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Guo F, Meng J, Huang J, Yang Y, Lu S, Chen B. An efficient inoculation method to evaluate virulence differentiation of field strains of sugarcane smut fungus. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1355486. [PMID: 38650878 PMCID: PMC11033459 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1355486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane smut, caused by the fungal pathogen Sporisorium scitamineum, is a prominent threat to the sugarcane industry. The development of smut resistant varieties is the ultimate solution for controlling this disease, due to the lack of other efficient control methods. Artificial inoculation method is used to evaluate the virulence differentiation of pathogens. The mostly used artificial inoculation methods are soaking of the seed canes in the teliospore solution and injection of teliospores or haploid sporidia into the sugarcane sprouts. However, due to the infection nature of the pathogen that invades the sugarcane plant through meristem tissue of the sprout or shoot, the rate of successful infection is often low and fluctuated, resulting in low confidence of the assays. We recently reported a rapid and high-throughput inoculation method called plantlet soaking by using tissue culture-derived sugarcane plantlets as the test plants. Here, we compare different inoculation methods and report the characterization of parameters that may affect the sensitivity and efficiency of the plantlet soaking technique. The results showed that sugarcane plantlets were highly vulnerable to infection, even with the inoculum density at 6.0 × 105 basidial spores/ml, and this method could be applied to all varieties tested. Notably, varieties showing high smut resistance in the field exhibited high susceptibility when inoculated with the plantlet soaking method, suggesting that the plantlet soaking method is a good complement to the traditional methods for screening germplasms with internal resistance. In addition, this method could also be used to monitor the variation of cellular virulence of the smut pathogen strains in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiaorong Meng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, Ministry and Province Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Ji Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Academy of Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Shan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, Ministry and Province Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Academy of Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, Ministry and Province Co-Sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Academy of Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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2
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Yin K, Cui G, Bi X, Liang M, Hu Z, Deng YZ. Intracellular polyamines regulate redox homeostasis with cAMP-PKA signalling during sexual mating/filamentation and pathogenicity of Sporisorium scitamineum. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13393. [PMID: 37814404 PMCID: PMC10782646 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Sugarcane smut caused by Sporisorium scitamineum seriously impairs sugarcane production and quality. Sexual mating/filamentation is a critical step of S. scitamineum pathogenesis, yet the regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we identified the SsAGA, SsODC, and SsSAMDC genes, which are involved in polyamine biosynthesis in S. scitamineum. Deletion of SsODC led to complete loss of filamentous growth after sexual mating, and deletion of SsAGA or SsSAMDC caused reduced filamentation. Double deletion of SsODC and SsSAMDC resulted in auxotrophy for putrescine (PUT) and spermidine (SPD) when grown on minimal medium (MM), indicating that these two genes encode enzymes that are critical for PUT and SPD biosynthesis. We further showed that low PUT concentrations promoted S. scitamineum filamentation, while high PUT concentrations suppressed filamentation. Disrupted fungal polyamine biosynthesis also resulted in a loss of pathogenicity and reduced fungal biomass within infected plants at the early infection stage. SPD formed a gradient from the diseased part to nonsymptom parts of the cane stem, suggesting that SPD is probably favourable for fungal virulence. Mutants of the cAMP-PKA (SsGPA3-SsUAC1-SsADR1) signalling pathway displayed up-regulation of the SsODC gene and elevated intracellular levels of PUT. SsODC directly interacted with SsGPA3, and sporidia of the ss1uac1ΔodcΔ mutant displayed abundant pseudohyphae. Furthermore, we found that elevated PUT levels caused accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), probably by suppressing transcription of ROS-scavenging enzymes, while SPD played the opposite role. Overall, our work proves that polyamines play important roles in the pathogenic development of sugarcane smut fungus, probably by collaboratively regulating intracellular redox homeostasis with the cAMP-PKA signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yin
- Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Plant ProtectionSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guobing Cui
- Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Plant ProtectionSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xinping Bi
- Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Plant ProtectionSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Meiling Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Plant ProtectionResearch Institute of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhijian Hu
- Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Plant ProtectionSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yi Zhen Deng
- Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, College of Plant ProtectionSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
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3
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Ru B, Hao X, Li W, Peng Q, Miao J, Liu X. A Novel FYVE Domain-Containing Protein Kinase, PsZFPK1, Plays a Critical Role in Vegetative Growth, Sporangium Formation, Oospore Production, and Virulence in Phytophthora sojae. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:709. [PMID: 37504698 PMCID: PMC10381902 DOI: 10.3390/jof9070709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins containing both FYVE and serine/threonine kinase catalytic (STKc) domains are exclusive to protists. However, the biological function of these proteins in oomycetes has rarely been reported. In the Phytophthora sojae genome database, we identified five proteins containing FYVE and STKc domains, which we named PsZFPK1, PsZFPK2, PsZFPK3, PsZFPK4, and PsZFPK5. In this study, we characterized the biological function of PsZFPK1 using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene replacement system. Compared with the wild-type strain, P6497, the PsZFPK1-knockout mutants exhibited significantly reduced growth on a nutrient-rich V8 medium, while a more pronounced defect was observed on a nutrient-poor Plich medium. The PsZFPK1-knockout mutants also showed a significant increase in sporangium production. Furthermore, PsZFPK1 was found to be essential for oospore production and complete virulence but dispensable for the stress response in P. sojae. The N-terminal region, FYVE and STKc domains, and T602 phosphorylation site were found to be vital for the function of PsZFPK1. Conversely, these domains were not required for the localization of PsZFPK1 protein in the cytoplasm. Our results demonstrate that PsZFPK1 plays a critical role in vegetative growth, sporangium formation, oospore production, and virulence in P. sojae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binglu Ru
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Xinchang Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Wenhao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Qin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Jianqiang Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Xili Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 2 Yuanmingyuanxi Road, Beijing 100193, China
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Montgomery TL, Eckstrom K, Lile KH, Caldwell S, Heney ER, Lahue KG, D'Alessandro A, Wargo MJ, Krementsov DN. Lactobacillus reuteri tryptophan metabolism promotes host susceptibility to CNS autoimmunity. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:198. [PMID: 36419205 PMCID: PMC9685921 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01408-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation of gut microbiota-associated tryptophan metabolism has been observed in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, defining direct mechanistic links between this apparent metabolic rewiring and individual constituents of the gut microbiota remains challenging. We and others have previously shown that colonization with the gut commensal and putative probiotic species, Lactobacillus reuteri, unexpectedly enhances host susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of multiple sclerosis. To identify underlying mechanisms, we characterized the genome of commensal L. reuteri isolates, coupled with in vitro and in vivo metabolomic profiling, modulation of dietary substrates, and gut microbiota manipulation. RESULTS The enzymes necessary to metabolize dietary tryptophan into immunomodulatory indole derivatives were enriched in the L. reuteri genomes, including araT, fldH, and amiE. Moreover, metabolite profiling of L. reuteri monocultures and serum of L. reuteri-colonized mice revealed a depletion of kynurenines and production of a wide array of known and novel tryptophan-derived aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists and antagonists, including indole acetate, indole-3-glyoxylic acid, tryptamine, p-cresol, and diverse imidazole derivatives. Functionally, dietary tryptophan was required for L. reuteri-dependent EAE exacerbation, while depletion of dietary tryptophan suppressed disease activity and inflammatory T cell responses in the CNS. Mechanistically, L. reuteri tryptophan-derived metabolites activated the AhR and enhanced T cell production of IL-17. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggests that tryptophan metabolism by gut commensals, such as the putative probiotic species L. reuteri, can unexpectedly enhance autoimmunity, inducing broad shifts in the metabolome and immunological repertoire. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa L Montgomery
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Korin Eckstrom
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Katarina H Lile
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Sydney Caldwell
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Eamonn R Heney
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Karolyn G Lahue
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Matthew J Wargo
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Dimitry N Krementsov
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA.
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5
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Lu S, Zhang H, Guo F, Yang Y, Shen X, Chen B. SsUbc2, a determinant of pathogenicity, functions as a key coordinator controlling global transcriptomic reprogramming during mating in sugarcane smut fungus. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:954767. [PMID: 36204604 PMCID: PMC9530204 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.954767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The basidiomycete fungus Sporisorium scitamineum is the causative agent of sugarcane smut disease. Mating between two strains of the opposite mating type is essential for filamentous growth and infection in sugarcane plants. However, the mechanisms underlying mating and pathogenicity are still not well understood. In this work we used gene disruption to investigate the role of Ssubc2, the gene encoding a kinase regulator in S. scitamineum. Deletion of Ssubc2 did not alter the haploid cell morphology or growth rate in vitro or tolerance to stress, but mutants with both alleles deleted lost mating ability and infectivity. Deletion of one Ssubc2 allele in a pair with a wild-type strain resulted in impaired mating and reduced virulence. Transcriptome profiling revealed that about a third of genes underwent reprogramming in the wild types during mating. Although gene expression reprogramming occurred in the pairing of Ssubc2-null mutants, their transcriptomic profile differed significantly from that of the wild types, in which 625 genes differed from those present in the wild types that seemed to be among the required genes for a successful mating. These genes include those known to regulate mating and pathogenicity, such as components of the MAPK pathway and hgl1. Additionally, a total of 908 genes were differentially expressed in an out-of-control manner in the mutants. We conclude that SsUbc2 functions as a key factor to coordinate the reprogramming of gene expression at the global level and is essential for the transition from monokaryotic basidial growth to dikaryotic hyphal growth through mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Ministry and Province Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Haoyang Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Feng Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanfang Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaorui Shen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Ministry and Province Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Sugarcane and Sugar Industry, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Baoshan Chen,
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6
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Aminotransferase SsAro8 Regulates Tryptophan Metabolism Essential for Filamentous Growth of Sugarcane Smut Fungus
Sporisorium scitamineum. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0057022. [PMID: 35862944 PMCID: PMC9431617 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00570-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane smut caused by the basidiomycetous fungus Sporisorium scitamineum leads to severe economic losses globally. Sexual mating/filamentation of S. scitamineum is critical for its pathogenicity, as only the dikaryotic hyphae formed after sexual mating are capable of invading the host cane. Our comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the AGC kinase Agc1 (orthologous to yeast Rim15), both governing S. scitamineum mating/filamentation, were induced by elevated tryptophol level, supporting a positive regulation of S. scitamineum mating/filamentation by tryptophol. However, the biosynthesis pathway of tryptophol remains unknown in S. scitamineum. Here, we identified an aminotransferase orthologous to the established tryptophan aminotransferase Tam1/Aro8, catalyzing the first step of tryptophan-dependent indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production as well as that of the Ehrlich pathway for tryptophol production. We designated this S. scitamineum aminotransferase as SsAro8 and found that it was essential for mating/filamentation. Comparative metabolomics analysis revealed that SsAro8 was involved in tryptophan metabolism, likely for producing important intermediate products, including tryptophol. Exogenous addition of tryptophan or tryptophol could differentially restore mating/filamentation in the ssaro8Δ mutant, indicating that in addition to tryptophol, other product(s) of tryptophan catabolism may also be involved in S. scitamineum mating/filamentation regulation. S. scitamineum could also produce IAA, partially dependent on SsAro8 function. Surprisingly, photodestruction of IAA produced the compound(s) able to suppress S. scitamineum growth/differentiation. Lastly, we found that SsAro8 was required for proper biofilm formation, oxidative stress tolerance, and full pathogenicity in S. scitamineum. Overall, our study establishes the aminotransferase SsAro8 as an essential regulator of S. scitamineum pathogenic differentiation, as well as fungus-host interaction, and therefore of great potential as a molecular target for sugarcane smut disease control. IMPORTANCE Sugarcane smut caused by the basidiomycete fungus S. scitamineum leads to massive economic losses in sugarcane plantation globally. Dikaryotic hyphae formation (filamentous growth) and biofilm formation are two important aspects in S. scitamineum pathogenesis, yet the molecular regulation of these two processes was not as extensively investigated as that in the model pathogenic fungi, e.g., Candida albicans, Ustilago maydis, or Cryptococcus neoformans. In this study, a tryptophan aminotransferase ortholog was identified in S. scitamineum, designated SsAro8. Functional characterization showed that SsAro8 positively regulates both filamentous growth and biofilm formation, respectively, via tryptophol-dependent and -independent manners. Furthermore, SsAro8 is required for full pathogenicity and, thus, is a promising molecular target for designing anti-smut strategy.
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7
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Cai Y, Zhang Y, Bao H, Chen J, Chen J, Shen W. Squalene Monooxygenase Gene SsCI80130 Regulates Sporisorium scitamineum Mating/Filamentation and Pathogenicity. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8050470. [PMID: 35628726 PMCID: PMC9143649 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane is an important sugar crop and energy crop worldwide. Sugarcane smut caused by Sporisorium scitamineum is a serious fungal disease that occurs worldwide, seriously affecting the yield and quality of sugarcane. It is essential to reveal the molecular pathogenesis of S. scitamineum to explore a new control strategy of sugarcane smut. Based on transcriptome sequencing data of two S. scitamineum strains Ss16 and Ss47, each with a different pathogenicity, our laboratory screened out the SsCI80130 gene predicted to encode squalene monooxygenase. In this study, we obtained the knockout mutants (ΔSs80130+ and ΔSs80130−) and complementary mutants (COM80130+ and COM80130−) of this gene by the polyethylene glycol-mediated (PEG-mediated) protoplast transformation technology, and then performed a functional analysis of the gene. The results showed that the deletion of the SsCI80130 gene resulted in the increased content of squalene (substrate for squalene monooxygenase) and decreased content of ergosterol (the final product of the ergosterol synthesis pathway) in S. scitamineum. Meanwhile, the sporidial growth rate of the knockout mutants was significantly slower than that of the wild type and complementary mutants; under cell-wall stress or oxidative stress, the growth of the knockout mutants was significantly inhibited. In addition, the sexual mating ability and pathogenicity of knockout mutants were significantly weakened, while the sexual mating ability could be restored by adding exogenous small-molecular signal substance cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) or tryptophol. It is speculated that the SsCI80130 gene was involved in the ergosterol biosynthesis in S. scitamineum and played an important role in the sporidial growth, stress response to different abiotic stresses (including cell wall stress and oxidative stress), sexual mating/filamentation and pathogenicity. Moreover, the SsCI80130 gene may affect the sexual mating and pathogenicity of S. scitamineum by regulating the ergosterol synthesis and the synthesis of the small-molecular signal substance cAMP or tryptophol required for sexual mating. This study reveals for the first time that the gene encoding squalene monooxygenase is involved in regulating the sexual mating and pathogenicity of S. scitamineum, providing a basis for the molecular pathogenic mechanism of S. scitamineum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichang Cai
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Han Bao
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiaoyun Chen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Wankuan Shen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (Y.C.); (Y.Z.); (H.B.); (J.C.); (J.C.)
- Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Cultivation in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-20-8528-0306; Fax: +86-20-8528-0203
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8
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Li H, Cai Y, Deng Q, Bao H, Chen J, Shen W. Cytochrome P450 Sterol 14 Alpha-Demethylase Gene SsCI72380 Is Required for Mating/Filamentation and Pathogenicity in Sporisorium scitamineum. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:696117. [PMID: 35002988 PMCID: PMC8733404 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.696117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane smut is a significant sugarcane disease caused by Sporisorium scitamineum and is a large threat to the sugar industry in China and the world. Accordingly, it is important to study the pathogenic mechanism by which this disease occurs to identify effective prevention and control strategies. Gene SsCI72380, which encodes cytochrome P450 sterol 14 alpha-demethylase (CYP51), was screened out from the transcriptome of S. scitamineum. In this study, the functions of gene SsCI72380 were identified via the knockout mutants ΔSs72380+ and ΔSs72380−, which were obtained by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation technology, as well as the complementary mutants COM72380+ and COM72380−. The results showed that the CYP51 gene SsCI72380 played an important role in sporidial growth, sexual mating/filamentation, hyphae growth, and pathogenicity in S. scitamineum. Gene SsCI72380 may regulate the biosynthesis process of ergosterol by encoding CYP51 enzymes and then affecting the structure and function of the cell membrane. Gene SsCI72380 also played an important role in the response toward different abiotic stresses, including hyperosmotic stress, oxidative stress, and cell wall stress, by regulating the permeability of the cell membrane. In addition, gene SsCI72380 is a new type of pathogenic gene from S. scitamineum that enhances the pathogenicity of S. scitamineum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhong Li
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yichang Cai
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quanqing Deng
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Bao
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wankuan Shen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Cultivation in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Li H, Cai Y, Deng Q, Bao H, Chen J, Shen W. Ovarian Tumor Domain-Containing Proteases-Deubiquitylation Enzyme Gene SsCI33130 Involved in the Regulation of Mating/Filamentation and Pathogenicity in Sporisorium scitamineum. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:746550. [PMID: 34675909 PMCID: PMC8523855 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.746550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane is an important sugar crop. Sugarcane smut, caused by Sporisorium scitamineum, is a worldwide sugarcane disease with serious economic losses and lack of effective control measures. Revealing the molecular pathogenesis of S. scitamineum is very helpful to the development of effective prevention and control technology. Deubiquitinase removes ubiquitin molecules from their binding substrates and participates in a variety of physiological activities in eukaryotes. Based on the transcriptome sequencing data of two isolates (Ss16 and Ss47) of S. scitamineum with different pathogenicities, SsCI33130, a gene encoding an OTU1-deubiquitin enzyme, was identified. The positive knockout mutants and complementary mutants of the SsCI33130 gene were successfully obtained through polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast transformation technology. In order to study the possible function of this gene in pathogenicity, phenotypic comparison of the growth, morphology, abiotic stress, sexual mating, pathogenicity, and gene expression levels of the knockout mutants, complementary mutants, and their wild type strains were conducted. The results demonstrated that the gene had almost no effect on abiotic stress, cell wall integrity, growth, and morphology, but was related to the sexual mating and pathogenicity of S. scitamineum. The sexual mating ability and pathogenicity between the knockout mutants or between the knockout mutant and wild type were more significantly reduced than between the wild types, the complementary mutants, or the wild types and complementary mutants. The sexual mating between the knockout mutants or between the knockout mutant and wild type could be restored by the exogenous addition of small-molecule signaling substances such as 5 mM cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) or 0.02 mM tryptophol. In addition, during sexual mating, the expression levels of tryptophol and cAMP synthesis-related genes in the knockout mutant combinations were significantly lower than those in the wild type combinations, while the expression levels in the complementary mutant combinations were restored to the level of the wild type. It is speculated that the SsCI33130 gene may be involved in the development of sexual mating and pathogenicity in S. scitamineum by regulating the synthesis of the small-molecule signaling substances (cAMP or tryptophol) required during the sexual mating of S. scitamineum, thereby providing a molecular basis for the study of the pathogenic mechanisms of S. scitamineum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhong Li
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yichang Cai
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quanqing Deng
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Bao
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Chen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wankuan Shen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Sugarcane Research Laboratory, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Cultivation in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
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Global phosphoproteome analysis reveals significant differences between sporulated oocysts of virulent and avirulent strains of Toxoplasma gondii. Microb Pathog 2021; 161:105240. [PMID: 34655729 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the differences in the phosphoproteomic landscape of sporulated oocysts between virulent and avirulent strains of Toxoplasma gondii were examined using a global phosphoproteomics approach. Phosphopeptides from sporulated oocysts of the virulent PYS strain (Chinese ToxoDB#9) and the avirulent PRU strain (type II) were enriched by titanium dioxide (TiO2) affinity chromatography and quantified using IBT approach. A total of 10,645 unique phosphopeptides, 8181 nonredundant phosphorylation sites and 2792 phosphoproteins were identified. We also detected 4129 differentially expressed phosphopeptides (DEPs) between sporulated oocysts of PYS strain and PRU strain (|log1.5 fold change| > 1 and p < 0.05), including 2485 upregulated and 1644 downregulated phosphopeptides. Motif analysis identified 24 motifs from the upregulated phosphorylated peptides including 22 serine motifs and two threonine motifs (TPE and TP), and 15 motifs from the downregulated phosphorylated peptides including 12 serine motifs and three threonine motifs (TP, RxxT and KxxT) in PYS strain when comparing PYS strain to PRU strain. Several kinases were consistent with motifs of overrepresented phosphopeptides, such as PKA, PKG, CKII, IKK, MAPK, EGFR, INSR, Jak, Syk, Src, Ab1. GO enrichment, KEGG pathway analysis and STRING analysis revealed DEPs significantly enriched in many biological processes and pathways. Kinase related network analysis showed that AGC kinase was the most connected kinase peptide. Our findings reveal significant difference in phosphopeptide profiles of sporulated oocysts between virulent and avirulent T. gondii strains, providing new resources for further elucidation of the mechanisms underpinning the virulence of T. gondii.
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Martínez-Soto D, Ortiz-Castellanos L, Robledo-Briones M, León-Ramírez CG. Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Multicellular Growth of Ustilaginomycetes. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1072. [PMID: 32708448 PMCID: PMC7409079 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity is defined as the developmental process by which unicellular organisms became pluricellular during the evolution of complex organisms on Earth. This process requires the convergence of genetic, ecological, and environmental factors. In fungi, mycelial and pseudomycelium growth, snowflake phenotype (where daughter cells remain attached to their stem cells after mitosis), and fruiting bodies have been described as models of multicellular structures. Ustilaginomycetes are Basidiomycota fungi, many of which are pathogens of economically important plant species. These fungi usually grow unicellularly as yeasts (sporidia), but also as simple multicellular forms, such as pseudomycelium, multicellular clusters, or mycelium during plant infection and under different environmental conditions: Nitrogen starvation, nutrient starvation, acid culture media, or with fatty acids as a carbon source. Even under specific conditions, Ustilago maydis can form basidiocarps or fruiting bodies that are complex multicellular structures. These fungi conserve an important set of genes and molecular mechanisms involved in their multicellular growth. In this review, we will discuss in-depth the signaling pathways, epigenetic regulation, required polyamines, cell wall synthesis/degradation, polarized cell growth, and other cellular-genetic processes involved in the different types of Ustilaginomycetes multicellular growth. Finally, considering their short life cycle, easy handling in the laboratory and great morphological plasticity, Ustilaginomycetes can be considered as model organisms for studying fungal multicellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domingo Martínez-Soto
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Los Reyes, Los Reyes 60300, Mexico
| | - Lucila Ortiz-Castellanos
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato 36821, Mexico; (L.O.-C.); (C.G.L.-R.)
| | - Mariana Robledo-Briones
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Salamanca, Spain;
| | - Claudia Geraldine León-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato 36821, Mexico; (L.O.-C.); (C.G.L.-R.)
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