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Lacrampe N, Lugan R, Dumont D, Nicot PC, Lecompte F, Colombié S. Modelling metabolic fluxes of tomato stems reveals that nitrogen shapes central metabolism for defence against Botrytis cinerea. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:4093-4110. [PMID: 38551810 PMCID: PMC11233421 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Among plant pathogens, the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea is one of the most prevalent, leading to severe crop damage. Studies related to its colonization of different plant species have reported variable host metabolic responses to infection. In tomato, high N availability leads to decreased susceptibility. Metabolic flux analysis can be used as an integrated method to better understand which metabolic adaptations lead to effective host defence and resistance. Here, we investigated the metabolic response of tomato infected by B. cinerea in symptomless stem tissues proximal to the lesions for 7 d post-inoculation, using a reconstructed metabolic model constrained by a large and consistent metabolic dataset acquired under four different N supplies. An overall comparison of 48 flux solution vectors of Botrytis- and mock-inoculated plants showed that fluxes were higher in Botrytis-inoculated plants, and the difference increased with a reduction in available N, accompanying an unexpected increase in radial growth. Despite higher fluxes, such as those involved in cell wall synthesis and other pathways, fluxes related to glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and amino acid and protein synthesis were limited under very low N, which might explain the enhanced susceptibility. Limiting starch synthesis and enhancing fluxes towards redox and specialized metabolism also contributed to defence independent of N supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Lacrampe
- PSH unit, INRAE, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMR Qualisud, Avignon Université, F-84916 Avignon, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Sophie Colombié
- UMR 1332 BFP, INRAE, Univ Bordeaux, F-33883 Villenave d’Ornon, France
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2
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Azizi A, Del Río Mendoza LE. Effective Control of Sclerotinia Stem Rot in Canola Plants Through Application of Exogenous Hairpin RNA of Multiple Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Genes. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2024; 114:1000-1010. [PMID: 38506733 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-10-23-0395-kc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Sclerotinia stem rot is a globally destructive plant disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Current management of Sclerotinia stem rot primarily relies on chemical fungicides and crop rotation, raising environmental concerns. In this study, we developed an eco-friendly RNA bio-fungicide targeting S. sclerotiorum. Six S. sclerotiorum genes were selected for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) synthesis. Four genes, a chitin-binding domain, mitogen-activated protein kinase, oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase, and abhydrolase-3, were combined to express hairpin RNA in Escherichia coli HT115. The effect of application of total RNA extracted from E. coli HT115 expressing hairpin RNA on disease progressive and necrosis lesions was evaluated. Gene expression analysis using real-time PCR showed silencing of the target genes using 5 ng/µl of dsRNA in a fungal liquid culture. A detached leaf assay and greenhouse application of dsRNA on canola stem and leaves showed variation in the reduction of necrosis symptoms by dsRNA of different genes, with abhydrolase-3 being the most effective. The dsRNA from a combination of four genes reduced disease severity significantly (P = 0.01). Plants sprayed with hairpin RNA from four genes had lesions that were almost 30% smaller than those of plants treated with abhydrolase-3 alone, in lab and greenhouse assays. The results of this study highlight the potential of RNA interference to manage diseases caused by S. sclerotiorum; however, additional research is necessary to optimize its efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdolbaset Azizi
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, ND, U.S.A
- Department of Plant Protection, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
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3
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Westrick NM, Dominguez EG, Bondy M, Hull CM, Smith DL, Kabbage M. A single laccase acts as a key component of environmental sensing in a broad host range fungal pathogen. Commun Biol 2024; 7:348. [PMID: 38514801 PMCID: PMC10957995 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Secreted laccases are important enzymes on a broad ecological scale for their role in mediating plant-microbe interactions, but within ascomycete fungi these enzymes have been primarily associated with melanin biosynthesis. In this study, a putatively secreted laccase, Sslac2, was characterized from the broad-host-range plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which is largely unpigmented and is not dependent on melanogenesis for plant infection. Gene knockouts of Sslac2 demonstrate wide ranging developmental phenotypes and are functionally non-pathogenic. These mutants also displayed indiscriminate growth behaviors and enhanced biomass formation, seemingly as a result of their inability to respond to canonical environmental growth cues, a phenomenon further confirmed through chemical stress, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demonstrate apparent differences in extracellular matrix structure between WT and mutant strains that likely explain the inability of the mutants to respond to their environment. Targeting Sslac2 using host-induced gene silencing significantly improved resistance to S. sclerotiorum, suggesting that fungal laccases could be a valuable target of disease control. Collectively, we identified a laccase critical to the development and virulence of the broad-host-range pathogen S. sclerotiorum and propose a potentially novel role for fungal laccases in modulating environmental sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel M Westrick
- Valley Laboratory, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Windsor, CT, USA
| | - Eddie G Dominguez
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Madeline Bondy
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Christina M Hull
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Damon L Smith
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mehdi Kabbage
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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4
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Poudel RS, Belay K, Nelson B, Brueggeman R, Underwood W. Population and genome-wide association studies of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates collected from diverse host plants throughout the United States. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1251003. [PMID: 37829452 PMCID: PMC10566370 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1251003] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen causing disease and economic loss on numerous crop plants. This fungus has a broad host range and can infect over 400 plant species, including important oilseed crops such as soybean, canola, and sunflower. S. sclerotiorum isolates vary in aggressiveness of lesion formation on plant tissues. However, the genetic basis for this variation remains to be determined. The aims of this study were to evaluate a diverse collection of S. sclerotiorum isolates collected from numerous hosts and U.S. states for aggressiveness of stem lesion formation on sunflower, to evaluate the population characteristics, and to identify loci associated with isolate aggressiveness using genome-wide association mapping. Methods A total of 219 S. sclerotiorum isolates were evaluated for stem lesion formation on two sunflower inbred lines and genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing. DNA markers were used to assess population differentiation across hosts, regions, and climatic conditions and to perform a genome-wide association study of isolate aggressiveness. Results and discussion We observed a broad range of aggressiveness for lesion formation on sunflower stems, and only a moderate correlation between aggressiveness on the two lines. Population genetic evaluations revealed differentiation between populations from warmer climate regions compared to cooler regions. Finally, a genome-wide association study of isolate aggressiveness identified three loci significantly associated with aggressiveness on sunflower. Functional characterization of candidate genes at these loci will likely improve our understanding of the virulence strategies used by this pathogen to cause disease on a wide array of agriculturally important host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Sharma Poudel
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Kassaye Belay
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Berlin Nelson
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Robert Brueggeman
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - William Underwood
- Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fargo, ND, United States
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Newman TE, Kim H, Khentry Y, Sohn KH, Derbyshire MC, Kamphuis LG. The broad host range pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum produces multiple effector proteins that induce host cell death intracellularly. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:866-881. [PMID: 37038612 PMCID: PMC10346375 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a broad host range necrotrophic fungal pathogen, which causes disease on many economically important crop species. S. sclerotiorum has been shown to secrete small effector proteins to kill host cells and acquire nutrients. We set out to discover novel necrosis-inducing effectors and characterize their activity using transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Five intracellular necrosis-inducing effectors were identified with differing host subcellular localization patterns, which were named intracellular necrosis-inducing effector 1-5 (SsINE1-5). We show for the first time a broad host range pathogen effector, SsINE1, that uses an RxLR-like motif to enter host cells. Furthermore, we provide preliminary evidence that SsINE5 induces necrosis via an NLR protein. All five of the identified effectors are highly conserved in globally sourced S. sclerotiorum isolates. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of the virulence mechanisms employed by S. sclerotiorum and reveal potential avenues for enhancing genetic resistance to this damaging fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby E. Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Haseong Kim
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Yuphin Khentry
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kee Hoon Sohn
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologySeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Mark C. Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Lars G. Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
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Singh S, Sarki YN, Marwein R, Singha DL, Velmurugan N, Chikkaputtaiah C. Unraveling the role of effector proteins in Bipolaris oryzae infecting North East Indian rice cultivars through time-course transcriptomics analysis. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1098-1110. [PMID: 37495300 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Bipolaris oryzae, causing brown spot disease in rice, is one of the neglected diseases reducing rice productivity. Limited knowledge is available on the genetics of host-pathogen interaction. Here, we used time-course transcriptome sequencing to elucidate the differential transcriptional responses of the pathogen genes in two contradictory infection-responsive rice hosts. Evaluation of transcriptome data showed similar regulation of fungal genes within susceptible (1733) and resistant (1846) hosts at an early stage however, in the later stage, the number was significantly higher in susceptible (2877) compared to resistant (1955) hosts. GO enrichment terms for upregulated genes showed a similar pattern in both the hosts at an early stage, but in the later stage terms related to degradation of carbohydrates, carbohydrate transport, and pathogenesis are enriched extensively within the susceptible host. Likewise, similar expression responses were observed with the secretory and effector proteins. Plant pathogenic homologs genes such as those involved in appressorium and conidia formation, host cell wall degradative enzymes, etc. were reported to be highly upregulated within the susceptible host. This study predicts the successful establishment of B. oryzae BO1 in both the host surfaces at an early stage, while disease progression only occurs in the susceptible host in later stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Singh
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India
| | - Yogita N Sarki
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Riwandahun Marwein
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Dhanawantari L Singha
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India
| | - Natarajan Velmurugan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India; Biological Sciences Division, Branch Laboratory-Itanagar, CSIR-NEIST, Naharlagun, 791110, Arunachal Pradesh, India
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India.
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Bulasag AS, Camagna M, Kuroyanagi T, Ashida A, Ito K, Tanaka A, Sato I, Chiba S, Ojika M, Takemoto D. Botrytis cinerea tolerates phytoalexins produced by Solanaceae and Fabaceae plants through an efflux transporter BcatrB and metabolizing enzymes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1177060. [PMID: 37332725 PMCID: PMC10273015 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1177060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea, a plant pathogenic fungus with a wide host range, has reduced sensitivity to fungicides as well as phytoalexins, threatening cultivation of economically important fruits and vegetable crops worldwide. B. cinerea tolerates a wide array of phytoalexins, through efflux and/or enzymatic detoxification. Previously, we provided evidence that a distinctive set of genes were induced in B. cinerea when treated with different phytoalexins such as rishitin (produced by tomato and potato), capsidiol (tobacco and bell pepper) and resveratrol (grape and blueberry). In this study, we focused on the functional analyses of B. cinerea genes implicated in rishitin tolerance. LC/MS profiling revealed that B. cinerea can metabolize/detoxify rishitin into at least 4 oxidized forms. Heterologous expression of Bcin08g04910 and Bcin16g01490, two B. cinerea oxidoreductases upregulated by rishitin, in a plant symbiotic fungus Epichloë festucae revealed that these rishitin-induced enzymes are involved in the oxidation of rishitin. Expression of BcatrB, encoding an exporter of structurally unrelated phytoalexins and fungicides, was significantly upregulated by rishitin but not by capsidiol and was thus expected to be involved in the rishitin tolerance. Conidia of BcatrB KO (ΔbcatrB) showed enhanced sensitivity to rishitin, but not to capsidiol, despite their structural similarity. ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on tomato, but maintained full virulence on bell pepper, indicating that B. cinerea activates BcatrB by recognizing appropriate phytoalexins to utilize it in tolerance. Surveying 26 plant species across 13 families revealed that the BcatrB promoter is mainly activated during the infection of B. cinerea in plants belonging to the Solanaceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae. The BcatrB promoter was also activated by in vitro treatments of phytoalexins produced by members of these plant families, namely rishitin (Solanaceae), medicarpin and glyceollin (Fabaceae), as well as camalexin and brassinin (Brassicaceae). Consistently, ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on red clover, which produces medicarpin. These results suggest that B. cinerea distinguishes phytoalexins and induces differential expression of appropriate genes during the infection. Likewise, BcatrB plays a critical role in the strategy employed by B. cinerea to bypass the plant innate immune responses in a wide variety of important crops belonging to the Solanaceae, Brassicaceae and Fabaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abriel Salaria Bulasag
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Maurizio Camagna
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Teruhiko Kuroyanagi
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akira Ashida
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kento Ito
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Aiko Tanaka
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ikuo Sato
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sotaro Chiba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Makoto Ojika
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Daigo Takemoto
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Hossain MM, Sultana F, Li W, Tran LSP, Mostofa MG. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary: Insights into the Pathogenomic Features of a Global Pathogen. Cells 2023; 12:cells12071063. [PMID: 37048136 PMCID: PMC10093061 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a broad host-range fungus that infects an inclusive array of plant species and afflicts significant yield losses globally. Despite being a notorious pathogen, it has an uncomplicated life cycle consisting of either basal infection from myceliogenically germinated sclerotia or aerial infection from ascospores of carpogenically germinated sclerotia. This fungus is unique among necrotrophic pathogens in that it inevitably colonizes aging tissues to initiate an infection, where a saprophytic stage follows the pathogenic phase. The release of cell wall-degrading enzymes, oxalic acid, and effector proteins are considered critical virulence factors necessary for the effective pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum. Nevertheless, the molecular basis of S. sclerotiorum pathogenesis is still imprecise and remains a topic of continuing research. Previous comprehensive sequencing of the S. sclerotiorum genome has revealed new insights into its genome organization and provided a deeper comprehension of the sophisticated processes involved in its growth, development, and virulence. This review focuses on the genetic and genomic aspects of fungal biology and molecular pathogenicity to summarize current knowledge of the processes utilized by S. sclerotiorum to parasitize its hosts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating the infection process of S. sclerotiorum will contribute to devising strategies for preventing infections caused by this destructive pathogen.
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9
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Roth MG, Westrick NM, Baldwin TT. Fungal biotechnology: From yesterday to tomorrow. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2023; 4:1135263. [PMID: 37746125 PMCID: PMC10512358 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2023.1135263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Fungi have been used to better the lives of everyday people and unravel the mysteries of higher eukaryotic organisms for decades. However, comparing progress and development stemming from fungal research to that of human, plant, and bacterial research, fungi remain largely understudied and underutilized. Recent commercial ventures have begun to gain popularity in society, providing a new surge of interest in fungi, mycelia, and potential new applications of these organisms to various aspects of research. Biotechnological advancements in fungal research cannot occur without intensive amounts of time, investments, and research tool development. In this review, we highlight past breakthroughs in fungal biotechnology, discuss requirements to advance fungal biotechnology even further, and touch on the horizon of new breakthroughs with the highest potential to positively impact both research and society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell G. Roth
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, United States
| | - Nathaniel M. Westrick
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Thomas T. Baldwin
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
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10
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Transcriptome Analysis of the Necrotrophic Pathogen Alternaria brassicae Reveals Insights into Its Pathogenesis in Brassica juncea. Microbiol Spectr 2023:e0293922. [PMID: 36912684 PMCID: PMC10100672 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02939-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternaria blight or leaf spot caused by Alternaria brassicae has an enormous economic impact on the Brassica crops grown worldwide. Although the genome of A. brassicae has been sequenced, little is known about the genes that play a role during the infection of the host species. In this study, the transcriptome expression profile of A. brassicae during growth and infection was determined. Differential expression analysis revealed that 4,430 genes were differentially expressed during infection. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis helped identify 10 modules, which were highly correlated with growth and infection. Subsequent gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the modules highlighted the involvement of biological processes such as toxin metabolism, ribosome biogenesis, polysaccharide catabolism, copper ion transport, and vesicular trafficking during infection. Additionally, 200 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and 80 potential effectors were significantly upregulated during infection. Furthermore, 18 secondary metabolite gene clusters were also differentially expressed during infection. The clusters responsible for the production of destruxin B, brassicicene C, and HC-toxin were significantly upregulated during infection. Collectively, these results provide an overview of the critical pathways underlying the pathogenesis of A. brassicae and highlight the distinct gene networks that are temporally regulated. The study thus provides novel insights into the transcriptional plasticity of a necrotrophic pathogen during infection of its host. Additionally, the in planta expression evidence for many potential effectors provides a theoretical basis for further investigations into the effector biology of necrotrophic pathogens such as A. brassicae. IMPORTANCE Alternaria brassicae is a necrotrophic pathogen that can infect almost all members of the Brassicaceae family. A. brassicae causes extensive yield losses in oilseed mustard and has practically restricted the cultivation of oilseed brassicas in regions with cool and foggy climatic conditions (foothills and mountainous terrains) where the severity of the pathogen is the highest. In this study, I identified the differentially expressed genes associated with the pathogenicity of A. brassicae through transcriptome sequencing. Also, I have been able to delineate pathways that are active during the early and late stages of infection. Consequently, this study has provided crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of A. brassicae, an important necrotrophic pathogen.
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11
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Westrick NM, Park SC, Keller NP, Smith DL, Kabbage M. A broadly conserved fungal alcohol oxidase (AOX) facilitates fungal invasion of plants. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:28-43. [PMID: 36251755 PMCID: PMC9742500 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol oxidases (AOXs) are ecologically important enzymes that facilitate a number of plant-fungal interactions. Within Ascomycota they are primarily associated with methylotrophy, as a peroxisomal AOX catalysing the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde in methylotrophic yeast. In this study we demonstrate that AOX orthologues are phylogenetically conserved proteins that are common in the genomes of nonmethylotrophic, plant-associating fungi. Additionally, AOX orthologues are highly expressed during infection in a range of diverse pathosystems. To study the role of AOX in plant colonization, AOX knockout mutants were generated in the broad host range pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Disease assays in soybean showed that these mutants had a significant virulence defect as evidenced by markedly reduced stem lesions and mortality rates. Chemical genomics suggested that SsAOX may function as an aromatic AOX, and growth assays demonstrated that ΔSsAOX is incapable of properly utilizing plant extract as a nutrient source. Profiling of known aromatic alcohols pointed towards the monolignol coniferyl alcohol (CA) as a possible substrate for SsAOX. As CA and other monolignols are ubiquitous among land plants, the presence of highly conserved AOX orthologues throughout Ascomycota implies that this is a broadly conserved protein used by ascomycete fungi during plant colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel M. Westrick
- Department of Plant PathologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
- United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research ServiceMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Plant PathologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Damon L. Smith
- Department of Plant PathologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Mehdi Kabbage
- Department of Plant PathologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
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Cheng X, Zhao C, Gao L, Zeng L, Xu Y, Liu F, Huang J, Liu L, Liu S, Zhang X. Alternative splicing reprogramming in fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at different infection stages on Brassica napus. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1008665. [PMID: 36311105 PMCID: PMC9597501 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1008665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is an important post-transcriptional mechanism promoting the diversity of transcripts and proteins to regulate various life processes in eukaryotes. Sclerotinia stem rot is a major disease of Brassica napus caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which causes severe yield loss in B. napus production worldwide. Although many transcriptome studies have been carried out on the growth, development, and infection of S. sclerotiorum, the genome-wide AS events of S. sclerotiorum remain poorly understood, particularly at the infection stage. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was performed to systematically explore the genome-scale AS events of S. sclerotiorum at five important infection stages on a susceptible oilseed rape cultivar. A total of 130 genes were predicted to be involved in AS from the S. sclerotiorum genome, among which 98 genes were differentially expressed and may be responsible for AS reprogramming for its successful infection. In addition, 641 differential alternative splicing genes (DASGs) were identified during S. sclerotiorum infection, accounting for 5.76% of all annotated S. sclerotiorum genes, and 71 DASGs were commonly found at all the five infection stages. The most dominant AS type of S. sclerotiorum was found to be retained introns or alternative 3' splice sites. Furthermore, the resultant AS isoforms of 21 DASGs became pseudogenes, and 60 DASGs encoded different putative proteins with different domains. More importantly, 16 DASGs of S. sclerotiorum were found to have signal peptides and possibly encode putative effectors to facilitate the infection of S. sclerotiorum. Finally, about 69.27% of DASGs were found to be non-differentially expressed genes, indicating that AS serves as another important way to regulate the infection of S. sclerotiorum on plants besides the gene expression level. Taken together, this study provides a genome-wide landscape for the AS of S. sclerotiorum during infection as well as an important resource for further elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuanji Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingyi Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Xu
- Hebei Provincial Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Junyan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lijiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
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13
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Orrego A, Gavilán MC, Arévalos A, Ortíz B, Gaete Humada B, Pineda-Fretez A, Romero-Rodríguez MC, Flores Giubi ME, Kohli MM, Iehisa JCM. Identification of reference genes and their validation for gene expression analysis in phytopathogenic fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272603. [PMID: 35930568 PMCID: PMC9355225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophomina phaseolina is a soil-borne pathogenic fungus that infects a wide range of crop species and causes severe yield losses. Although the genome of the fungus has been sequenced, the molecular basis of its virulence has not been determined. Identification of up-regulated genes during fungal infection is important to understand the mechanism involved in its virulence. To ensure reliable quantification, expression of target genes needs to be normalized on the basis of certain reference genes. However, in the case of M. phaseolina, reference genes or their expression analysis have not been reported in the literature. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate 12 candidate reference genes for the expression analysis of M. phaseolina genes by applying three different fungal growth conditions: a) during root and stem infection of soybean, b) in culture media with and without soybean leaf infusion and c) by inoculating a cut-stem. Based on BestKeeper, geNorm and NormFinder algorithms, CYP1 was identified as the best recommended reference gene followed by EF1β for expression analysis of fungal gene during soybean root infection. Besides Mp08158, CYP1 gene was found suitable when M. phaseolina was grown in potato-dextrose broth with leaf infusion. In the case of cut-stem inoculation, Mp08158 and Mp11185 genes were found to be most stable. To validate the selected reference genes, expression analysis of two cutinase genes was performed. In general, the expression patterns were similar when the target genes were normalized against most or least stable gene. However, in some cases different expression pattern can be obtained when least stable gene is used for normalization. We believe that the reference genes identified and validated in this study will be useful for gene expression analysis during host infection with M. phaseolina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Orrego
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - María Cecilia Gavilán
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - Aníbal Arévalos
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - Belén Ortíz
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - Belén Gaete Humada
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - Amiliana Pineda-Fretez
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - María Cristina Romero-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - María Eugenia Flores Giubi
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
| | - Man Mohan Kohli
- Cámara Paraguaya de Exportadores y Comercializadores de Cereales y Oleaginosas (CAPECO), Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Julio C. M. Iehisa
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Central, Paraguay
- * E-mail:
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14
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Wei W, Wu X, Blahut-Beatty L, Simmonds DH, Clough SJ. Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Molecular Players in Early Soybean- Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Interaction. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:1739-1752. [PMID: 35778800 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-08-21-0329-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes Sclerotinia stem rot on soybean. Using RNA sequencing, the transcriptomes of the soybean host and the S. sclerotiorum pathogen were simultaneously determined at 4 and 8 h postinoculation (hpi). Two soybean genotypes were involved: a resistant oxalate oxidase (OxO)-transgenic line and its susceptible parent, AC Colibri (AC). Of the 594 genes that were significantly induced by S. sclerotiorum, both hosts expressed genes related to jasmonic acid, ethylene, oxidative burst, and phenylpropanoids. In all, 36% of the differentially expressed genes encoded genes associated with transcription factors, ubiquitination, or general signaling transduction such as receptor-like kinases, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases, and hormones. No significant differentially expressed genes were identified between genotypes, suggesting that oxalic acid (OA) did not play a differential role in early disease development or primary lesion formation under the conditions used. Looking at pathogen behavior through its gene expression during infection, thousands of genes in S. sclerotiorum were induced at 8 hpi, compared with expression in culture. Many plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), sugar transport genes, and genes involved in secondary metabolism were upregulated and could contribute to early pathogenesis. When infecting the OxO plants, there was a higher induction of genes encoding OA, botcinic acid, PCWDEs, proteases, and potential effectors, revealing the wealth of virulence factors available to this pathogen as it attempts to colonize a host. Data presented identify hundreds of genes associated with the very early stages of infection for both the host and pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A
| | - Xing Wu
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A
| | - Laureen Blahut-Beatty
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Daina H Simmonds
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Steven J Clough
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A
- United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A
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15
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Liu L, Lyu X, Pan Z, Wang Q, Mu W, Benny U, Rollins JA, Pan H. The C2H2 Transcription Factor SsZFH1 Regulates the Size, Number, and Development of Apothecia in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:1476-1485. [PMID: 35021860 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-09-21-0378-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a notorious phytopathogenic Ascomycota fungus with a host range of >600 plant species worldwide. This homothallic Leotiomycetes species reproduces sexually through a multicellular apothecium that produces and releases ascospores. These ascospores serve as the primary inoculum source for disease initiation in the majority of S. sclerotiorum disease cycles. The regulation of apothecium development for this pathogen and other apothecium-producing fungi remains largely unknown. Here, we report that a C2H2 transcription factor, SsZFH1 (zinc finger homologous protein), is necessary for the proper development and maturation of sclerotia and apothecia in S. sclerotiorum and is required for the normal growth rate of hyphae. Furthermore, ΔSszfh1 strains exhibit decreased H2O2 accumulation in hyphae, increased melanin deposition, and enhanced tolerance to H2O2 in the process of vegetative growth and sclerotia formation. Infection assays on common bean leaves, with thin cuticles, and soybean and tomato leaves, with thick cuticles, suggest that the deletion of Sszfh1 slows the mycelial growth rate, which in turn affects the expansion of leaf lesions. Collectively, our results provide novel insights into a major fungal factor mediating maturation of apothecia with additional effects on hyphae and sclerotia development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Xingming Lyu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Zequn Pan
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Qiaochu Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Wenhui Mu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Ulla Benny
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A
| | - Jeffrey A Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
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16
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Webster RW, Roth MG, Mueller BD, Mueller DS, Chilvers MI, Willbur JF, Mourtzinis S, Conley SP, Smith DL. Integration of Row Spacing, Seeding Rates, and Fungicide Applications for Control of Sclerotinia Stem Rot in Glycine max. PLANT DISEASE 2022; 106:1183-1191. [PMID: 34813712 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-09-21-1931-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max) farmers in the Upper Midwest region of the United States often experience severe yield losses due to Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR). Previous studies have revealed benefits of individual management practices for SSR. This study examined the integration of multiple control practices on the development of SSR, yield, and the economic implications of these practices. Combinations of row spacings, seeding rates, and fungicide applications were examined in multisite field trials across the Upper Midwest from 2017 to 2019. These trials revealed that wide row spacing and low seeding rates individually reduced SSR levels but also reduced yields. Yields were similar across the three highest seeding rates examined. However, site-years where SSR developed showed the highest partial profits at the intermediate seeding rates. This finding indicates that partial profits in diseased fields were reduced by high seeding rates, but this trend was not observed when SSR did not develop. Fungicides strongly reduced the development of SSR while also increasing yields. However, there was a reduction in partial profits due to their use at a low soybean sale price, but at higher sale prices fungicide use was similar to not treating. Additionally, the production of new inoculum was predicted from disease incidence, serving as an indicator of increased risk for SSR development in future years. Overall, this study suggests using wide rows and low seeding rates in fields with a history of SSR while reserving narrow rows and higher seeding rates for fields without a history of SSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Webster
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Mitchell G Roth
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691
| | - Brian D Mueller
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Daren S Mueller
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
| | - Martin I Chilvers
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Jaime F Willbur
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | | | - Shawn P Conley
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Damon L Smith
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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17
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Rana K, Yuan J, Liao H, Banga SS, Kumar R, Ding Y, Qian W. Host-induced gene silencing reveals the role of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase gene in fungal oxalic acid accumulation and virulence. Microbiol Res 2022; 258:126981. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.126981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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18
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Zhou T, Liu H, Huang Y, Wang Z, Shan Y, Yue Y, Xia Z, Liang Y, An M, Wu Y. ε-poly- L-lysine Affects the Vegetative Growth, Pathogenicity and Expression Regulation of Necrotrophic Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7100821. [PMID: 34682242 PMCID: PMC8540936 DOI: 10.3390/jof7100821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial secondary metabolites produced by Streptomyces are applied to control plant diseases. The metabolite, ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL), is a non-toxic food preservative, but the potential application of this compound as a microbial fungicide in agriculture is rarely reported. In this study, the effect and mode of action of ε-PL on two necrotrophic pathogenic fungi, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea, were investigated. The results showed that ε-PL effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea with EC50 values of 283 μg/mL and 281 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, ε-PL at the dose of 150 and 300 μg/mL reduced S. sclerotiorum sclerotia formation. The results of the RNA-seq and RT-qPCR validation indicated that ε-PL significantly regulated the gene expression of critical differential expressed genes (DEGs) involved in fungal growth, metabolism, pathogenicity, and induced an increase in the expression of the fungal stress responses and the detoxification genes. These results provided new insights for understanding the modes of action of ε-PL on S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea and improved the sustainable management of these plant diseases.
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Zhang M, Liu Y, Li Z, She Z, Chai M, Aslam M, He Q, Huang Y, Chen F, Chen H, Song S, Wang B, Cai H, Qin Y. The bZIP transcription factor GmbZIP15 facilitates resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Phytophthora sojae infection in soybean. iScience 2021; 24:102642. [PMID: 34151234 PMCID: PMC8188564 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Soybean, one of the most valuable oilseed crops, is under constant pressure from pathogens. bZIP transcription factors (TFs) composing one of the largest TF families in plants have diverse functions. Biochemical and physiological analyses were performed to characterize the regulatory roles of soybean bZIP TF GmbZIP15 in response to pathogens. We found that transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmbZIP15 has increased resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Phytophthora sojae. Besides, GmbZIP15 regulates pathogen response by modulating the antioxidant defense system and phytohormone signaling. In addition, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to identify the downstream genes of GmbZIP15 in response to S. sclerotiorum and found that GmbZIP15 can activate or repress the expression of defense-related genes through direct promoter binding. Taken together, these results indicate that GmbZIP15 plays a positive role in pathogen resistance in soybean, and this activity may be dependent on phytohormone signaling. GmbZIP15 improves resistance against pathogen GmbZIP15 modulates the antioxidant defense system GmbZIP15 regulates phytohormone signaling GmbZIP15 can direct bind to G-box
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yanhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zixian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zeyuan She
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Mengnan Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Mohammad Aslam
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Qing He
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Youmei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Fangqian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Huihuang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Shikui Song
- Horticultural Plant Biology and Metabolomics Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Bingrui Wang
- College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hanyang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yuan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, College of Life Sciences, College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
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20
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Rajarammohan S. Redefining Plant-Necrotroph Interactions: The Thin Line Between Hemibiotrophs and Necrotrophs. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:673518. [PMID: 33995337 PMCID: PMC8113614 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.673518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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21
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Mwape VW, Mobegi FM, Regmi R, Newman TE, Kamphuis LG, Derbyshire MC. Analysis of differentially expressed Sclerotinia sclerotiorum genes during the interaction with moderately resistant and highly susceptible chickpea lines. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:333. [PMID: 33964897 PMCID: PMC8106195 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07655-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the cause of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR), is a host generalist necrotrophic fungus that can cause major yield losses in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) production. This study used RNA sequencing to conduct a time course transcriptional analysis of S. sclerotiorum gene expression during chickpea infection. It explores pathogenicity and developmental factors employed by S. sclerotiorum during interaction with chickpea. RESULTS During infection of moderately resistant (PBA HatTrick) and highly susceptible chickpea (Kyabra) lines, 9491 and 10,487 S. sclerotiorum genes, respectively, were significantly differentially expressed relative to in vitro. Analysis of the upregulated genes revealed enrichment of Gene Ontology biological processes, such as oxidation-reduction process, metabolic process, carbohydrate metabolic process, response to stimulus, and signal transduction. Several gene functional categories were upregulated in planta, including carbohydrate-active enzymes, secondary metabolite biosynthesis clusters, transcription factors and candidate secreted effectors. Differences in expression of four S. sclerotiorum genes on varieties with different levels of susceptibility were also observed. CONCLUSION These findings provide a framework for a better understanding of S. sclerotiorum interactions with hosts of varying susceptibility levels. Here, we report for the first time on the S. sclerotiorum transcriptome during chickpea infection, which could be important for further studies on this pathogen's molecular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia W Mwape
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia. .,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia.
| | - Fredrick M Mobegi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Roshan Regmi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia
| | - Toby E Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Lars G Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia. .,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia.
| | - Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
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22
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Lara LLS, Nascimento VA, Fernandes CC, Forim MR, Cazal CM. Chemical composition and antifungal activity of Zanthoxylum riedelianum stem bark essential oil. Nat Prod Res 2021; 36:1653-1658. [PMID: 33719784 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2021.1897589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The phytopathogenic fungi Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizopus stolonifer infect different crop plants. Essential oils have been used as an alternative to chemical control methods. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the essential oil chemical composition of the stem bark of Zanthoxylum riedelianum (ZREO) and evaluate its antifungal potential. The ZREO obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and evaluated for in vitro antifungal activity. The major components identified in the chemical analysis were E-nerolidol (67.21%), α-selinene (14.94%), and β-selinene (7.41%). The antifungal potential of ZREO against S. sclerotiorum and R. stolonifer was detected at all concentrations evaluated in a dose-dependent manner. The best results were against R. stolonifer, with the concentration of 150 µLmL-1 inhibiting more than 80% of mycelial growth. On the basis of the current knowledge, this study describes for the first time the chemical composition and their antifungal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa L S Lara
- Ciência e Tecnologia Goiano - Campus Rio verde, Instituto Federal de Educação, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
| | - Vinícius A Nascimento
- Ciência e Tecnologia Sudeste de Minas Gerais - Campus Barbacena, Instituto Federal de Educação, Barbacena, MG, Brazil
| | - Cássia C Fernandes
- Ciência e Tecnologia Goiano - Campus Rio verde, Instituto Federal de Educação, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
| | - Moacir R Forim
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiane M Cazal
- Ciência e Tecnologia Sudeste de Minas Gerais - Campus Barbacena, Instituto Federal de Educação, Barbacena, MG, Brazil
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23
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Jagadeeswaran G, Veale L, Mort AJ. Do Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases Aid in Plant Pathogenesis and Herbivory? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:142-155. [PMID: 33097402 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), copper-dependent enzymes mainly found in fungi, bacteria, and viruses, are responsible for enabling plant infection and degradation processes. Since their discovery 10 years ago, significant progress has been made in understanding the major role these enzymes play in biomass conversion. The recent discovery of additional LPMO families in fungi and oomycetes (AA16) as well as insects (AA15) strongly suggests that LPMOs might also be involved in biological processes such as overcoming plant defenses. In this review, we aim to give a comprehensive overview of the potential role of different LPMO families from the perspective of plant defense and their multiple implications in devising new strategies for achieving crop protection from plant pathogens and insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guru Jagadeeswaran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Lawrie Veale
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Andrew J Mort
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
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24
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McCaghey M, Shao D, Kurcezewski J, Lindstrom A, Ranjan A, Whitham SA, Conley SP, Williams B, Smith DL, Kabbage M. Host-Induced Gene Silencing of a Sclerotinia sclerotiorum oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase Using Bean Pod Mottle Virus as a Vehicle Reduces Disease on Soybean. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:677631. [PMID: 34354721 PMCID: PMC8329588 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.677631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A lack of complete resistance in the current germplasm complicates the management of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybean. In this study, we used bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) as a vehicle to down-regulate expression of a key enzyme in the production of an important virulence factor in S. sclerotiorum, oxalic acid (OA). Specifically, we targeted a gene encoding oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase (Ssoah1), because Ssoah1 deletion mutants are OA deficient and non-pathogenic on soybean. We first established that S. sclerotiorum can uptake environmental RNAs by monitoring the translocation of Cy3-labeled double-stranded and small interfering RNA (ds/siRNAs) into fungal hyphae using fluorescent confocal microscopy. This translocation led to a significant decrease in Ssoah1 transcript levels in vitro. Inoculation of soybean plants with BPMV vectors targeting Ssoah1 (pBPMV-OA) also led to decreased expression of Ssoah1. Importantly, pBPMV-OA inoculated plants showed enhanced resistance to S. sclerotiorum compared to empty-vector control plants. Our combined results provide evidence supporting the use of HIGS and exogenous applications of ds/siRNAs targeting virulence factors such as OA as viable strategies for the control of SSR in soybean and as discovery tools that can be used to identify previously unknown virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan McCaghey
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dandan Shao
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jake Kurcezewski
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ally Lindstrom
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ashish Ranjan
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Steven A. Whitham
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Shawn P. Conley
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Brett Williams
- Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Damon L. Smith
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Damon L. Smith
| | - Mehdi Kabbage
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Mehdi Kabbage
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25
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Westrick NM, Smith DL, Kabbage M. Disarming the Host: Detoxification of Plant Defense Compounds During Fungal Necrotrophy. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:651716. [PMID: 33995447 PMCID: PMC8120277 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.651716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
While fungal biotrophs are dependent on successfully suppressing/subverting host defenses during their interaction with live cells, necrotrophs, due to their lifestyle are often confronted with a suite of toxic metabolites. These include an assortment of plant defense compounds (PDCs) which can demonstrate broad antifungal activity. These PDCs can be either constitutively present in plant tissue or induced in response to infection, but are nevertheless an important obstacle which needs to be overcome for successful pathogenesis. Fungal necrotrophs have developed a number of strategies to achieve this goal, from the direct detoxification of these compounds through enzymatic catalysis and modification, to the active transport of various PDCs to achieve toxin sequestration and efflux. Studies have shown across multiple pathogens that the efficient detoxification of host PDCs is both critical for successful infection and often a determinant factor in pathogen host range. Here, we provide a broad and comparative overview of the various mechanisms for PDC detoxification which have been identified in both fungal necrotrophs and fungal pathogens which depend on detoxification during a necrotrophic phase of infection. Furthermore, the effect that these mechanisms have on fungal host range, metabolism, and disease control will be discussed.
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26
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Sun M, Jing Y, Zhao X, Teng W, Qiu L, Zheng H, Li W, Han Y. Genome-wide association study of partial resistance to sclerotinia stem rot of cultivated soybean based on the detached leaf method. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233366. [PMID: 32421759 PMCID: PMC7233537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) is a devastating fungal disease that causes severe yield losses of soybean worldwide. In the present study, a representative population of 185 soybean accessions was selected and utilized to identify the quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) of partial resistance to soybean SSR via a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 22,048 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with minor allele frequencies (MAF) > 5% and missing data < 3% were used to assess linkage disequilibrium (LD) levels. Association signals associated with SSR partial resistance were identified by two models, including compressed mixed linear model (CMLM) and multi-locus random-SNP-effect mixed linear model (mrMLM). Finally, seven QTNs with major effects (a known locus and six novel loci) via CMLM and nine novel QTNs with minor effects via mrMLM were detected in relation to partial resistance to SSR, respectively. One of all the novel loci (Gm05:14834789 on Chr.05), which was co-located by these two methods, might be a stable one that showed high significance in SSR partial resistance. Additionally, a total of 71 major and 85 minor candidate genes located in the 200-kb genomic region of each peak SNP detected by CMLM and mrMLM were found, respectively. By using a gene-based association, a total of six SNPs from three major effects genes and eight SNPs from four minor effects genes were identified. Of them, Glyma.18G012200 has been characterized as a significant element in controlling fungal disease in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Sun
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Journal Press of Agricultural Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Jing
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Xue Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Weili Teng
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Lijuan Qiu
- Institute of Crop Science, National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI) Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongkun Zheng
- Bioinformatics Division, Biomarker Technologies Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yingpeng Han
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education (key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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27
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Chittem K, Yajima WR, Goswami RS, del Río Mendoza LE. Transcriptome analysis of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum interaction with resistant and susceptible canola (Brassica napus) lines. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229844. [PMID: 32160211 PMCID: PMC7065775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia stem rot is an economically important disease of canola (Brassica napus) and is caused by the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This study evaluated the differential gene expression patterns of S. sclerotiorum during disease development on two canola lines differing in susceptibility to this pathogen. Sequencing of the mRNA libraries derived from inoculated petioles and mycelium grown on liquid medium generated approximately 164 million Illumina reads, including 95 million 75-bp-single reads, and 69 million 50-bp-paired end reads. Overall, 36% of the quality filter-passed reads were mapped to the S. sclerotiorum reference genome. On the susceptible line, 1301 and 1214 S. sclerotiorum genes were differentially expressed at early (8-16 hours post inoculation (hpi)) and late (24-48 hpi) infection stages, respectively, while on the resistant line, 1311 and 1335 genes were differentially expressed at these stages, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) categories associated with cell wall degradation, detoxification of host metabolites, peroxisome related activities like fatty acid ß-oxidation, glyoxylate cycle, oxidoreductase activity were significantly enriched in the up-regulated gene sets on both susceptible and resistant lines. Quantitative RT-PCR of six selected DEGs further validated the RNA-seq differential gene expression analysis. The regulation of effector genes involved in host defense suppression or evasion during the early infection stage, and the expression of effectors involved in host cell death in the late stage of infection provide supporting evidence for a two-phase infection model involving a brief biotrophic phase during early stages of infection. The findings from this study emphasize the role of peroxisome related pathways along with cell wall degradation and detoxification of host metabolites as the key mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum on B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishore Chittem
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America
| | - William R. Yajima
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America
| | - Rubella S. Goswami
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America
- USDA-APHIS, Riverdale, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Luis E. del Río Mendoza
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States of America
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28
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Zhao H, Zhou T, Xie J, Cheng J, Jiang D, Fu Y. Host Transcriptional Response of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Induced by the Mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:183. [PMID: 32117180 PMCID: PMC7026392 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans parasitizes specifically the mycelia or sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a worldwidely spread plant fungal pathogen causing serious diseases on crops. The interaction of C. minitans with S. sclerotiorum remains reciprocal and complex and little is known, especially on the side of the host (S. sclerotiorum). In this study, the early transcriptional response of S. sclerotiorum to the mycoparasitism by C. minitans was explored and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. Based on GO ontology, KEGG pathway and fungal categories database, 887 up-regulated DEGs were enriched in the growth related function (i.e., rRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, binding and transport), while the 546 down-regulated DEGs were enriched in the stress-related functions (i.e., oxidoreductase, response to stress and heat and the chorismate biosynthetic process). The expression of shikimate pathway and the biosynthesis of phenylalanine involving genes was significantly suppressed. Furthermore, 581 unenriched DEGs were explored in the parasitizing process and were mapped on the Pfam domains of redox enzymes, Alpha/Beta hydrolase, haloacid dehalogenase, and other universal conserved domain containing proteins. Thirty-two DEGs encoding candidate effectors, with 16 up-regulated and 16 down-regulated, were observed with diverse function. SS1G_11912 (encoding SsNEP2) was significantly up-regulated and may function in the parasitism. The involving of the shikimate pathway of phenylalanine biosynthesis and effector candidates were discussed. The results provide a basal understand on the interaction of S. sclerotiorum and C. minitans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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