MVE1, encoding the velvet gene product homolog in Mycosphaerella graminicola, is associated with aerial mycelium formation, melanin biosynthesis, hyphal swelling, and light signaling

Beyond morphogenesis and secondary metabolism: function of Velvet proteins and LaeA in fungal pathogenesis

Velvet proteins, as well as the epigenetic regulator LaeA, are conserved in numerous fungal species, where, in response to environmental cues, they control several crucial cellular processes, including sexual and asexual morphogenesis, secondary metabolism, response to oxidative stress, and virulence. During the last two decades, knowledge of their mechanism of action as well as understanding their functional roles, has greatly increased, particularly in Aspergillus species. Research efforts from multiple groups followed, leading to the characterization of other Velvet and LaeA homologs in species of other fungal genera, including important opportunistic plant and animal pathogens. This review focuses mainly on the current knowledge of the role of Velvet and LaeA function in fungal pathogenesis. Velvet proteins and LaeA are unique to fungi, and for this reason, additional knowledge of these critical regulatory proteins will be important in the development of targeted control strategies to decrease the detrimental impact of fungal pathogens capable of causing disease in plants and animals.

Involvement of LaeA and Velvet Proteins in Regulating the Production of Mycotoxins and Other Fungal Secondary Metabolites

Fungi are rich sources of secondary metabolites of agrochemical, pharmaceutical, and food importance, such as mycotoxins, antibiotics, and antitumor agents. Secondary metabolites play vital roles in fungal pathogenesis, growth and development, oxidative status modulation, and adaptation/resistance to various environmental stresses. LaeA contains an S-adenosylmethionine binding site and displays methyltransferase activity. The members of velvet proteins include VeA, VelB, VelC, VelD and VosA for each member with a velvet domain. LaeA and velvet proteins can form multimeric complexes such as VosA-VelB and VelB-VeA-LaeA. They belong to global regulators and are mainly impacted by light. One of their most important functions is to regulate gene expressions that are responsible for secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The aim of this mini-review is to represent the newest cognition of the biosynthetic regulation of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites by LaeA and velvet proteins. In most cases, LaeA and velvet proteins positively regulate production of fungal secondary metabolites. The regulated fungal species mainly belong to the toxigenic fungi from the genera of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Fusarium, Magnaporthe, Monascus, and Penicillium for the production of mycotoxins. We can control secondary metabolite production to inhibit the production of harmful mycotoxins while promoting the production of useful metabolites by global regulation of LaeA and velvet proteins in fungi. Furthermore, the regulation by LaeA and velvet proteins should be a practical strategy in activating silent biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in fungi to obtain previously undiscovered metabolites.

Phylogenomics analysis of velvet regulators in the fungal kingdom

All life forms have evolved to respond appropriately to various environmental and internal cues. In the animal kingdom, the prototypical regulator class of such cellular responses is the Rel homology domain proteins including nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Fungi, the close relatives of animals, have also evolved with their own NF-κB-like regulators called velvet family proteins to govern cellular and chemical development. Here, we conducted a detailed investigation of the taxonomic broad presence of velvet proteins. We observed that velvet proteins are widely distributed in the fungal kingdom. Moreover, we have identified and characterized 21 major velvet clades in fungi. We have further revealed that the highly conserved velvet domain is composed of three distinct motifs and acts as an evolutionarily independent domain, which can be shuffled with various functional domains. Such rearrangements of the velvet domain have resulted in the functional and type diversity of the present velvet regulators. Importantly, our in-deep analyses of the primary and 3D structures of the various velvet domains showed that the fungal velvet domains can be divided into two major clans: the VelB and the VosA clans. The 3D structure comparisons revealed a close similarity of the velvet domain with many other eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins, including those of the Rel, Runt, and signal transducer and activator of transcription families, sharing a common β-sandwich fold. Altogether, this study improves our understanding of velvet regulators in the fungal kingdom.IMPORTANCEFungi are the relatives of animals in Opisthokonta and closely associated with human life by interactive ways such as pathogenicity, food, and secondary metabolites including beneficial ones like penicillin and harmful ones like the carcinogenic aflatoxins. Similar to animals, fungi have also evolved with NF-κB-like velvet family regulators. The velvet proteins constitute a large protein family of fungal transcription factors sharing a common velvet domain and play a key role in coordinating fungal secondary metabolism, developmental and differentiation processes. Our current understanding on velvet regulators is mostly from Ascomycota fungi; however, they remain largely unknown outside Ascomycota. Therefore, this study performed a taxonomic broad investigation of velvet proteins across the fungal kingdom and conducted a detailed analysis on velvet distribution, structure, diversity, and evolution. The results provide a holistic view of velvet regulatory system in the fungal kingdom.

Effect of Different Light Wavelengths on Zymoseptoria tritici Development and Leaf Colonization in Bread Wheat

The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici can respond to light by modulating its gene expression. Because several virulence-related genes are differentially expressed in response to light, different wavelengths could have a crucial role in the Z. tritici-wheat interaction. To explore this opportunity, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of blue (470 nm), red (627 nm), blue-red, and white light on the in vitro and in planta development of Z. tritici. The morphology (mycelium appearance, color) and phenotypic (mycelium growth) characteristics of a Z. tritici strain were evaluated after 14 days under the different light conditions in two independent experiments. In addition, bread wheat plants were artificially inoculated with Z. tritici and grown for 35 days under the same light treatments. The disease incidence, severity, and fungal DNA were analyzed in a single experiment. Statistical differences were determined by using an ANOVA. The obtained results showed that the different light wavelengths induced specific morphological changes in mycelial growth. The blue light significantly reduced colony growth, while the dark and red light favored fungal development (p < 0.05). The light quality also influenced host colonization, whereby the white and red light had stimulating and repressing effects, respectively (p < 0.05). This precursory study demonstrated the influence of light on Z. tritici colonization in bread wheat.

Comparative Transcriptomics Profiling of Perennial Ryegrass Infected with Wild Type or a ΔvelA Epichloë festucae Mutant Reveals Host Processes Underlying Mutualistic versus Antagonistic Interactions

Epichloë species form bioprotective endophytic symbioses with many cool-season grasses, including agriculturally important forage grasses. Despite its importance, relatively little is known about the molecular details of the interaction and the regulatory genes involved. VelA is a key global regulator in fungal secondary metabolism and development. In previous studies, we showed the requirement of velA for E. festucae to form a mutualistic interaction with Lolium perenne. We showed that VelA regulates the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in membrane transport, fungal cell wall biosynthesis, host cell wall degradation, and secondary metabolism, along with several small-secreted proteins in Epichloë festucae. Here, by a comparative transcriptomics analysis on perennial ryegrass seedlings and mature plants, which are endophyte free or infected with wild type (mutualistic interaction) or mutant ΔvelA E. festucae (antagonistic or incompatible interaction), regulatory effects of the endophytic interaction on perennial ryegrass development was studied. We show that ΔvelA mutant associations influence the expression of genes involved in primary metabolism, secondary metabolism, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses compared with wild type associations, providing an insight into processes defining mutualistic versus antagonistic interactions.

Zymoseptoria tritici white-collar complex integrates light, temperature and plant cues to initiate dimorphism and pathogenesis

Transitioning from spores to hyphae is pivotal to host invasion by the plant pathogenic fungus Zymoseptoria tritici. This dimorphic switch can be initiated by high temperature in vitro (~27 °C); however, such a condition may induce cellular heat stress, questioning its relevance to field infections. Here, we study the regulation of the dimorphic switch by temperature and other factors. Climate data from wheat-growing areas indicate that the pathogen sporadically experiences high temperatures such as 27 °C during summer months. However, using a fluorescent dimorphic switch reporter (FDR1) in four wild-type strains, we show that dimorphic switching already initiates at 15-18 °C, and is enhanced by wheat leaf surface compounds. Transcriptomics reveals 1261 genes that are up- or down-regulated in hyphae of all strains. These pan-strain core dimorphism genes (PCDGs) encode known effectors, dimorphism and transcription factors, and light-responsive proteins (velvet factors, opsins, putative blue light receptors). An FDR1-based genetic screen reveals a crucial role for the white-collar complex (WCC) in dimorphism and virulence, mediated by control of PCDG expression. Thus, WCC integrates light with biotic and abiotic cues to orchestrate Z. tritici infection.

The Zymoseptoria tritici white collar-1 gene, ZtWco-1, is required for development and virulence on wheat

The fungus Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), which is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat in Europe. There are currently no fully durable methods of control against Z. tritici, so novel strategies are urgently required. One of the ways in which fungi are able to respond to their surrounding environment is through the use of photoreceptor proteins which detect light signals. Although previous evidence suggests that Z. tritici can detect light, no photoreceptor genes have been characterised in this pathogen. This study characterises ZtWco-1, a predicted photoreceptor gene in Z. tritici. The ZtWco-1 gene is a putative homolog to the blue light photoreceptor from Neurospora crassa, wc-1. Z. tritici mutants with deletions in ZtWco-1 have defects in hyphal branching, melanisation and virulence on wheat. In addition, we identify the putative circadian clock gene ZtFrq in Z. tritici. This study provides evidence for the genetic regulation of light detection in Z. tritici and it open avenues for future research into whether this pathogen has a circadian clock.

Two Novel Dimorphism-Related Virulence Factors of Zymoseptoria tritici Identified Using Agrobacterium-Mediated Insertional Mutagenesis

Diseases caused by dimorphic phytopathogenic and systemic dimorphic fungi have markedly increased in prevalence in the last decades, and understanding the morphogenic transition to the virulent state might yield novel means of controlling dimorphic fungi. The dimorphic fungus Z. tritici causes significant economic impact on wheat production, and yet the regulation of the dimorphic switch, a key first step in successful plant colonization, is still largely unexplored in this fungus. The fungus is amenable to suppression by fungicides at this switch point, and the identification of the factors controlling the dimorphic switch provides a potential source of novel targets to control Septoria tritici blotch (STB). Inhibition of the dimorphic switch can potentially prevent penetration and avoid any damage to the host plant. The aim of the current work was to unveil genetic determinants of the dimorphic transition in Z. tritici by using a forward genetics strategy. Using this approach, we unveiled two novel factors involved in the switch to the pathogenic state and used reverse genetics and complementation to confirm the role of the novel virulence factors and further gained insight into the role of these genes, using transcriptome analysis via RNA-Seq. The transcriptomes generated potentially contain key determinants of the dimorphic transition.

The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici senses and responds to different wavelengths of light

Background

The ascomycete fungus Zymoseptoria tritici (synonyms: Mycosphaerella graminicola, Septoria tritici) is a major pathogen of wheat that causes the economically important foliar disease Septoria tritici blotch. Despite its importance as a pathogen, little is known about the reaction of this fungus to light. To test for light responses, cultures of Z. tritici were grown in vitro for 16-h days under white, blue or red light, and their transcriptomes were compared with each other and to those obtained from control cultures grown in darkness.

Results

There were major differences in gene expression with over 3400 genes upregulated in one or more of the light conditions compared to dark, and from 1909 to 2573 genes specifically upregulated in the dark compared to the individual light treatments. Differences between light treatments were lower, ranging from only 79 differentially expressed genes in the red versus blue comparison to 585 between white light and red. Many of the differentially expressed genes had no functional annotations. For those that did, analysis of the Gene Ontology (GO) terms showed that those related to metabolism were enriched in all three light treatments, while those related to growth and communication were more prevalent in the dark. Interestingly, genes for effectors that have been shown previously to be involved in pathogenicity also were upregulated in one or more of the light treatments, suggesting a possible role of light for infection.

Conclusions

This analysis shows that Z. tritici can sense and respond to light with a huge effect on transcript abundance. High proportions of differentially expressed genes with no functional annotations illuminates the huge gap in our understanding of light responses in this fungus. Differential expression of genes for effectors indicates that light could be important for pathogenicity; unknown effectors may show a similar pattern of transcription. A better understanding of the effects of light on pathogenicity and other biological processes of Z. tritici could help to manage Septoria tritici blotch in the future.

Light in the Fungal World: From Photoreception to Gene Transcription and Beyond

Fungi see light of different colors by using photoreceptors such as the White Collar proteins and cryptochromes for blue light, opsins for green light, and phytochromes for red light. Light regulates fungal development, promotes the accumulation of protective pigments and proteins, and regulates tropic growth. The White Collar complex (WCC) is a photoreceptor and a transcription factor that is responsible for regulating transcription after exposure to blue light. In Neurospora crassa, light promotes the interaction of WCCs and their binding to the promoters to activate transcription. In Aspergillus nidulans, the WCC and the phytochrome interact to coordinate gene transcription and other responses, but the contribution of these photoreceptors to fungal photobiology varies across fungal species. Ultimately, the effect of light on fungal biology is the result of the coordinated transcriptional regulation and activation of signal transduction pathways.

The ZtvelB Gene Is Required for Vegetative Growth and Sporulation in the Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

The ascomycete fungus Zymoseptoria tritici is the causal agent of Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), a major disease of wheat across Europe. Current understanding of the genetic components and the environmental cues which influence development and pathogenicity of this fungus is limited. The velvet B gene, velB, has conserved roles in development, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity across fungi. The function of this gene is best characterised in the model ascomycete fungus Aspergillus nidulans, where it is involved in co-ordinating the light response with downstream processes. There is limited knowledge of the role of light in Z. tritici, and of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the light response. We show that Z. tritici is able to detect light, and that the vegetative morphology of this fungus is influenced by light conditions. We also identify and characterise the Z. tritici velB gene, ZtvelB, by gene disruption. The ΔztvelB deletion mutants were fixed in a filamentous growth pattern and are unable to form yeast-like vegetative cells. Their morphology was similar under light and dark conditions, showing an impairment in light-responsive growth. In addition, the ΔztvelB mutants produced abnormal pycnidia that were impaired in macropycnidiospore production but could still produce viable infectious micropycnidiospores. Our results show that ZtvelB is required for yeast-like growth and asexual sporulation in Z. tritici, and we provide evidence for a role of ZtvelB in integrating light perception and developmental regulation in this important plant pathogenic fungus.

veA Gene Acts as a Positive Regulator of Conidia Production, Ochratoxin A Biosynthesis, and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Aspergillus niger

The veA gene is a key regulator governing morphogenetic development and secondary metabolism in many fungi. Here, we characterized and disrupted a veA orthologue in an ochratoxigenic Aspergillus niger strain. Morphological development, ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthesis, and oxidative stress tolerance in the wild-type and veA disruption strains were further analyzed. Accordingly, the link between the veA gene and development of specific gene brlA, OTA biosynthesis key gene pks, and oxidative-stress-tolerance-related gene cat was explored. Results demonstrated that the veA gene acts as a positive regulator of conidia production, OTA biosynthesis, and oxidative stress tolerance in A. niger, regardless of light conditions. Darkness promoted conidial production and OTA biosynthesis in the A. niger wild-type strain. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the veA regulatory mechanism and suggest the veA gene as a potential target for developing control strategies for A. niger infection and OTA biosynthesis.

Two members of the velvet family, VmVeA and VmVelB, affect conidiation, virulence and pectinase expression in Valsa mali

Velvet protein family members are important fungal-specific regulators which are involved in conidial development, secondary metabolism and virulence. To gain a broader insight into the physiological functions of the velvet protein family of Valsa mali, which causes a highly destructive canker disease on apple, we conducted a functional analysis of two velvet protein family members (VmVeA and VmVelB) via a gene replacement strategy. Deletion mutants of VmVeA and VmVelB showed increased melanin production, conidiation and sensitivity to abiotic stresses, but exhibited reduced virulence on detached apple leaves and twigs. Further studies demonstrated that the regulation of conidiation by VmVeA and VmVelB was positively correlated with the melanin synthesis transcription factor VmCmr1. More importantly, transcript levels of pectinase genes were shown to be decreased in deletion mutants compared with those of the wild-type during infection. However, the expression of other cell wall-degrading enzyme genes, including cellulase, hemi-cellulase and ligninase genes, was not affected in the deletion mutants. Furthermore, the determination of pectinase activity and immunogold labelling of pectin demonstrated that the capacity for pectin degradation was attenuated as a result of deletions of VmVeA and VmVelB. Finally, the interaction of VmVeA with VmVelB was identified through co-immunoprecipitation assays. VmVeA and VmVelB play critical roles in conidiation and virulence, probably via the regulation of the melanin synthesis transcription factor VmCmr1 and their effect on pectinase gene expression in V. mali, respectively.

The role of the veA gene in adjusting developmental balance and environmental stress response in Aspergillus cristatus

veA belongs to the velvet regulatory system that regulates the development and secondary metabolism of many fungi. To identify the function of veA in Aspergillus cristatus, veA deletion mutants were constructed by homologous recombination via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Deletion of veA led to increased conidial production and reduced sexual sporulation. The regulatory role of veA in A. cristatus was not light-dependent, and this differed from its role in other Aspergilli. Furthermore, veA deletion mutants were more sensitive to environmental stressors, including salt, osmotic pressure, temperature and pH. In contrast, deletion of veA resulted in increased resistance to oxidative stress. veA also affected aerial vegetative growth. Transcriptomic analysis of the veA-null mutant and wild type indicated that most asexual and sexual development genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. These findings confirmed that veA has a positive effect on sexual development but represses conidial formation. Overall, these results suggested that the veA gene plays a critical role in maintaining a developmental balance between asexual and sexual sporulation and is involved in vegetative growth and environmental stress response in A. cristatus.

The Global Regulatory Protein VelA Is Required for Symbiosis Between the Endophytic Fungus Epichloë festucae and Lolium perenne

Epichloë species fungi form bioprotective endophytic symbioses with many cool-season grasses, including agriculturally important forage grasses. Despite its importance, relatively little is known about the molecular details of the interaction and the regulatory genes involved. The conserved velvet-domain protein VelA (or VeA) is a global regulator of a number of cellular and developmental functions in fungi. In this study, the E. festucae velA gene was functionally characterized in vitro and during interaction with perennial ryegrass. The velA gene is required in E. festucae for resistance to osmotic and cell wall-damaging stresses, repression of conidiation, and normal hyphal morphology during nutrient-limited in-vitro conditions. Expression of velA in E. festucae is light- and nitrogen-dependent and is tissue-specific in mature infected plants. In-planta studies showed that velA is required in E. festucae for a compatible interaction. Inoculating seedlings with mutant ΔvelA induced callose deposition and H₂O₂ production, and a high level of seedling death was observed. In surviving plants infected with ΔvelA mutant fungi, plants were stunted and we observed increased biomass and invasion of vascular bundles. Overall, this work characterizes a key fungal regulatory factor in this increasingly important model symbiotic association.

In silico prediction and characterization of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters in the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

BACKGROUND

Fungal pathogens of plants produce diverse repertoires of secondary metabolites, which have functions ranging from iron acquisition, defense against immune perturbation, to toxic assaults on the host. The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria tritici blotch, a foliar disease which is a significant threat to global food security. Currently, there is limited knowledge of the secondary metabolite arsenal produced by Z. tritici, which significantly restricts mechanistic understanding of infection. In this study, we analyzed the genome of Z. tritici isolate IP0323 to identify putative secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, and used comparative genomics to predict their encoded products.

RESULTS

We identified 32 putative secondary metabolite clusters. These were physically enriched at subtelomeric regions, which may facilitate diversification of cognate products by rapid gene rearrangement or mutations. Comparative genomics revealed a four gene cluster with significant similarity to the ferrichrome-A biosynthetic locus of the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis, suggesting this siderophore is deployed by Z. tritici to acquire iron. The Z. tritici genome also contains several isoprenoid biosynthetic gene clusters, including one with high similarity to a carotenoid/opsin producing locus in several fungi. Furthermore, we identify putative phytotoxin biosynthetic clusters, suggesting Z. tritici can produce an epipolythiodioxopiperazine, and a polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide with predicted structural similarities to fumonisin and the Alternaria alternata AM-toxin, respectively. Interrogation of an existing transcriptional dataset suggests stage specific deployment of numerous predicted loci during infection, indicating an important role of these secondary metabolites in Z. tritici disease.

CONCLUSIONS

We were able to assign putative biosynthetic products to numerous clusters based on conservation amongst other fungi. However, analysis of the majority of secondary metabolite loci did not enable prediction of a cluster product, and consequently the capacity of these loci to play as yet undetermined roles in disease or other stages of the Z. tritici lifecycle is significant. These data will drive future experimentation for determining the role of these clusters and cognate secondary metabolite products in Z. tritici virulence, and may lead to discovery of novel bioactive molecules.

Global transcriptional analysis suggests Lasiodiplodia theobromae pathogenicity factors involved in modulation of grapevine defensive response

BACKGROUND

Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a fungus of the Botryosphaeriaceae that causes grapevine vascular disease, especially in regions with hot climates. Fungi in this group often remain latent within their host and become virulent under abiotic stress. Transcriptional regulation analysis of L. theobromae exposed to heat stress (HS) was first carried out in vitro in the presence of grapevine wood (GW) to identify potential pathogenicity genes that were later evaluated for in planta expression.

RESULTS

A total of 19,860 de novo assembled transcripts were obtained, forty-nine per cent of which showed homology to the Botryosphaeriaceae fungi, Neofusicoccum parvum or Macrophomina phaseolina. Three hundred ninety-nine have homology with genes involved in pathogenic processes and several belonged to expanded gene families in others fungal grapevine vascular pathogens. Gene expression analysis showed changes in fungal metabolism of phenolic compounds; where genes encoding for enzymes, with the ability to degrade salicylic acid (SA) and plant phenylpropanoid precursors, were up-regulated during in vitro HS response, in the presence of GW. These results suggest that the fungal L-tyrosine catabolism pathway could help the fungus to remove phenylpropanoid precursors thereby evading the host defense response. The in planta up-regulation of salicylate hydroxylase, intradiol ring cleavage dioxygenase and fumarylacetoacetase encoding genes, further supported this hypothesis. Those genes were even more up-regulated in HS-stressed plants, suggesting that fungus takes advantage of the increased phenylpropanoid precursors produced under stress. Pectate lyase was up-regulated while a putative amylase was down-regulated in planta, this could be associated with an intercellular growth strategy during the first stages of colonization.

CONCLUSIONS

L. theobromae transcriptome was established and validated. Its usefulness was demonstrated through the identification of genes expressed during the infection process. Our results support the hypothesis that heat stress facilitates fungal colonization, because of the fungus ability to use the phenylpropanoid precursors and SA, both compounds known to control host defense.

Coordinated and independent functions of velvet-complex genes in fungal development and virulence of the fungal cereal pathogen Cochliobolus sativus

LaeA and velvet proteins regulate fungal development and secondary metabolism through formation of multimeric complexes in many fungal species, but their functions in the cereal fungal pathogen Cochliobolus sativus are not well understood. In this study, four velvet complex genes (CsLaeA, CsVeA, CsVelB, and CsVelC) in C. sativus were identified and characterized using knockout mutants generated for each of the genes. Both ΔCsVeA and ΔCsVelB showed significant reduction in aerial mycelia growth. ΔCsVelB also exhibited a hypermorphic conidiation phenotype with indeterminate growth of the conidial tip cells and premature germination of conidia. ΔCsLaeA, ΔCsVeA, and ΔCsVelB produced more conidia under constant dark conditions than under constant light conditions whereas no differences were observed under the two conditions for the wild type. These three mutants also showed significantly reduced conidiation under constant light conditions, but produced more small sized conidia under constant dark conditions compared to the wild type. All knockout mutants (ΔCsLaeA, ΔCsVeA, ΔCsVelB and ΔCsVelC) showed some extent of reduction in virulence on susceptible barley plants compared to the wild type strain. The results revealed the conserved and unique roles of velvet-complex proteins as regulators in mediating fungal development and secondary metabolism in C. sativus.

QTL mapping of temperature sensitivity reveals candidate genes for thermal adaptation and growth morphology in the plant pathogenic fungus Zymoseptoria tritici

Different thermal environments impose strong, differential selection on populations, leading to local adaptation, but the genetic basis of thermal adaptation is poorly understood. We used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici to study the genetic architecture of thermal adaptation and identify candidate genes. Four wild-type strains originating from the same thermal environment were crossed to generate two mapping populations with 263 (cross 1) and 261 (cross 2) progeny. Restriction site-associated DNA sequencing was used to genotype 9745 (cross 1) and 7333 (cross 2) single-nucleotide polymorphism markers segregating within the mapping population. Temperature sensitivity was assessed using digital image analysis of colonies growing at two different temperatures. We identified four QTLs for temperature sensitivity, with unique QTLs found in each cross. One QTL had a logarithm of odds score >11 and contained only six candidate genes, including PBS2, encoding a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase associated with low temperature tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This and other QTLs showed evidence for pleiotropy among growth rate, melanization and growth morphology, suggesting that many traits can be correlated with thermal adaptation in fungi. Higher temperatures were highly correlated with a shift to filamentous growth among the progeny in both crosses. We show that thermal adaptation has a complex genetic architecture, with natural populations of Z. tritici harboring significant genetic variation for this trait. We conclude that Z. tritici populations have the potential to adapt rapidly to climate change and expand into new climatic zones.

Yeast recombination-based cloning as an efficient way of constructing vectors for Zymoseptoria tritici

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Yeast recombination-based cloning (YRBC) is a reliable and inexpensive way of generating plasmids.

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We provide 4 vectors for YRBC that a cover different resistance genes.

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Using this technique promises rapid generation of molecular tools to study Z. tritici.

Many pathogenic fungi are genetically tractable. Analysis of their cellular organization and invasion mechanisms underpinning virulence determinants profits from exploiting such molecular tools as fluorescent fusion proteins or conditional mutant protein alleles. Generation of these tools requires efficient cloning methods, as vector construction is often a rate-limiting step. Here, we introduce an efficient yeast recombination-based cloning (YRBC) method to construct vectors for the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici. This method is of low cost and avoids dependency on the availability of restriction enzyme sites in the DNA sequence, as needed in more conventional restriction/ligation-based cloning procedures. Furthermore, YRBC avoids modification of the DNA of interest, indeed this potential risk limits the use of site-specific recombination systems, such as Gateway cloning. Instead, in YRBC, multiple DNA fragments, with 30 bp overlap sequences, are transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereupon homologous recombination generates the vector in a single step. Here, we provide a detailed experimental protocol and four vectors, each encoding a different dominant selectable marker cassette, that enable YRBC of constructs to be used in the wheat pathogen Z. tritici.

Identification of growth stage molecular markers in Trichoderma sp. 'atroviride type B' and their potential application in monitoring fungal growth and development in soil

Several members of the genus Trichoderma are biocontrol agents of soil-borne fungal plant pathogens. The effectiveness of biocontrol agents depends heavily on how they perform in the complex field environment. Therefore, the ability to monitor and track Trichoderma within the environment is essential to understanding biocontrol efficacy. The objectives of this work were to: (a) identify key genes involved in Trichoderma sp. 'atroviride type B' morphogenesis; (b) develop a robust RNA isolation method from soil; and (c) develop molecular marker assays for characterizing morphogenesis whilst in the soil environment. Four cDNA libraries corresponding to conidia, germination, vegetative growth and conidiogenesis were created, and the genes identified by sequencing. Stage specificity of the different genes was confirmed by either Northern blot or quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis using RNA from the four stages. con10, a conidial-specific gene, was observed in conidia, as well as one gene also involved in subsequent stages of germination (L-lactate/malate dehydrogenase encoding gene). The germination stage revealed high expression rates of genes involved in amino acid and protein biosynthesis, while in the vegetative-growth stage, genes involved in differentiation, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase similar to Kpp7 from Ustilago maydis and the orthologue to stuA from Aspergillus nidulans, were preferentially expressed. Genes involved in cell-wall synthesis were expressed during conidiogenesis. We standardized total RNA isolation from Trichoderma sp. 'atroviride type B' growing in soil and then examined the expression profiles of selected genes using qRT-PCR. The results suggested that the relative expression patterns were cyclic and not accumulative.

FocVel1 influences asexual production, filamentous growth, biofilm formation, and virulence in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum

Velvet genes play critical roles in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. In current study, we identified the gene FocVel1, a homolog of Fusarium graminearum VelA, in the plant pathogenic fungus F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. This pathogen causes the destructive disease called cucumber Fusarium wilt (CFW), which severely affects the production and marketing of this vegetable worldwide. Transcript analyses revealed high expression of FocVel1 during conidiophore development. Disruption of the FocVel1 gene led to several phenotypic defects, including reduction in aerial hyphal formation and conidial production. The deletion mutant ΔFocVel1 showed increased resistance to both osmotic stress and cell wall-damaging agents, but increased sensitivity to iprodione and prochloraz fungicides, which may be related to changes in cell wall components. In the process of biofilm formation in vitro, the mutant strain ΔFocVel1 displayed not only a reduction in spore aggregation but also a delay in conidial germination on the polystyrene surface, which may result in defects in biofilm formation. Moreover, pathogenicity assays showed that the mutant ΔFocVel1 exhibited impaired virulence in cucumber seedlings. And the genetic complementation of the mutant with the wild-type FocVel1 gene restored all the defects of the ΔFocVel1. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that FocVel1 played a critical role in the regulation of various cellular processes and pathogenicity in F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum.

Quantitative trait locus mapping of melanization in the plant pathogenic fungus Zymoseptoria tritici

Melanin plays an important role in virulence and antimicrobial resistance in several fungal pathogens. The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici is important worldwide, but little is known about the genetic architecture of pathogenicity, including the production of melanin. Because melanin production can exhibit complex inheritance, we used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in two crosses to identify the underlying genes. Restriction site−associated DNA sequencing was used to genotype 263 (cross 1) and 261 (cross 2) progeny at ~8500 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and construct two dense linkage maps. We measured gray values, representing degrees of melanization, for single-spore colonies growing on Petri dishes by using a novel image-processing approach that enabled high-throughput phenotyping. Because melanin production can be affected by stress, each offspring was grown in two stressful environments and one control environment. We detected six significant QTL in cross 1 and nine in cross 2, with three QTL shared between the crosses. Different QTL were identified in different environments and at different colony ages. By obtaining complete genome sequences for the four parents and analyzing sequence variation in the QTL confidence intervals, we identified 16 candidate genes likely to affect melanization. One of these candidates was PKS1, a polyketide synthase gene known to play a role in the synthesis of dihydroxynaphthalene melanin. Three candidate quantitative trait nucleotides were identified in PKS1. Many of the other candidate genes were not previously associated with melanization.

Fungal model systems and the elucidation of pathogenicity determinants

Fungi have the capacity to cause devastating diseases of both plants and animals, causing significant harvest losses that threaten food security and human mycoses with high mortality rates. As a consequence, there is a critical need to promote development of new antifungal drugs, which requires a comprehensive molecular knowledge of fungal pathogenesis. In this review, we critically evaluate current knowledge of seven fungal organisms used as major research models for fungal pathogenesis. These include pathogens of both animals and plants; Ashbya gossypii, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, Ustilago maydis and Zymoseptoria tritici. We present key insights into the virulence mechanisms deployed by each species and a comparative overview of key insights obtained from genomic analysis. We then consider current trends and future challenges associated with the study of fungal pathogenicity.

Host-induced post-transcriptional hairpin RNA-mediated gene silencing of vital fungal genes confers efficient resistance against Fusarium wilt in banana

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is among the most destructive diseases of banana (Musa spp.). Because no credible control measures are available, development of resistant cultivars through genetic engineering is the only option. We investigated whether intron hairpin RNA (ihpRNA)-mediated expression of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeted against vital fungal genes (velvet and Fusarium transcription factor 1) in transgenic banana could achieve effective resistance against Foc. Partial sequences of these two genes were assembled as ihpRNAs in suitable binary vectors (ihpRNA-VEL and ihpRNA-FTF1) and transformed into embryogenic cell suspensions of banana cv. Rasthali by Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Eleven transformed lines derived from ihpRNA-VEL and twelve lines derived from ihpRNA-FTF1 were found to be free of external and internal symptoms of Foc after 6-week-long greenhouse bioassays. The five selected transgenic lines for each construct continued to resist Foc at 8 months postinoculation. Presence of specific siRNAs derived from the two ihpRNAs in transgenic banana plants was confirmed by Northern blotting and Illumina sequencing of small RNAs derived from the transgenic banana plants. The present study represents an important effort in proving that host-induced post-transcriptional ihpRNA-mediated gene silencing of vital fungal genes can confer efficient resistance against debilitating pathogens in crop plants.

WetA is required for conidiogenesis and conidium maturation in the ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium graminearum, a prominent fungal pathogen that infects major cereal crops, primarily utilizes asexual spores to spread disease. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying conidiogenesis in F. graminearum, we functionally characterized the F. graminearum ortholog of Aspergillus nidulans wetA, which has been shown to be involved in conidiogenesis and conidium maturation. Deletion of F. graminearum wetA did not alter mycelial growth, sexual development, or virulence, but the wetA deletion mutants produced longer conidia with fewer septa, and the conidia were sensitive to acute stresses, such as oxidative stress and heat stress. Furthermore, the survival rate of aged conidia from the F. graminearum wetA deletion mutants was reduced. The wetA deletion resulted in vigorous generation of single-celled conidia through autophagy-dependent microcycle conidiation, indicating that WetA functions to maintain conidial dormancy by suppressing microcycle conidiation in F. graminearum. Transcriptome analyses demonstrated that most of the putative conidiation-related genes are expressed constitutively and that only a few genes are specifically involved in F. graminearum conidiogenesis. The conserved and distinct roles identified for WetA in F. graminearum provide new insights into the genetics of conidiation in filamentous fungi.

Association between virulence and triazole tolerance in the phytopathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola

Host resistance and synthetic antimicrobials such as fungicides are two of the main approaches used to control plant diseases in conventional agriculture. Although pathogens often evolve to overcome host resistance and antimicrobials, the majority of reports have involved qualitative host - pathogen interactions or antimicrobials targeting a single pathogen protein or metabolic pathway. Studies that consider jointly the evolution of virulence, defined as the degree of damage caused to a host by parasite infection, and antimicrobial resistance are rare. Here we compared virulence and fungicide tolerance in the fungal pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola sampled from wheat fields across three continents and found a positive correlation between virulence and tolerance to a triazole fungicide. We also found that quantitative host resistance selected for higher pathogen virulence. The possible mechanisms responsible for these observations and their consequences for sustainable disease management are discussed.

A functional bikaverin biosynthesis gene cluster in rare strains of Botrytis cinerea is positively controlled by VELVET

The gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of the red polyketidic pigment bikaverin has only been characterized in Fusarium ssp. so far. Recently, a highly homologous but incomplete and nonfunctional bikaverin cluster has been found in the genome of the unrelated phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. In this study, we provided evidence that rare B. cinerea strains such as 1750 have a complete and functional cluster comprising the six genes orthologous to Fusarium fujikuroi ffbik1-ffbik6 and do produce bikaverin. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the whole cluster was acquired from Fusarium through a horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In the bikaverin-nonproducing strain B05.10, the genes encoding bikaverin biosynthesis enzymes are nonfunctional due to deleterious mutations (bcbik2-3) or missing (bcbik1) but interestingly, the genes encoding the regulatory proteins BcBIK4 and BcBIK5 do not harbor deleterious mutations which suggests that they may still be functional. Heterologous complementation of the F. fujikuroi Δffbik4 mutant confirmed that bcbik4 of strain B05.10 is indeed fully functional. Deletion of bcvel1 in the pink strain 1750 resulted in loss of bikaverin and overproduction of melanin indicating that the VELVET protein BcVEL1 regulates the biosynthesis of the two pigments in an opposite manner. Although strain 1750 itself expresses a truncated BcVEL1 protein (100 instead of 575 aa) that is nonfunctional with regard to sclerotia formation, virulence and oxalic acid formation, it is sufficient to regulate pigment biosynthesis (bikaverin and melanin) and fenhexamid HydR2 type of resistance. Finally, a genetic cross between strain 1750 and a bikaverin-nonproducing strain sensitive to fenhexamid revealed that the functional bikaverin cluster is genetically linked to the HydR2 locus.

The velvet complex governs mycotoxin production and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum on plant and mammalian hosts

Fungal pathogens provoke devastating losses in agricultural production, contaminate food with mycotoxins and give rise to life-threatening infections in humans. The soil-borne ascomycete Fusarium oxysporum attacks over 100 different crops and can cause systemic fusariosis in immunocompromised individuals. Here we functionally characterized VeA, VelB, VelC and LaeA, four components of the velvet protein complex which regulates fungal development and secondary metabolism. Deletion of veA, velB and to a minor extent velC caused a derepression of conidiation as well as alterations in the shape and size of microconidia. VeA and LaeA were required for full virulence of F. oxysporum on tomato plants and on immunodepressed mice. A critical contribution of velvet consists in promoting chromatin accessibility and expression of the biosynthetic gene cluster for beauvericin, a depsipeptide mycotoxin that functions as a virulence determinant. These results reveal a conserved role of the velvet complex during fungal infection on plants and mammals.

Natural variation in the VELVET gene bcvel1 affects virulence and light-dependent differentiation in Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis cinerea is an aggressive plant pathogen causing gray mold disease on various plant species. In this study, we identified the genetic origin for significantly differing phenotypes of the two sequenced B. cinerea isolates, B05.10 and T4, with regard to light-dependent differentiation, oxalic acid (OA) formation and virulence. By conducting a map-based cloning approach we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in an open reading frame encoding a VELVET gene (bcvel1). The SNP in isolate T4 results in a truncated protein that is predominantly found in the cytosol in contrast to the full-length protein of isolate B05.10 that accumulates in the nuclei. Deletion of the full-length gene in B05.10 resulted in the T4 phenotype, namely light-independent conidiation, loss of sclerotial development and oxalic acid production, and reduced virulence on several host plants. These findings indicate that the identified SNP represents a loss-of-function mutation of bcvel1. In accordance, the expression of the B05.10 copy in T4 rescued the wild-type/B05.10 phenotype. BcVEL1 is crucial for full virulence as deletion mutants are significantly hampered in killing and decomposing plant tissues. However, the production of the two best known secondary metabolites, the phytotoxins botcinic acid and botrydial, are not affected by the deletion of bcvel1 indicating that other factors are responsible for reduced virulence. Genome-wide expression analyses of B05.10- and Δbcvel1-infected plant material revealed a number of genes differentially expressed in the mutant: while several protease- encoding genes are under-expressed in Δbcvel1 compared to the wild type, the group of over-expressed genes is enriched for genes encoding sugar, amino acid and ammonium transporters and glycoside hydrolases reflecting the response of Δbcvel1 mutants to nutrient starvation conditions.

FgVELB is associated with vegetative differentiation, secondary metabolism and virulence in Fusarium graminearum

The velvet complex containing VeA, VelB and LaeA has been showed to play critical roles in the regulation of secondary metabolism and diverse cellular processes in Aspergillus spp. In this study, we identified FgVelB, a homolog of Aspergillus nidulans VelB, from Fusarium graminearum using the BLASTP program. Disruption of FgVELB gene led to several phenotypic defects, including suppression of aerial hyphae formation, reduced hyphal hydrophobicity and highly increased conidiation. The mutant showed increased resistance to osmotic stress and cell wall-damaging agents, which may be related to a high level of glycerol accumulation in the mutant. Additionally, the mutant exhibited increased sensitivity to the phenylpyrrole fungicide fludioxonil. Ultrastructural and histochemical analyses revealed that conidia of FgVELB deletion mutant contained numerous lipid droplets. Pathogenicity assays showed FgVELB deletion mutant was impaired in virulence on flowering wheat head, which is consistent with the observation that FgVelB is involved in the regulation of deoxynivalenol biosynthesis in F. graminearum. All of the defects were restored by genetic complementation of the mutant with wild-type FgVELB gene. Yeast two hybrid assays showed that FgVelB does not interact with FgVeA. Taken together, results of this study indicated that FgVelB plays a critical role in the regulation of various cellular processes in F. graminearum.

The velvet gene, FgVe1, affects fungal development and positively regulates trichothecene biosynthesis and pathogenicity in Fusarium graminearum

Trichothecenes are a group of toxic secondary metabolites produced mainly by Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph: Gibberella zeae) during the infection of crop plants, including wheat, maize, barley, oats, rye and rice. Some fungal genes involved in trichothecene biosynthesis have been shown to encode regulatory proteins. However, the global regulation of toxin biosynthesis is still enigmatic. In addition to the production of secondary metabolites belonging to the trichothecene family, F. graminearum produces the red pigment aurofusarin. The gene regulation underlying the production of aurofusarin is not well understood. The velvet gene (veA) is conserved in various genera of filamentous fungi. Recently, the veA gene from Aspergillus nidulans has been shown to be the key component of the velvet complex regulating development and secondary metabolism. Using blast analyses, we identified the velvet gene from F. graminearum, FgVe1. Disruption of FgVe1 causes several phenotypic effects. However, the complementation of this mutant with the FgVe1 gene restores the wild-type phenotypes. The in vitro phenotypes include hyperbranching of the mycelium, suppression of aerial hyphae formation, reduced hydrophobicity of the mycelium and highly reduced sporulation. Our data also show that FgVe1 modulates the production of the aurofusarin pigment and is essential for the expression of Tri genes and the production of trichothecenes. Pathogenicity studies performed on flowering wheat plants indicate that FgVe1 is a positive regulator of virulence in F. graminearum.

ChLae1 and ChVel1 regulate T-toxin production, virulence, oxidative stress response, and development of the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus

LaeA and VeA coordinate secondary metabolism and differentiation in response to light signals in Aspergillus spp. Their orthologs, ChLae1 and ChVel1, were identified in the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus, known to produce a wealth of secondary metabolites, including the host selective toxin, T-toxin. Produced by race T, T-toxin promotes high virulence to maize carrying Texas male sterile cytoplasm (T-cms). T-toxin production is significantly increased in the dark in wild type (WT), whereas Chvel1 and Chlae1 mutant toxin levels are much reduced in the dark compared to WT. Correspondingly, expression of T-toxin biosynthetic genes (Tox1) is up-regulated in the dark in WT, while dark-induced expression is much reduced/minimal in Chvel1 and Chlae1 mutants. Toxin production and Tox1 gene expression are increased in ChVEL1 overexpression (OE) strains grown in the dark and in ChLAE1 strains grown in either light or dark, compared to WT. These observations establish ChLae1 and ChVel1 as the first factors known to regulate host selective toxin production. Virulence of Chlae1 and Chvel1 mutants and OE strains is altered on both T-cms and normal cytoplasm maize, indicating that both T-toxin mediated super virulence and basic pathogenic ability are affected. Deletion of ChLAE1 or ChVEL1 reduces tolerance to H₂O₂. Expression of CAT3, one of the three catalase genes, is reduced in the Chvel1 mutant. Chlae1 and Chvel1 mutants also show decreased aerial hyphal growth, increased asexual sporulation and female sterility. ChLAE1 OE strains are female sterile, while ChVEL1 OE strains are more fertile than WT. ChLae1 and ChVel1 repress expression of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin biosynthesis genes, and, accordingly, melanization is enhanced in Chlae1 and Chvel1 mutants, and reduced in OE strains. Thus, ChLae1 and ChVel1 positively regulate T-toxin biosynthesis, pathogenicity and super virulence, oxidative stress responses, sexual development, and aerial hyphal growth, and negatively control melanin biosynthesis and asexual differentiation.

Filamentous fungi produce chemically diverse metabolites that broker positive and negative interactions with other organisms, manage host pathogenicity/virulence, nutritional and environmental stresses, and differentiation of the fungus. The maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus is notorious as the causal agent of the most economically devastating epidemic to date, in 1970. Disease severity was associated with appearance of a new race, producing T-toxin, a host selective toxin promoting high virulence to Texas male sterile cytoplasm maize, widely planted at the time. LaeA and VeA are central regulators of secondary metabolism in Aspergillus, coordinating metabolite production and differentiation in response to light. Given the significance of effector-type host selective toxins in pathogenic interactions, we characterized ChLae1 and ChVel1 and found that deletion and overexpression affect T-toxin production in planta and in vitro. Both chlorosis due to T-toxin and necrotic lesion formation are altered, establishing these as the first factors known to regulate both super virulence conferred by T-toxin, and basic pathogenicity, due to unknown factors. The mutants are also altered in oxidative stress responses, key to success in the infection court, asexual and sexual development, essential for fungal dissemination in the field, aerial hyphal growth, and pigment biosynthesis, essential for survival in the field.

The veA gene of the pine needle pathogen Dothistroma septosporum regulates sporulation and secondary metabolism

Fungi possess genetic systems to regulate the expression of genes involved in complex processes such as development and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The product of the velvet gene veA, first identified and characterized in Aspergillus nidulans, is a key player in the regulation of both of these processes. Since its discovery and characterization in many Aspergillus species, VeA has been found to have similar functions in other fungi, including the Dothideomycete Mycosphaerella graminicola. Another Dothideomycete, Dothistroma septosporum, is a pine needle pathogen that produces dothistromin, a polyketide toxin very closely related to aflatoxin (AF) and sterigmatocystin (ST) synthesized by Aspergillus spp. Dothistromin is unusual in that, unlike most other secondary metabolites, it is produced mainly during the early exponential growth phase in culture. It was therefore of interest to determine whether the regulation of dothistromin production in D. septosporum differs from the regulation of AF/ST in Aspergillus spp. To begin to address this question, a veA ortholog was identified and its function analyzed in D. septosporum. Inactivation of the veA gene resulted in reduced dothistromin production and a corresponding decrease in expression of dothistromin biosynthetic genes. Expression of other putative secondary metabolite genes in D. septosporum such as polyketide synthases and non-ribosomal peptide synthases showed a range of different responses to loss of Ds-veA. Asexual sporulation was also significantly reduced in the mutants, accompanied by a reduction in the expression of a putative stuA regulatory gene. The mutants were, however, able to infect Pinus radiata seedlings and complete their life cycle under laboratory conditions. Overall this work suggests that D. septosporum has a veA ortholog that is involved in the control of both developmental and secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways.

Involvement of a velvet protein FgVeA in the regulation of asexual development, lipid and secondary metabolisms and virulence in Fusarium graminearum

The velvet protein, VeA, is involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. In this study, we explored functions of FgVeA in the wheat head blight pathogen, Fusarium graminearum,using a gene replacement strategy. The FgVEA deletion mutant exhibited a reduction in aerial hyphae formation, hydrophobicity, and deoxynivalenol (DON) biosynthesis. Deletion of FgVEA gene led to an increase in conidial production, but a delay in conidial germination. Pathogencity assays showed that the mutant was impaired in virulence on flowering wheat head. Sensitivity tests to various stresses exhibited that the FgVEA deletion mutant showed increased resistance to osmotic stress and cell wall-damaging agents, but increased sensitivity to iprodione and fludioxonil fungicides. Ultrastructural and histochemical analyses revealed that conidia of FgVeA deletion mutant contained an unusually high number of large lipid droplets, which is in agreement with the observation that the mutant accumulated a higher basal level of glycerol than the wild-type progenitor. Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) in the FgVEA mutant confirmed that FgVeA was involved in various cellular processes. Additionally, six proteins interacting with FgVeA were identified by yeast two hybrid assays in current study. These results indicate that FgVeA plays a critical role in a variety of cellular processes in F. graminearum.

Transcriptional regulatory elements in fungal secondary metabolism

Filamentous fungi produce a variety of secondary metabolites of diverse beneficial and detrimental activities to humankind. The genes required for a given secondary metabolite are typically arranged in a gene cluster. There is considerable evidence that secondary metabolite gene regulation is, in part, by transcriptional control through hierarchical levels of transcriptional regulatory elements involved in secondary metabolite cluster regulation. Identification of elements regulating secondary metabolism could potentially provide a means of increasing production of beneficial metabolites, decreasing production of detrimental metabolites, aid in the identification of 'silent' natural products and also contribute to a broader understanding of molecular mechanisms by which secondary metabolites are produced. This review summarizes regulation of secondary metabolism associated with transcriptional regulatory elements from a broad view as well as the tremendous advances in discovery of cryptic or novel secondary metabolites by genomic mining.