Characterization of the Serine Protease TlSP1 from Trichoderma longibrachiatum T6 and Its Function in the Control of Heterodera avenae in Wheat

Serine protease is an extracellular protease secreted by biocontrol fungi that can effectively control nematode diseases by degrading nematode eggshells and enhancing plant resistance. Trichoderma longibrachiatum T6, an important biocontrol fungus, has been demonstrated to effectively parasitize and degrade Heterodera avenae cysts, eggs, and second-stage juveniles (J2s). However, the genes that encoding serine protease and their functions in T. longibrachiatum T6 have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we successfully cloned and sequenced the serine protease gene TlSP1 in T. longibrachiatum T6. Our results revealed that the expression level of the TlSP1 gene was induced and significantly increased in T. longibrachiatum T6 after inoculation with H. avenae cysts. The full-length sequence of the coding region (CDS) of TlSP1 gene was 1230 bp and encoded a protein consisting of 409 amino acids. Upon the transformation of the TlSP1 gene into Pichia pastoris X33, the purified recombinant TlSP1 protein exhibited optimal activity at a temperature of 50 °C and pH 8.0. Following 4-10-day of treatment with the purified recombinant TlSP1 protein, the eggshells and content were dissolved and exuded. The number of nematodes invading wheat roots was reduced by 38.43% in the group treated with both TlSP1 and eggs on one side (P1+N) compared to the control group, while the number of nematodes invading wheat roots was reduced by 30.4% in the TlSP1 and eggs two-sided treatment group (P1/N). Furthermore, both the P1+N and P1/N treatments significantly upregulated genes associated with defense enzymes (TaPAL, TaCAT, TaSOD, and TaPOD), genes involved in the lignin synthesis pathway (TaC4H, Ta4CL2, TaCAD1, and TaCAD12), and salicylic acid (SA)-responsive genes (TaNPR1, TaPR1, and TaPR2) and led to the high expression of jasmonic acid (JA)-responsive genes (TaPR4, TaOPR3, and TaAOS2). This study has highlighted the significant role of the TlSP1 gene in facilitating H. avenae eggshells' dissolution, preventing nematode invasion in the host plant, and boosting plant resistance in wheat.

Strain improvement of Trichoderma harzianum for enhanced biocontrol capacity: Strategies and prospects

In the control of plant diseases, biocontrol has the advantages of being efficient and safe for human health and the environment. The filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum and its closely related species can inhibit the growth of many phytopathogenic fungi, and have been developed as commercial biocontrol agents for decades. In this review, we summarize studies on T. harzianum species complex from the perspective of strain improvement. To elevate the biocontrol ability, the production of extracellular proteins and compounds with antimicrobial or plant immunity-eliciting activities need to be enhanced. In addition, resistance to various environmental stressors should be strengthened. Engineering the gene regulatory system has the potential to modulate a variety of biological processes related to biocontrol. With the rapidly developing technologies for fungal genetic engineering, T. harzianum strains with increased biocontrol activities are expected to be constructed to promote the sustainable development of agriculture.

Subtilisin-like serine protease gene TghSS42 from Trichoderma ghanense ACCC 30153 was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and recombinant protease rTghSS42 exhibited antifungal ability to five phytopathogens

　The subtilisin-like serine protease gene TghSS42 was cloned from biocontrol agent Trichoderma ghanense ACCC 30153. Its coding region is 1302 bp in length, encoding 433 aa with a predicted protein molecular weight of 42.5 kDa and pI of 5.53. The accession number of cDNA sequence of TghSS42 gene is KJ740359. Furthermore, the transcription of the TghSS42 gene was all up-regulated under nine different treatments by RT-qPCR analysis, and the highest transcription level of TghSS42 approached 177.29-fold at 4 h under induction with 1% (w/v) Alternaria alternata cell walls, indicating that TghSS42 could be induced by the plant or phytopathogen. Furthermore, Escherichia coli recombinant strain BL21-TghSS42 was constructed. The recombinant protease rTghSS42, with an expected molecular weight of approximately 68.5 kDa (containing 26.0 kDa GST tag), has been successfully expressed and purified from BL21-TghSS42. The purified protease rTghSS42 activity reached a peak of 18.7 U/mL at 4 h following 1.0 mM IPTG induction. The optimal enzyme reaction temperature was 40℃ and the optimal pH was 7.0. The recombinant protease rTghSS42 exerted broad-spectrum antifungal ability against Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, A. alternata, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Cytospora chrysosperma. The inhibition rate of mycelial growth varied between 21.2% and 50.0%.

Identification of a novel fungus, Trichoderma asperellum GDFS1009, and comprehensive evaluation of its biocontrol efficacy

Due to its efficient broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, Trichoderma has been established as an internationally recognized biocontrol fungus. In this study, we found and identified a novel strain of Trichoderma asperellum, named GDFS1009. The mycelium of T. asperellum GDFS1009 exhibits a high growth rate, high sporulation capacity, and strong inhibitory effects against pathogens that cause cucumber fusarium wilt and corn stalk rot. T. asperellum GDFS1009 secretes chitinase, glucanase, and protease, which can degrade the cell walls of fungi and contribute to mycoparasitism. The secreted xylanases are good candidates for inducing plant resistance and enhancing plant immunity against pathogens. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that T. asperellum GDFS1009 produces primary metabolites that are precursors of antimicrobial compounds; it also produces a variety of antimicrobial secondary metabolites, including polyketides and alkanes. In addition, this study speculated the presence of six antimicrobial peptides via ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). Future studies should focus on these antimicrobial metabolites for facilitating widespread application in the field of agricultural bio-control.

Selection of reliable reference genes for gene expression studies in Clonostachys rosea 67-1 under sclerotial induction

Reference genes are important to precisely quantify gene expression by real-time PCR. In order to identify stable and reliable expressed genes in mycoparasite Clonostachys rosea in different modes of nutrition, seven commonly used housekeeping genes, 18S rRNA, actin, β-tubulin, elongation factor 1, ubiquitin, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, from the effective biocontrol isolate C. rosea 67-1 were tested for their expression under sclerotial induction and during vegetative growth on PDA medium. Analysis by three software programs showed that differences existed among the candidates. Elongation factor 1 was most stable; the M value in geNorm, SD value in Bestkeeper and stability value in Normfinder analysis were 0.405, 0.450 and 0.442, respectively, indicating that the gene elongation factor 1 could be used to normalize gene expression in C. rosea in both vegetative growth and parasitic process. By using elongation factor 1, the expression of a serine protease gene, sep, in different conditions was assessed, which was consistent with the transcriptomic data. This research provides an effective method to quantitate expression changes of target genes in C. rosea, and will assist in further investigation of parasitism-related genes of this fungus.