demonstrate the efficient silencing of GFP in V. dahliae that colonized host vascular tissues. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HIGS effectively triggers long-lasting trans-kingdom RNAi during plant vasculature V. dahliae interactions, despite no amplification or transitivity of RNAi being noted in this soil-borne fungal pathogen.

Temporal analysis of microRNAs associated with wing development in the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.) (Homoptera: Aphidiae)

Molecular mechanisms underlying wing evolution and development have been a point of scientific inquiry for decades. Phloem-feeding aphids are one of the most devastating global insect pests, where dispersal of winged morphs lead to annual movements, migrations, and range expansions. Aphids show a polyphenic wing dimorphism trait, and offer a model to study the role of environment in determining morphological plasticity of a single genotype. Despite recent progresses in the genetic understanding of wing polyphenism, the influence of environmental cues remains unclear. To investigate the involvement of miRNAs in wing development, we sequenced small RNA libraries of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.) across six different developmental stages. As a result, we identified 113 conserved and 193 S. avenae-specific miRNAs. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses of putative target mRNAs for the six differentially expressed miRNAs are enriched for wing development processes. Dietary uptake of miR-263a, miR-316, and miR-184a agomirs and antagomirs led to significantly higher mortality (>70%) and a lower proportion of winged morphs (<5%). On the other hand, wing malformation was observed in miR-2 and miR-306 agomirs and miR-2 and miR-14 antagomirs, respectively, suggesting their involvement in S. avenae wing morphogenesis. These combined results not only shed light on the regulatory role of miRNAs in wing dimorphism, but also provide potential novel targets for the long-term sustainable management of S. avenae, a devastating global grain pest.

A fungal microRNA-like RNA subverts host immunity and facilitates pathogen infection by silencing two host receptor-like kinase genes

Small RNAs (sRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes by silencing their corresponding target genes in most eukaryotes. However, cross-kingdom regulation mediated by fungal microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) in plant-pathogen interactions is still largely unknown. Using molecular, genetic, histological, and biochemical approaches, we found that the apple tree Valsa canker pathogen Valsa mali milRNA Vm-milR1 could suppress the host immunity by silencing two host receptor-like kinase genes, MdRLKT1 and MdRLKT2. Vm-milR1 was highly induced during V. mali infection. Deletion of Vm-milR1 precursor abolished the generation of Vm-milR1 and reduced the virulence of V. mali. Inoculation of Vm-milR1 deletion mutants induced the host defence responses, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, callose deposition, and high expression of defence-related genes. Furthermore, Vm-milR1 was confirmed to be able to suppress the expression of MdRLKT1 and MdRLKT2 in a sequence-specific manner. Moreover, overexpression of either MdRLKT1 or MdRLKT2 enhanced apple resistance to V. mali by activating the host defence responses. Furthermore, knockdown of MdRLKT1 or MdRLKT2 compromised the host resistance to V. mali. Our study revealed that V. mali was equipped with Vm-milR1 as an sRNA effector to silence host receptor-like kinase genes, suppress the host defence responses, and facilitate pathogen infection.

Mechanisms of Trichoderma longibrachiatum T6 Fermentation against Valsa mali through Inhibiting Its Growth and Reproduction, Pathogenicity and Gene Expression

Apple Valsa canker is one of the most serious diseases, having caused significant apple yield and economic loss in China. However, there is still no effective biological methods for controlling this disease. Our present study focused on the inhibitory activity and mechanisms of Trichoderma longibrachiatum (T6) fermentation on Valsa mali that causes apple Valsa canker (AVC). Our results showed that the T6 fermentation exhibited effective antifungal activity on the mycelial growth and conidia germination of V. mali, causing mycelium malformation and the hyphal disintegrating in comparison to the control. The activity of pathogenically related enzymes that are secreted from V. mali and the expression level of gene of V. mali were significantly inhibited and downregulated by treatment with T6 fermentation. In addition, the lesion area and number of pycnidia of V. mali formed on the branches were significantly reduced after treatment with the T6 fermentation through the pathogenicity test on the detached branches. Our results indicate that the possible mechanism of T6 fermentation against V. mali occurs through inhibiting its growth and reproduction, the pathogenic enzyme activity, and its related gene expression.

Degraded Metabolites of Phlorizin Promote Germination of Valsa mali var. mali in its Host Malus spp

Plant pathogenic fungi are able to utilize the principal metabolites of their hosts, which is one reason pathogens can so seriously harm the plants, although the mechanisms behind this utilization are not always clear. Valsa mali var. mali is a pathogenic fungus specific to the plant genus Malus. The fungus can seriously endanger apple crops and has caused serious economic losses. Phlorizin (1), the principal component in the stems, roots, and leaves of Malus pumila and M. sieversii, was able to promote spore germination of Valsa mali var. mali (Vmm-30) significantly over 120-168 h in a non-nutritional suspension. Compared with the control, the concentrations of nine phenolic compounds (3-11) in the stems of M. pumila increased after inoculation with Vmm-30. Moreover, compounds 3, 4, and 9-11 were able to promote the germination of Vmm-30 spores over 24-36 h, which was a significantly shorter time than that of phlorizin. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analyses further suggested that compounds 2-11 were the degradation products of phlorizin (1) and are produced through carbon oxidation cracking, decarboxylation, and oxidation reactions. This suggests that the degradation of phlorizin is able to effectively promote the growth of Vmm-30. The Vmm-30 strain is therefore able to utilize the principal metabolite phlorizin to generate a series of degradation products, which further promote its germination and the infection of its host plants in the genus Malus.

Tr-milRNA1 Contributes to Lignocellulase Secretion under Heat Stress by Regulating the Lectin-Type Cargo Receptor Gene Trvip36 in Trichoderma guizhouence NJAU 4742

Background: MicroRNA plays an important role in multifarious biological processes by regulating their corresponding target genes. However, the biological function and regulatory mechanism of fungal microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) remain poorly understood. Methods: In this study, combined with deep sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, milRNAs and their targets from Trichoderma guizhouence NJAU 4742 were isolated and identified under solid-state fermentation (SSF) by using rice straw as the sole carbon source at 28 °C and 37 °C, respectively. Results: A critical milRNA, TGA1_S04_31828 (Tr-milRNA1), was highly expressed under heat stress (37 °C) and adaptively regulated lignocellulase secretion. Overexpression of Tr-milRNA1 (OE-Tr-milRNA1) did not affect vegetative growth, but significantly increased lignocellulose utilization under heat stress. Based on the bioinformatics analysis and qPCR validation, a target of Tr-milRNA1 was identified as Trvip36, a lectin-type cargo receptor. The expression of Tr-milRNA1 and Trvip36 showed a divergent trend under SSF when the temperature was increased from 28 °C to 37 °C. In addition, the expression of Trvip36 was suppressed significantly in Tr-milRNA1 overexpression strain (OE-Tr-milRNA1). Compared with the wild type, deletion of Trvip36 (ΔTrvip36) significantly improved the secretion of lignocellulases by reducing the retention of lignocellulases in the ER under heat stress. Conclusions: Tr-milRNA1 from NJAU 4742 improved lignocellulose utilization under heat stress by regulating the expression of the corresponding target gene Trvip36. These findings might open avenues for exploring the mechanism of lignocellulase secretion in filamentous fungi.

A Novel DCL2-Dependent Micro-Like RNA Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 Affects Pathogenicity by Regulating the Expression of Vm-VPS10 in Valsa mali

Dicer proteins are mainly responsible for generating small RNAs (sRNAs), which are involved in gene silencing in most eukaryotes. In previous research, two DCL proteins in Valsa mali, the pathogenic fungus causing apple tree Valsa canker, were found associated with both the pathogenicity and generation of sRNAs. In this study, the differential expression of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and miRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) was analyzed based on the deep sequencing of the wild type and Vm-DCL2 mutant, respectively. Overall, the generation of 40 siRNAs and 18 milRNAs was evidently associated with Vm-DCL2. The target genes of milRNAs were then identified using degradome sequencing; according to the prediction results, most candidate targets are related to pathogenicity. Further, expression of Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 was confirmed in the wild type but not in the Vm-DCL2 mutant. Moreover, the pathogenicity of Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 deletion mutants (ΔVm-PC-3p-92107_6) and the over-expression transformants (Vm-PC-3p-92107_6-OE) was significantly increased and decreased, respectively. Based on those degradome results, vacuolar protein sorting 10 (Vm-VPS10) was identified as the target of Vm-PC-3p-92107_6. Co-expression analysis in tobacco leaves further confirmed that Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 could suppress the expression of Vm-VPS10. Meanwhile, the expression levels of Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 and Vm-VPS10 displayed divergent trends in ΔVm-PC-3p-92107_6 and Vm-PC-3p-92107_6-OE, respectively. Perhaps most importantly, ΔVm-VPS10 featured a significant reduction in pathogenicity. Taken together, our results indicate that a DCL2-dependent milRNA Vm-PC-3p-92107_6 plays roles in pathogenicity by regulating the expression of Vm-VPS10. This study lays a foundation for the comprehensive analysis of pathogenic mechanisms of V. mali and deepens our understanding of the generation and function of fungal sRNA.

Nosema bombycis microRNA-like RNA 8 (Nb-milR8) Increases Fungal Pathogenicity by Modulating BmPEX16 Gene Expression in Its Host, Bombyx mori

The fungus Nosema bombycis causes significant economic losses via parasitism of an economically important insect. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in regulating host and parasite gene expression via mRNA degradation or by inhibiting protein translation. To investigate whether microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) regulate N. bombycis pathogenesis and to better understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying infection, we constructed small RNA libraries from N. bombycis hyphae during the schizont proliferation period. Eleven novel milRNAs were determined by RNA sequencing and stem-loop reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assays. Moreover, a virulence-associated milRNA, Nb-milR8, was identified as critical for N. bombycis proliferation by binding and downregulating expression of its target gene, BmPEX16, in the host during infection. Silencing of Nb-milR8 or overexpression of the target BmPEX16 gene resulted in increased susceptibility of Bombyx mori to N. bombycis infection. Taken together, these results suggest that Nb-milR8 is an important virulence factor that acts as an effector to suppress host peroxidase metabolism, thereby facilitating N. bombycis proliferation. These results provide important novel insights into interactions between pathogenic fungi and their hosts.

IMPORTANCE A thorough understanding of fungal pathogen adaptations is essential for treating fungal infections. Recent studies have suggested that the role of small RNAs expressed in fungal microsporidia genomes are important for elucidating the mechanisms of fungal infections. Here, we report 11 novel microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) from the fungal microsporidium Nosema bombycis and identified NB-milRNAs that adaptively regulate N. bombycis proliferation. In addition, we demonstrate that N. bombycis modulates small RNA (sRNA)-mediated infection by encoding an Nb-miR8 that downregulates the expression of the host peroxidase metabolism protein BmPEX16, which is essential for peroxisome membrane biogenesis and peroxisome assembly. These results significantly contribute to our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of fungi, and especially microsporidia, while providing important targets for genetical engineering-based treatment of microsporidia.

Small RNAs in Plant Immunity and Virulence of Filamentous Pathogens

Gene silencing guided by small RNAs governs a broad range of cellular processes in eukaryotes. Small RNAs are important components of plant immunity because they contribute to pathogen-triggered transcription reprogramming and directly target pathogen RNAs. Recent research suggests that silencing of pathogen genes by plant small RNAs occurs not only during viral infection but also in nonviral pathogens through a process termed host-induced gene silencing, which involves trans-species small RNA trafficking. Similarly, small RNAs are also produced by eukaryotic pathogens and regulate virulence. This review summarizes the small RNA pathways in both plants and filamentous pathogens, including fungi and oomycetes, and discusses their role in host-pathogen interactions. We highlight secondarysmall interfering RNAs of plants as regulators of immune receptor gene expression and executors of host-induced gene silencing in invading pathogens. The current status and prospects of trans-species gene silencing at the host-pathogen interface are discussed.

Genome-Wide Expression Profiling of Small RNAs in Indian Strain of Rhizoctonia solani AG1-1A Reveals Differential Regulation of milRNAs during Pathogenesis and Crosstalk of Gene Regulation

Rhizoctonia solani AG1-1A is a necrotrophic fungus that causes sheath blight disease in rice. The reliable resistant source against this phytopathogenic fungus is not available in the gene pool of rice. Better understanding of pathogen genomics and gene regulatory networks are critical to devise alternate strategies for developing resistance against this noxious pathogen. In this study, miRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) of an Indian strain of R. solani were identified by deep sequencing of small RNAs. We identified 128 known and 22 novel milRNAs from 20,963,123 sequence reads. These milRNAs showed 1725 target genes in the fungal genome which include genes associated with growth, development, pathogenesis and virulence of R. solani. Notably, these fungal milRNAs showed their target genes in host (rice) genome also which were later verified by qRT-PCR. The host target genes are associated with auxin metabolism, hypersensitive response, defense genes, and genes related to growth and development of rice. Osa-vacuolar-sorting receptor precursor: Rhi-milR-13, Osa-KANADI1:Rhi-milR-124, Osa-isoflavone reductase: Rhi-milR-135, Osa-nuclear transcription factor Y:Rhi-milR-131, Osa-NB-ARC domain containing protein: Rhi-milR-18, and Osa-OsFBX438: Rhi-milR-142 are notable potential regulons of host target genes: fungal milRNAs that need to be investigated for better understanding of the crosstalk of RNAi pathways between R. solani and rice. The detailed expression analysis of 17 milRNAs by qRT-PCR was analysed during infection at different time points of inoculation, at different growth stages of the host, in four different genotypes of the host, and also in four different strains of fungi which revealed differential regulation of milRNAs associated with pathogenesis and virulence. This study highlights several important findings on fungal milRNAs which need to be further studied and characterized to decipher the gene expression and regulation of this economically important phytopathogen.

Vm-milR37 contributes to pathogenicity by regulating glutathione peroxidase gene VmGP in Valsa mali

MicroRNAs play important roles in various biological processes by regulating their corresponding target genes. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of fungal microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) are still largely unknown. In this study, a milRNA (Vm-milR37) was isolated and identified from Valsa mali, which causes the most serious disease on the trunk of apple trees in China. Based on the results of deep sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription PCR, Vm-milR37 was found to be expressed in the mycelium, while it was not expressed during the V. mali infection process. Overexpression of Vm-milR37 did not affect vegetative growth, but significantly decreased pathogenicity. Based on degradome sequencing, the target of Vm-milR37 was identified as VmGP, a glutathione peroxidase. The expression of Vm-milR37 and VmGP showed a divergent trend in V. mali-apple interaction samples and Vm-milR37 overexpression transformants. The expression of VmGP could be suppressed significantly by Vm-milR37 when coexpressed in tobacco leaves. Deletion of VmGP showed significantly reduced pathogenicity compared with the wild type. VmGP deletion mutants showed more sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. Apple leaves inoculated with Vm-milR37 overexpression transformants and VmGP deletion mutant displayed increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species compared with the wild type. Thus, Vm-milR37 plays a critical role in pathogenicity by regulating VmGP, which contributes to the oxidative stress response during V. mali infection. These results provide important evidence to define the roles of milRNAs and their corresponding target genes in pathogenicity.