The PEX7-mediated peroxisomal import system is required for fungal development and pathogenicity in Magnaporthe oryzae

Peroxin MoPex22 Regulates the Import of Peroxisomal Matrix Proteins and Appressorium-Mediated Plant Infection in Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae, the pathogen responsible for rice blast disease, utilizes specialized infection structures known as appressoria to breach the leaf cuticle and establish intracellular, infectious hyphae. Our study demonstrates that the peroxin MoPex22 is crucial for appressorium function, specifically for the development of primary penetration hyphae. The ∆Mopex22 mutant exhibited slow growth, reduced aerial hyphae, and almost complete loss of virulence. Specifically, despite the mutant's capability to form appressoria, it showed abnormalities during appressorium development, including reduced turgor, increased permeability of the appressorium wall, failure to form septin rings, and significantly decreased ability to penetrate host cells. Additionally, there was a delay in the degradation of lipid droplets during conidial germination and appressorium development. Consistent with these findings, the ΔMopex22 mutant showed an inefficient utilization of long-chain fatty acids and defects in cell wall integrity. Moreover, our findings indicate that MoPex22 acts as an anchor for MoPex4, facilitating the localization of MoPex4 to peroxisomes. Together with MoPex4, it affects the function of MoPex5, thus regulating the import of peroxisomal matrix proteins. Overall, these results highlight the essential role of MoPex22 in regulating the transport of peroxisomal matrix proteins, which affect fatty acid metabolism, glycerol accumulation, cell wall integrity, growth, appressorium development, and the pathogenicity of M. oryzae. This study provides valuable insights into the significance of peroxin functions in fungal biology and appressorium-mediated plant infection.

The Plasma Membrane H+ ATPase CsPMA2 Regulates Lipid Droplet Formation, Appressorial Development and Virulence in Colletotrichum siamense

Plasma membrane H+-ATPases (PMAs) play an important role in the pathogenicity of pathogenic fungi. Lipid droplets are important storage sites for neutral lipids in fungal conidia and hyphae and can be used by plant pathogenic fungi for infection. However, the relationship between plasma membrane H+-ATPase, lipid droplets and virulence remains unclear. Here, we characterized a plasma membrane H+-ATPase, CsPMA2, that plays a key role in lipid droplet formation, appresorial development and virulence in C. siamense. Deletion of CsPMA2 impaired C. siamense conidial size, conidial germination, appressorial development and virulence but did not affect hyphal growth. ΔCsPMA2 increased the sensitivity of C. siamense to phytic acid and oxalic acid. CsPMA2 was localized to lipids on the plasma membrane and intracellular membrane. Deletion of CsPMA2 significantly inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets and significantly affected the contents of some species of lipids, including 12 species with decreased lipid contents and 3 species with increased lipid contents. Furthermore, low pH can inhibit CsPMA2 expression and lipid droplet accumulation. Overall, our data revealed that the plasma membrane H+-ATPase CsPMA2 is involved in the regulation of lipid droplet formation and affects appressorial development and virulence in C. siamense.

MoLrp1-mediated signaling induces nuclear accumulation of MoMsn2 to facilitate fatty acid oxidation for infectious growth of the rice blast fungus

Fatty acid β-oxidation is critical for fatty acid degradation and cellular development. In the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, fatty acid β-oxidation is reported to be important mainly for turgor generation in the appressorium. However, the role of fatty acid β-oxidation during invasive hyphal growth is rarely documented. We demonstrated that blocking peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation impaired lipid droplet (LD) degradation and infectious growth of M. oryzae. We found that the key regulator of pathogenesis, MoMsn2, which we identified previously, is involved in fatty acid β-oxidation by targeting MoDCI1 (encoding dienoyl-coenzyme A [CoA] isomerase), which is also important for LD degradation and infectious growth. Cytological observations revealed that MoMsn2 accumulated from the cytosol to the nucleus during early infection or upon treatment with oleate. We determined that the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein MoLrp1, which is also involved in fatty acid β-oxidation and infectious growth, plays a critical role in the accumulation of MoMsn2 from the cytosol to the nucleus by activating the cyclic AMP signaling pathway. Our results provide new insights into the importance of fatty acid oxidation during invasive hyphal growth, which is modulated by MoMsn2 and its related signaling pathways in M. oryzae.

Fusarium verticillioides Pex7/20 mediates peroxisomal PTS2 pathway import, pathogenicity, and fumonisin B1 biosynthesis

Fusarium verticillioides, a well-known fungal pathogen that causes severe disease in maize and contaminates the grains with fumonisin B1 (FB1) mycotoxin, affects the yield and quality of maize worldwide. The intrinsic roles of peroxisome targeting signal (PTS)-containing proteins in phytopathogens remain elusive. We therefore explored the regulatory role and other biological functions of the components of PTS2 receptor complex, FvPex7 and FvPex20, in F. verticillioides. We found that FvPex7 directly interacts with the carboxyl terminus of FvPex20 in F. verticillioides. PTS2-containing proteins are recognized and bound by the FvPex7 receptor or the FvPex7-Pex20 receptor complex in the cytoplasm, but the peroxisome localization of the PTS2-Pex7-Pex20 complex is only determined by Pex20 in F. verticillioides. However, we observed that some putative PTS2 proteins that interact with Pex7 are not transported into the peroxisomes, but a PTS1 protein that interacts with Pex5 was detected in the peroxisomes. Furthermore, ΔFvpex7pex20 as well as ΔFvpex7pex5 double mutants exhibited reduced pathogenicity and FB1 biosynthesis, along with defects in conidiation. The PTS2 receptor complex mutants (ΔFvpex7pex20) grew slowly on minimal media and showed reduced sensitivity to cell wall and cell membrane stress-inducing agents compared to the wild type. Taken together, we conclude that the PTS2 receptor complex mediates peroxisome matrix proteins import and contributes to pathogenicity and FB1 biosynthesis in F. verticillioides. KEY POINTS: • FvPex7 directly interacts with FvPex20 in F. verticillioides. • vThe PTS2 receptor complex is essential for the importation of PTS2-containing matrix protein into peroxisomes in F. verticillioides. • Fvpex7/pex20 is involved in pathogenicity and FB1 biosynthesis in F. verticillioides.

The essential role of fungal peroxisomes in plant infection

Several filamentous fungi are ecologically and economically important plant pathogens that infect a broad variety of crops. They cause high annual yield losses and contaminate seeds and fruits with mycotoxins. Not only powerful infection structures and detrimental toxins, but also cell organelles, such as peroxisomes, play important roles in plant infection. In this review, we summarize recent research results that revealed novel peroxisomal functions of filamentous fungi and highlight the importance of peroxisomes for infection of host plants. Central for fungal virulence are two primary metabolic pathways, fatty acid β-oxidation and the glyoxylate cycle, both of which are required to produce energy, acetyl-CoA, and carbohydrates. These are ultimately needed for the synthesis of cell wall polymers and for turgor generation in infection structures. Most novel results stem from different routes of secondary metabolism and demonstrate that peroxisomes produce important precursors and house various enzymes needed for toxin production and melanization of appressoria. All these peroxisomal functions in fungal virulence might represent elegant targets for improved crop protection.

The Peroxisomal-CoA Synthetase MoPcs60 Is Important for Fatty Acid Metabolism and Infectious Growth of the Rice Blast Fungus

Fatty acid metabolism is important for the maintenance of fatty acid homeostasis. Free fatty acids, which are toxic in excess, are activated by esterification with coenzyme A (CoA) and then subjected to β-oxidization. Fatty acid β-oxidation-related genes play critical roles in the development and virulence of several phytopathogens. In this study, we identified and characterized a peroxisomal-CoA synthetase in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, MoPCS60, which is a homolog of PCS60 in budding yeast. MoPCS60 was highly expressed during the conidial and early infectious stages and was induced under oleate treatment. Targeted deletion of MoPCS60 resulted in a significant reduction in growth rate when oleate and olive oil were used as the sole carbon sources. Compared with the wild-type strain Guy11, the ΔMopcs60 mutant exhibited fewer peroxisomes, more lipid droplets, and decreased pathogenicity. The distribution of MoPcs60 varied among developmental stages and was mainly localized to peroxisomes in the hyphae, conidia, and appressoria when treated with oleate. Our results suggest that MoPcs60 is a key peroxisomal-CoA synthetase involved in fatty acid β-oxidation and pathogenicity in rice blast fungi.

Peroxin FgPEX22-Like Is Involved in FgPEX4 Tethering and Fusarium graminearum Pathogenicity

Peroxisomes are essential organelles that play important roles in a variety of biological processes in eukaryotic cells. To understand the synthesis of peroxisomes comprehensively, we identified the gene FgPEX22-like, encoding FgPEX22-like, a peroxin, in Fusarium graminearum. Our results showed that although FgPEX22-like was notably different from other peroxins (PEX) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it contained a predicted PEX4-binding site and interacted with FgPEX4 as a rivet protein of FgPEX4. To functionally characterize the roles of FgPEX22-like in F. graminearum, we performed homologous recombination to construct a deletion mutant (ΔPEX22-like). Analysis of the mutant showed that FgPEX22-like was essential for sexual and asexual reproduction, fatty acid utilization, pathogenicity, and production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol. Deletion of FgPEX22-like also led to increased production of lipid droplets and decreased elimination of reactive oxygen species. In addition, FgPEX22-like was required for the biogenesis of Woronin bodies. Taken together, our data demonstrate that FgPEX22-like is a peroxin in F. graminearum that interacts with PEX4 by anchoring PEX4 at the peroxisomal membrane and contributes to the peroxisome function in F. graminearum.

Characterization of the MYB Genes Reveals Insights Into Their Evolutionary Conservation, Structural Diversity, and Functional Roles in Magnaporthe oryzae

The myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factor family is evolutionarily conserved among plants, animals, and fungi, and contributes to their growth and development. We identified and analyzed 10 putative MYB genes in Magnaporthe oryzae (MoMYB) and determined their phylogenetic relationships, revealing high divergence and variability. Although MYB domains are generally defined by three tandem repeats, MoMYBs contain one or two weakly conserved repeats embedded in extensive disordered regions. We characterized the secondary domain organization, disordered segments, and functional contributions of each MoMYB. During infection, MoMYBs are distinctively expressed and can be subdivided into two clades of being either up- or down-regulated. Among these, MoMYB1 and MoMYB8 are up-regulated during infection and vegetative growth, respectively. We found MoMYB1 localized predominantly to the cytosol during the formation of infection structures. ΔMomyb1 exhibited reduced virulence on intact rice leaves corresponding to the diminished ability to form hypha-driven appressorium (HDA). We discovered that MoMYB1 regulates HDA formation on hard, hydrophobic surfaces, whereas host surfaces partially restored HDA formation in ΔMomyb1. Lipid droplet accumulation in hyphal tips and expression of HDA-associated genes were strongly perturbed in ΔMomyb1 indicating genetic interaction of MoMYB1 with downstream components critical to HDA formation. We also found that MoMYB8 is necessary for fungal growth, dark-induced melanization of hyphae, and involved in higher abiotic stress tolerance. Taken together, we revealed a multifaceted picture of the MoMYB family, wherein a low degree of conservation has led to the development of distinct structures and functions, ranging from fungal growth to virulence.

Pex7 selectively imports PTS2 target proteins to peroxisomes and is required for anthracnose disease development in Colletotrichum scovillei

Pex7 is a shuttling receptor that imports matrix proteins with a type 2 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS2) to peroxisomes. The Pex7-mediated PTS2 protein import contributes to crucial metabolic processes such as the fatty acid β-oxidation and glucose metabolism in a number of fungi, but cellular roles of Pex7 between the import of PTS2 target proteins and metabolic processes have not been fully understood. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of CsPex7, a homolog of the yeast Pex7, by targeted gene deletion in the pepper anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum scovillei. CsPex7 was required for carbon source utilization, scavenging of reactive oxygen species, conidial production, and disease development in C. scovillei. The expression of fluorescently tagged PTS2 signal of hexokinases and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolases showed that peroxisomal localization of the hexokinase CsGlk1 PTS2 is dependent on CsPex7, but those of the 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolases are independent on CsPex7. In addition, GFP-tagged CsPex7 proteins were intensely localized to the peroxisomes on glucose-containing media, indicating a role of CsPex7 in glucose utilization. Collectively, these findings indicate that CsPex7 selectively recognizes specific PTS2 signal for import of PTS2-containing proteins to peroxisomes, thereby mediating peroxisomal targeting efficiency of PTS2-containing proteins in C. scovillei. On pepper fruits, the ΔCspex7 mutant exhibited significantly reduced virulence, in which excessive accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was observed in the pepper cells. We think the reduced virulence results from the abnormality in hydrogen peroxide metabolism of the ΔCspex7 mutant. Our findings provide insight into the cellular roles of CsPex7 in PTS2 protein import system.

Unveiling the Role Displayed by Penicillium digitatum PdMut3 Transcription Factor in Pathogen-Fruit Interaction

Zn2Cys6 transcription factors are unique to fungi and are involved in different regulatory functions. In this study, we have identified the Penicillium digitatumPdMut3 gene, which encodes a putative Zn (II) 2Cys6 DNA-binding protein. Elimination of PdMut3 in Pd1 strain caused increased virulence during citrus infection. The transcription of the PdMut3 gene showed a higher expression rate during fungal growth and less transcription during fruit infection. Furthermore, the deletion of the gene in the wild-type isolate of P. digitatum did not produce any modification of the sensitivity to different fungicides, indicating that the gene is not associated with resistance to fungicides. In contrast, PdMut3 null mutants showed a reduction in growth in minimal media, which was associated with severe alterations in conidiophore development and morphological alterations of the hyphae. Mutants showed greater sensitivity to compounds that interfere with the cell wall and an invasive growth block. Thus, PdMut3 might have an indirect role in fungi virulence through metabolism and peroxisomes development.

Homeobox Transcription Factors Are Required for Fungal Development and the Suppression of Host Defense Mechanisms in the Colletotrichum scovillei-Pepper Pathosystem

Colletotrichum scovillei, an ascomycete phytopathogenic fungus, is the main causal agent of serious yield losses of economic crops worldwide. The fungus causes anthracnose disease on several fruits, including peppers. However, little is known regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the development of anthracnose caused by this fungus. In an initial step toward understanding the development of anthracnose on pepper fruits, we retrieved 624 transcription factors (TFs) from the whole genome of C. scovillei and comparatively analyzed the entire repertoire of TFs among phytopathogenic fungi. Evolution and proliferation of members of the homeobox-like superfamily, including homeobox (HOX) TFs that regulate the development of eukaryotic organisms, were demonstrated in the genus Colletotrichum. C. scovillei was found to contain 10 HOX TF genes (CsHOX1 to CsHOX10), which were functionally characterized using deletion mutants of each CsHOX gene. Notably, CsHOX1 was identified as a pathogenicity factor required for the suppression of host defense mechanisms, which represents a new role for HOX TFs in pathogenic fungi. CsHOX2 and CsHOX7 were found to play essential roles in conidiation and appressorium development, respectively, in a stage-specific manner in C. scovillei. Our study provides a molecular basis for understanding the mechanisms associated with the development of anthracnose on fruits caused by C. scovillei, which will aid in the development of novel approaches for disease management. IMPORTANCE The ascomycete phytopathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum scovillei, causes serious yield loss on peppers. However, little is known about molecular mechanisms involved in the development of anthracnose caused by this fungus. We analyzed whole-genome sequences of C. scovillei and isolated 624 putative TFs, revealing the existence of 10 homeobox (HOX) transcription factor (TF) genes. We found that CsHOX1 is a pathogenicity factor required for the suppression of host defense mechanism, which represents a new role for HOX TFs in pathogenic fungi. We also found that CsHOX2 and CsHOX7 play essential roles in conidiation and appressorium development, respectively, in a stage-specific manner in C. scovillei. Our study contributes to understanding the mechanisms associated with the development of anthracnose on fruits caused by C. scovillei, which will aid for initiating novel approaches for disease management.

Fusarium verticillioides FvPex8 Is a Key Component of the Peroxisomal Docking/Translocation Module That Serves Important Roles in Fumonisin Biosynthesis but Not in Virulence

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous organelles in eukaryotes that fulfill various important metabolic functions. In this study, we investigated the role of docking/translocation module (DTM) peroxins, mainly FvPex8, FvPex13, FvPex14, and FvPex33, in Fusarium verticillioides development, virulence, and fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) biosynthesis. Protein interaction experiments suggested that FvPex13 serves as the central DTM subunit in F. verticillioides. Notably, FvPex8 and FvPex14 did not show direct interaction in our experiments. We generated gene-deletion mutants (ΔFvpex8, ΔFvpex13, ΔFvpex14, ΔFvpex33, ΔFvpex33/14) and further examined the functional role of these peroxins. Deletion mutants exhibited disparity in carbon nutrient utilization and defect in cell-wall integrity when stress agents were applied. Under nutrient starvation, mutants also showed higher levels of lipid droplet accumulation. Particularly, ΔFvpex8 mutant showed significant FB₁ reduction and altered expression of key FB₁ biosynthesis genes. However, FvPex13 was primarily responsible for asexual conidia reproduction and virulence, while the ΔFvpex33/14 double mutant also showed a virulence defect. In summary, our study suggests that FvPex13 is the central component of DTM, with direct physical interaction with other DTM peroxins, and regulates peroxisome membrane biogenesis as well as PTS1- and PTS2-mediated transmembrane cargo transportation. Importantly, we also characterized FvPex8 as a key component in F. verticillioides DTM that affects peroxisome function and FB₁ biosynthesis.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Peroxisomes Implicated in the Biosynthesis of Siderophores and Biotin, Cell Wall Integrity, Autophagy, and Response to Hydrogen Peroxide in the Citrus Pathogenic Fungus Alternaria alternata

Little is known about the roles of peroxisomes in the necrotrophic fungal plant pathogens. In the present study, a Pex6 gene encoding an ATPase-associated protein was characterized by analysis of functional mutations in the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata, which produces a host-selective toxin. Peroxisomes were observed in fungal cells by expressing a mCherry fluorescent protein tagging with conserved tripeptides serine-lysing-leucine and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that Pex6 plays no roles in peroxisomal biogenesis but impacts protein import into peroxisomes. The number of peroxisomes was affected by nutritional conditions and H₂O₂, and their degradation was mediated by an autophagy-related machinery termed pexophagy. Pex6 was shown to be required for the formation of Woronin bodies, the biosynthesis of biotin, siderophores, and toxin, the uptake and accumulation of H₂O₂, growth, and virulence, as well as the Slt2 MAP kinase-mediated maintenance of cell wall integrity. Adding biotin, oleate, and iron in combination fully restored the growth of the pex6-deficient mutant (Δpex6), but failed to restore Δpex6 virulence to citrus. Adding purified toxin could only partially restore Δpex6 virulence even in the presence of biotin, oleate, and iron. Sensitivity assays revealed that Pex6 plays no roles in resistance to H₂O₂ and superoxide, but plays a negative role in resistance to 2-chloro-5-hydroxypyridine (a hydroxyl radical-generating compound), eosin Y and rose Bengal (singlet oxygen-generating compounds), and 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (an auxin transport inhibitor). The diverse functions of Pex6 underscore the importance of peroxisomes in physiology, pathogenesis, and development in A. alternata.

Transcriptional Responses of Fusarium graminearum Interacted with Soybean to Cause Root Rot

Fusarium graminearum is the most devastating pathogen of Fusarium head blight of cereals, stalk and ear of maize, and it has recently become a potential threat for soybean as maize-soybean strip relay intercropping is widely practiced in China. To elucidate the pathogenesis mechanism of F. graminearum on intercropped soybean which causes root rot, transcriptional profiling of F. graminearum at 12, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation (hpi) on soybean hypocotyl tissues was conducted. In total, 2313 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of F. graminearum were annotated by both KEGG pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. Among them, 128 DEGs were commonly expressed at three inoculation time points while the maximum DEGs were induced at 24 hpi. In addition, DEGs were also rich in carbon metabolism, ribosome and peroxisome pathways which might contribute to carbon source utilization, sexual reproduction, virulence and survival of F. graminearum when infected on soybean. Hence, this study will provide some basis for the deep understanding the pathogenesis mechanism of F. graminearum on different hosts and its effective control in maize-soybean strip relay intercropping systems.

Tolerance to Abiotic Factors of Microsclerotia and Mycelial Pellets From Metarhizium robertsii, and Molecular and Ultrastructural Changes During Microsclerotial Differentiation

Metarhizium species fungi are able to produce resistant structures termed microsclerotia, formed by compact and melanized threads of hyphae. These propagules are tolerant to desiccation and produce infective conidia; thus, they are promising candidates to use in biological control programs. In this study, we investigated the tolerance to both ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation and heat of microsclerotia of Metarhizium robertsii strain ARSEF 2575. We also adapted the liquid medium and culture conditions to obtain mycelial pellets from the same isolate in order to compare these characteristics between both types of propagules. We followed the peroxisome biogenesis and studied the oxidative stress during differentiation from conidia to microsclerotia by transmission electron microscopy after staining with a peroxidase activity marker and by the expression pattern of genes potentially involved in these processes. We found that despite their twice smaller size, microsclerotia exhibited higher dry biomass, yield, and conidial productivity than mycelial pellets, both with and without UV-B and heat stresses. From the 16 genes measured, we found an induction after 96-h differentiation in the oxidative stress marker genes MrcatA, MrcatP, and Mrgpx; the peroxisome biogenesis factors Mrpex5 and Mrpex14/17; and the photoprotection genes Mrlac1 and Mrlac2; and Mrlac3. We concluded that an oxidative stress scenario is induced during microsclerotia differentiation in M. robertsii and confirmed that because of its tolerance to desiccation, heat, and UV-B, this fungal structure could be an excellent candidate for use in biological control of pests under tropical and subtropical climates where heat and UV radiation are detrimental to entomopathogenic fungi survival and persistence.

Spermine-mediated tight sealing of the Magnaporthe oryzae appressorial pore-rice leaf surface interface

Cellular adhesion mediates many important plant-microbe interactions. In the devastating blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae¹, powerful glycoprotein-rich mucilage adhesives² cement melanized and pressurized dome-shaped infection cells-appressoria-to host rice leaf surfaces. Enormous internal turgor pressure is directed onto a penetration peg emerging from the unmelanized, thin-walled pore at the appressorial base^1-4, forcing it through the leaf cuticle where it elongates invasive hyphae in underlying epidermal cells⁵. Mucilage sealing around the appressorial pore facilitates turgor build-up², but the molecular underpinnings of mucilage secretion and appressorial adhesion are unknown. Here, we discovered an unanticipated and sole role for spermine in facilitating mucilage production by mitigating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the developing appressorium. Mutant strains lacking the spermine synthase-encoding gene SPS1 progressed through all stages of appressorial development, including penetration peg formation, but cuticle penetration was unsuccessful due to reduced appressorial adhesion, which led to solute leakage. Mechanistically, spermine neutralized off-target oxygen free radicals produced by NADPH oxidase-1 (Nox1)^3,6 that otherwise elicited ER stress and the unfolded protein response, thereby critically reducing mucilage secretion. Our study reveals that spermine metabolism via redox buffering of the ER underpins appressorial adhesion and rice cell invasion and provides insights into a process that is fundamental to host plant infection.

Transcriptome analysis of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum interaction with resistant and susceptible canola (Brassica napus) lines

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.

The type-2 peroxisomal targeting signal

The type-2 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS2) is one of two peptide motifs destining soluble proteins for peroxisomes. This signal acts as amphiphilic α-helix exposing the side chains of all conserved residues to the same side. PTS2 motifs are recognized by a bipartite protein complex consisting of the receptor PEX7 and a co-receptor. Cargo-loaded receptor complexes are translocated across the peroxisomal membrane by a transient pore and inside peroxisomes, cargo proteins are released and processed in many, but not all species. The components of the bipartite receptor are re-exported into the cytosol by a ubiquitin-mediated and ATP-driven export mechanism. Structurally, PTS2 motifs resemble other N-terminal targeting signals, whereas the functional relation to the second peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) is unclear. Although only a few PTS2-carrying proteins are known in humans, subjects lacking a functional import mechanism for these proteins suffer from the severe inherited disease rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata.

The roles of FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 in virulence and lipid metabolism in Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a wheat disease with a worldwide prevalence, caused by Fusarium graminearum. Peroxisomes are ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and are involved in various biochemical phenomena. FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 encode RING-finger peroxins PEX2 and PEX12 in F. graminearum. This study aimed to functionally characterize FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 in F. graminearum. We constructed deletion mutants of FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 via homologous recombination. The ΔPEX2 and ΔPEX12 mutants displayed defects in sexual and asexual development, virulence, cell wall integrity (CWI), and lipid metabolism. Deletion of FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 significantly decreased deoxynivalenol production. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopic analysis of the subcellular localization of GFP-PMP70 and GFP-HEX1 revealed that FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 maintain Woronin bodies. These results show that FgPEX2 and FgPEX12 are required for growth, conidiation, virulence, cell wall integrity, and lipid metabolism in F. graminearum and do not influence their peroxisomes.

FgPex3, a Peroxisome Biogenesis Factor, Is Involved in Regulating Vegetative Growth, Conidiation, Sexual Development, and Virulence in Fusarium graminearum

Peroxisomes are involved in a wide range of important cellular functions. Here, the role of the peroxisomal membrane protein PEX3 in the plant-pathogen and mycotoxin producer Fusarium graminearum was studied using knock-out and complemented strains. To fluorescently label peroxisomes’ punctate structures, GFP and RFP fusions with the PTS1 and PTS2 localization signal were transformed into the wild type PH-1 and ΔFgPex3 knock-out strains. The GFP and RFP transformants in the ΔFgPex3 background showed a diffuse fluorescence pattern across the cytoplasm suggesting the absence of mature peroxisomes. The ΔFgPex3 strain showed a minor, non-significant reduction in growth on various sugar carbon sources. In contrast, deletion of FgPex3 affected fatty acid β-oxidation in F. graminearum and significantly reduced the utilization of fatty acids. Furthermore, the ΔFgPex3 mutant was sensitive to osmotic stressors as well as to cell wall-damaging agents. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the mutant had increased significantly, which may be linked to the reduced longevity of cultured strains. The mutant also showed reduced production of conidiospores, while sexual reproduction was completely impaired. The pathogenicity of ΔFgPex3, especially during the process of systemic infection, was strongly reduced on both tomato and on wheat, while to production of deoxynivalenol (DON), an important factor for virulence, appeared to be unaffected.

Secreted protein MoHrip2 is required for full virulence of Magnaporthe oryzae and modulation of rice immunity

MoHrip2, identified from Magnaporthe oryzae as an elicitor, can activate plant defense responses either in the form of recombinant protein in vitro or ectopic expressed protein in rice. However, its intrinsic function in the infective interaction of M. oryzae-rice is largely unknown. Here, we found that mohrip2 expression was significantly induced at stages of fungal penetration and colonization. Meanwhile, the induced MoHrip2 mainly accumulated in the rice apoplast by outlining the entire invasive hyphae during infection, and its secretion was via the conventional endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi pathway, demonstrating the nature of MoHrip2 as an apoplastic effector. What's more, the disease facilitating function of MoHrip2 was revealed by the significantly compromised virulence of Δmohrip2 mutants on rice seedlings and even on the wounded rice leaves. Inoculations of these mutant strains on rice leaf sheaths showed a reduction in penetration and subsequent expansion of fungal growth, which is probably due to activated host immunity including the expression of certain defense-related genes and the production of certain phytoalexins. Altogether, these results demonstrated the necessity of MoHrip2 in suppression of host immunity and the full virulence of M. oryzae.

FgPEX1 and FgPEX10 are required for the maintenance of Woronin bodies and full virulence of Fusarium graminearum

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous single-membrane-bound organelles that perform a variety of biochemical functions in eukaryotic cells. Proteins involved in peroxisomal biogenesis are collectively called peroxins. Currently, functions of most peroxins in phytopathogenic fungi are poorly understood. Here, we report identification of PEX1 and PEX10 in the phytopathogenic fungus, Fusarium graminearum, namely FgPEX1 and FgPEX10, the orthologs of yeast ScPEX1 and ScPEX10. To functionally characterize FgPEX1 and FgPEX10, we constructed deletion mutants of FgPEX1 and FgPEX10 (ΔPEX1 and ΔPEX10) by targeting gene-replacement strategies. Our data demonstrate that both mutants displayed reduced mycelial growth, conidiation, and production of perithecia. Deletion of FgPEX1 and FgPEX10 resulted in a shortage of acetyl-CoA, which is an important reason for the reduced deoxynivalenol production and inhibited virulence of F. graminearum. Moreover, ΔPEX1 and ΔPEX10 showed an increased accumulation of lipid droplets and endogenous reactive oxygen species. In addition, FgPEX1 and FgPEX10 were found to be involved in the maintenance of cell wall integrity and Woronin bodies.

FgPEX4 is involved in development, pathogenicity, and cell wall integrity in Fusarium graminearum

Peroxisomes are indispensable organelles that play critical roles in various biological processes in eukaryotic cells. PEX4, one of the peroxins, is the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. To functionally characterize roles of FgPEX4 in the phytopathogenic fungus, Fusarium graminearum, we constructed a deletion mutant of FgPEX4 (ΔPEX4) through homologous recombination. ΔPEX4 displayed reduced mycelial growth, conidiation, and the production of perithecia. ΔPEX4 was defective in pathogenicity and production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). In addition, FgPEX4 was involved in cell wall integrity, lipid droplet accumulation, and the elimination of reactive oxygen species. Western blot analysis revealed reduced phosphorylation of Mgv1 in the ∆PEX4 mutant. Importantly, proteomics analysis indicated that protein expression levels related to protein biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, cell wall synthesis, and oxidation-reduction reactions were downregulated in ΔPEX4 compared with the wild type. Taken together, these results demonstrate that FgPEX4 is important for development, pathogenicity, and cell wall integrity.

SUMOylation is required for fungal development and pathogenicity in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Amongst the various post-translational modifications (PTMs), SUMOylation is a conserved process of attachment of a small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) to a protein substrate in eukaryotes. This process regulates many important biological mechanisms, including transcriptional regulation, protein stabilization, cell cycle, DNA repair and pathogenesis. However, the functional role of SUMOylation is not well understood in plant-pathogenic fungi, including the model fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. In this study, we elucidated the roles of four SUMOylation-associated genes that encode one SUMO protein (MoSMT3), two E1 enzymes (MoAOS1 and MoUBA2) and one E2 enzyme (MoUBC9) in fungal development and pathogenicity. Western blot assays showed that SUMO modification was abolished in all deletion mutants. MoAOS1 and MoUBA2 were mainly localized in the nucleus, whereas MoSMT3 and MoUBC9 were localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. However, the four SUMOylation-associated proteins were predominantly localized in the nucleus under oxidative stress conditions. Deletion mutants for each of the four genes were viable, but showed significant defects in mycelial growth, conidiation, septum formation, conidial germination, appressorium formation and pathogenicity. Several proteins responsible for conidiation were predicted to be SUMOylated, suggesting that conidiation is controlled at the post-translational level by SUMOylation. In addition to infection-related development, SUMOylation also played important roles in resistance to nutrient starvation, DNA damage and oxidative stresses. Therefore, SUMOylation is required for infection-related fungal development, stress responses and pathogenicity in M. oryzae. This study provides new insights into the role of SUMOylation in the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of the rice blast fungus and other plant pathogens.

Application of the red fluorescent protein mCherry in mycelial labeling and organelle tracing in the dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Trichophyton mentagrophytes is a fungus that causes skin disease in humans and other animals worldwide. Studies on molecular biology and fluorescent labeling of the fungus are limited. Here, we applied mCherry for the first time in T. mentagrophytes to label the fungus and its organelles. We constructed four expression vectors of mCherry or mCherry fusions containing a variety of resistance markers and promoters, which were then integrated, together with two previous mCherry expression vectors, in T. mentagrophytes via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (AtMT). The resulting transformants emitted bright red fluorescence. We used the histone protein H2B and the peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1) peptide to target the nucleus and peroxisomes, respectively, in T. mentagrophytes. In the transformants expressing mCherry-fused H2B, the fluorescence was distinctly localized to the nuclei in hyphae, spores and the fungal cells in infected animal tissue. In the T. mentagrophytes transformants where the peroxisome was targeted, the mCherry was present as small dots (0.2-1 μm diameter) throughout the spores and the hyphae. We also constructed a T. mentagrophytes AtMT library containing more than 1000 hygromycin-resistant transformants that were genetically stable. Our results provide useful tools for further investigations on molecular pathogenesis of T. mentagrophytes.

Pex14/17, a filamentous fungus-specific peroxin, is required for the import of peroxisomal matrix proteins and full virulence of Magnaporthe oryzae

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous organelles in eukaryotic cells that fulfil a variety of biochemical functions. The biogenesis of peroxisomes requires a variety of proteins, named peroxins, which are encoded by PEX genes. Pex14/17 is a putative recently identified peroxin, specifically present in filamentous fungal species. Its function in peroxisomal biogenesis is still obscure and its roles in fungal pathogenicity have not yet been documented. Here, we demonstrate the contributions of Pex14/17 in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (Mopex14/17) to peroxisomal biogenesis and fungal pathogenicity by targeting gene replacement strategies. Mopex14/17 has properties of both Pex14 and Pex17 with regard to its protein sequence. Mopex14/17 is distributed at the peroxisomal membrane and is essential for efficient peroxisomal targeting of proteins containing peroxisomal targeting signal 1. MoPEX19 deletion leads to the cytoplasmic distribution of Mopex14/17, indicating that the peroxisomal import of Pex14/17 is dependent on Pex19. The knockout mutants of MoPEX14/17 show reduced fatty acid utilization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) degradation and cell wall integrity. Moreover, Δmopex14/17 mutants show delayed conidial generation and appressorial formation, and a reduction in appressorial turgor accumulation and penetration ability in host plants. These defects result in a significant reduction in the virulence of the mutant. These data indicate that MoPEX14/17 plays a crucial role in peroxisome biogenesis and contributes to fungal development and pathogenicity.

Large-scale molecular genetic analysis in plant-pathogenic fungi: a decade of genome-wide functional analysis

Plant-pathogenic fungi cause diseases to all major crop plants world-wide and threaten global food security. Underpinning fungal diseases are virulence genes facilitating plant host colonization that often marks pathogenesis and crop failures, as well as an increase in staple food prices. Fungal molecular genetics is therefore the cornerstone to the sustainable prevention of disease outbreaks. Pathogenicity studies using mutant collections provide immense function-based information regarding virulence genes of economically relevant fungi. These collections are rich in potential targets for existing and new biological control agents. They contribute to host resistance breeding against fungal pathogens and are instrumental in searching for novel resistance genes through the identification of fungal effectors. Therefore, functional analyses of mutant collections propel gene discovery and characterization, and may be incorporated into disease management strategies. In the light of these attributes, mutant collections enhance the development of practical solutions to confront modern agricultural constraints. Here, a critical review of mutant collections constructed by various laboratories during the past decade is provided. We used Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium graminearum studies to show how mutant screens contribute to bridge existing knowledge gaps in pathogenicity and fungal-host interactions.

ER retention receptor, MoERR1 is required for fungal development and pathogenicity in the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae

ER retention receptor is a seven trans-membrane protein that plays pivotal roles in function and integrity of endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Insertional mutagenesis of Magnaporthe oryzae identified MoERR1 as a pathogenicity gene encoding putative ER retention receptor orthologous to ERD2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Search through the genome identified that M. oryzae possesses another ortholog of ERD2, which is designated as MoERR2. When MoERR1 and MoERR2 were tagged with GFP, both were localized to ER. Targeted disruption of MoERR1 showed pleiotropic effects on phenotypes, while deletion of MoERR2 had no effect on phenotypes we examined. The disruption mutant of MoERR1 showed growth retardation and produced significantly reduced number of conidia with aberrant morphology. Appressoria from the mutant were unable to penetrate into plant tissues presumably due to defect in cell wall integrity, thereby rendering the mutant non-pathogenic. The MoERR1 mutant also appeared to display abnormal ER structure and mis-regulation of genes involved in chaperone function and unfolded protein response under ER stress condition. Taken together, these results suggest that MoERR1 is a ER retention receptor required for function and integrity of ER, and that MoERR1-mediated ER functionalities are essential for fungal development and pathogenesis.

Peroxisomal fission is induced during appressorium formation and is required for full virulence of the rice blast fungus

Peroxisomes are involved in various metabolic processes and are important for virulence in different pathogenic fungi. How peroxisomes rapidly emerge in the appressorium during fungal infection is poorly understood. Here, we describe a gene, PEF1, which can regulate peroxisome formation in the appressorium by controlling peroxisomal fission, and is required for plant infection in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Targeted deletion of PEF1 resulted in a reduction in virulence and a delay in penetration and invasive growth in host cells. PEF1 was particularly expressed during appressorial development, and its encoding protein was co-localized with peroxisomes during appressorial development. Compared with the massive vesicle-shaped peroxisomes formed in the wild-type appressorium, the Δpef1 mutant could only form stringy linked immature peroxisomes, suggesting that PEF1 was involved in peroxisomal fission during appressorium formation. We also found that the Δpef1 mutant could not utilize fatty acids efficiently, which can improve significantly the expression level of PEF1 and induce peroxisomal fission. As expected, the Δpef1 mutant showed reduced intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during appressorium formation and induced ROS accumulation in host cells during infection. Taken together, PEF1-mediated peroxisomal fission is important for fungal infection by controlling the number of peroxisomes in the appressorium.

Identification and characterization of the peroxin 1 gene MoPEX1 required for infection-related morphogenesis and pathogenicity in Magnaporthe oryzae

Peroxisomes are required for pathogenicity in many phytopathogenic fungi, but the relationships between fungal pathogenicity and peroxisomal function are not fully understood. Here, we report the identification of a T-DNA insertional mutant C445 of Magnaporthe oryzae, which is defective in pathogenicity. Analysis of the mutation confirmed an insertion into the gene MoPEX1, which encodes a putative homologue to peroxin 1. Targeted gene deletion mutants of MoPEX1 were nonpathogenic and were impaired in vegetative growth, conidiation, and appressorium formation. ΔMopex1 mutants formed abnormal, less pigmented, and nonfunctional appressoria, but they were unable to penetrate plant cuticle. The ΔMopex1 mutants were defective in the utilization of fatty acids (e.g., olive oil and Tween-20). Moreover, deletion of MoPEX1 significantly impaired the mobilization and degradation of lipid droplets during appressorium development. Interestingly, deletion of MoPEX1 blocked the import of peroxisomal matrix proteins. Analysis of an M. oryzae strain expressing GFP-MoPEX1 and RFP-PTS1 fusions revealed that MoPex1 localizes to peroxisomes. Yeast two hybrid experiments showed that MoPex1 physically interacts with MoPex6, a peroxisomal matrix protein important for fungal morphogenesis and pathogenicity. Taken together, we conclude that MoPEX1 plays important roles in peroxisomal function and is required for infection-related morphogenesis and pathogenicity in M. oryzae.

MoDnm1 Dynamin Mediating Peroxisomal and Mitochondrial Fission in Complex with MoFis1 and MoMdv1 Is Important for Development of Functional Appressorium in Magnaporthe oryzae

Dynamins are large superfamily GTPase proteins that are involved in various cellular processes including budding of transport vesicles, division of organelles, cytokinesis, and pathogen resistance. Here, we characterized several dynamin-related proteins from the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and found that MoDnm1 is required for normal functions, including vegetative growth, conidiogenesis, and full pathogenicity. In addition, we found that MoDnm1 co-localizes with peroxisomes and mitochondria, which is consistent with the conserved role of dynamin proteins. Importantly, MoDnm1-dependent peroxisomal and mitochondrial fission involves functions of mitochondrial fission protein MoFis1 and WD-40 repeat protein MoMdv1. These two proteins display similar cellular functions and subcellular localizations as MoDnm1, and are also required for full pathogenicity. Further studies showed that MoDnm1, MoFis1 and MoMdv1 are in complex to regulate not only peroxisomal and mitochondrial fission, pexophagy and mitophagy progression, but also appressorium function and host penetration. In summary, our studies provide new insights into how MoDnm1 interacts with its partner proteins to mediate peroxisomal and mitochondrial functions and how such regulatory events may link to differentiation and pathogenicity in the rice blast fungus.

Dynamin superfamily members are involved in budding of transport vesicles and division of organelles in eukaryotic cells. To further understand how dynamins function in phytopathogenic fungi, we characterized several dynamin-related proteins from the rice blast fungus M. oryzae. In addition to revealing major conserved dynamin functions, we described how MoDnm1 interacts with mitochondrial fission protein MoFis1 and WD repeat adaptor protein MoMdv1 to mediate peroxisomal and mitochondrial fission, pexophagy and mitophagy. Importantly, we provided evidence to demonstrate that MoDnm1-, MoFis1- and MoMdv1-dependent peroxisomal and mitochondrial functions are linked to differentiation and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.

Roles of Peroxisomes in the Rice Blast Fungus

The rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, is a model plant pathogenic fungus and is a severe threat to global rice production. Over the past two decades, it has been found that the peroxisomes play indispensable roles during M. oryzae infection. Given the importance of the peroxisomes for virulence, we review recent advances of the peroxisomes roles during M. oryzae infection processes. We firstly introduce the molecular mechanisms and life cycles of the peroxisomes. And then, metabolic functions related to the peroxisomes are also discussed. Finally, we provide an overview of the relationship between peroxisomes and pathogenicity.

One of Three Pex11 Family Members Is Required for Peroxisomal Proliferation and Full Virulence of the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Peroxisomes play important roles in metabolisms of eukaryotes and infection of plant fungal pathogens. These organelles proliferate by de novo formation or division in response to environmental stimulation. Although the assembly of peroxisomes was documented in fungal pathogens, their division and its relationship to pathogenicity remain obscure. In present work, we analyzed the roles of three Pex11 family members in peroxisomal division and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Deletion of MoPEX11A led to fewer but enlarged peroxisomes, and impaired the separation of Woronin bodies from peroxisomes, while deletion of MoPEX11B or MoPEX11C put no evident impacts to peroxisomal profiles. MoPEX11A mutant exhibited typical peroxisome related defects, delayed conidial germination and appressoria formation, and decreased appressorial turgor and host penetration. As a result, the virulence of MoPEX11A mutant was greatly reduced. Deletion of MoPEX11B and MoPEX11C did not alter the virulence of the fungus. Further, double or triple deletions of the three genes were unable to enhance the virulence decrease in MoPEX11A mutant. Our data indicated that MoPEX11A is the main factor modulating peroxisomal division and is required for full virulence of the fungus.

Metalloprotease genes of Trichophyton mentagrophytes are important for pathogenicity

Metalloproteases (Mep) of the M36 family are important virulence factors for the host invasion by the dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Dermatophytes secrete keratinase to degrade human and animal keratin and invade the skin. In previous studies, primers designed from the MEP gene sequences of Aspergillus fumigatus and A. oryzae were used to amplify the MEP genes from T. mentagrophytes, and the five MEP genes (MEP1-MEP5) were expressed. Differences in the expression of these five MEP genes in different dermatophytes were observed in an in vitro protein induction study, indicating their different functions and proteolytic abilities. However, specific pathogenic functions and mechanisms of each of the metalloproteases, as well as differences in their proteolytic activities, remain uncertain. In the current study, Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was used to successfully transform five MEP genes, resulting in five MEP mutant strains. MEP3 showed strongest proteolytic activity, hair biodegradation ability, and animal pathogenicity among the mutant strains. The MEP4 and MEP5 mutants were the least pathogenic through the above tests. Therefore, we hypothesize that the MEP4 and MEP5 genes are most likely to significantly affect the pathogenicity of T. mentagrophytes.

Crosstalk between SNF1 pathway and the peroxisome-mediated lipid metabolism in Magnaporthe oryzae

The SNF1/AMPK pathway has a central role in response to nutrient stress in yeast and mammals. Previous studies on SNF1 function in phytopathogenic fungi mostly focused on the catalytic subunit Snf1 and its contribution to the derepression of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs). However, the MoSnf1 in Magnaporthe oryzae was reported not to be involved in CWDEs regulation. The mechanism how MoSnf1 functions as a virulence determinant remains unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that MoSnf1 retains the ability to respond to nutrient-free environment via its participation in peroxisomal maintenance and lipid metabolism. Observation of GFP-tagged peroxisomal targeting signal-1 (PTS1) revealed that the peroxisomes of ΔMosnf1 were enlarged in mycelia and tended to be degraded before conidial germination, leading to the sharp decline of peroxisomal amount during appressorial development, which might impart the mutant great retard in lipid droplets mobilization and degradation. Consequently, ΔMosnf1 exhibited inability to maintain normal appressorial cell wall porosity and turgor pressure, which are key players in epidermal infection process. Exogenous glucose could partially restore the appressorial function and virulence of ΔMosnf1. Toward a further understanding of SNF1 pathway, the β-subunit MoSip2, γ-subunit MoSnf4, and two putative Snf1-activating kinases, MoSak1 and MoTos3, were additionally identified and characterized. Here we show the null mutants ΔMosip2 and ΔMosnf4 performed multiple disorders as ΔMosnf1 did, suggesting the complex integrity is essential for M. oryzae SNF1 kinase function. And the upstream kinases, MoSak1 and MoTos3, play unequal roles in SNF1 activation with a clear preference to MoSak1 over MoTos3. Meanwhile, the mutant lacking both of them exhibited a severe phenotype comparable to ΔMosnf1, uncovering a cooperative relationship between MoSak1 and MoTos3. Taken together, our data indicate that the SNF1 pathway is required for fungal development and facilitates pathogenicity by its contribution to peroxisomal maintenance and lipid metabolism in M. oryzae.

MoPex19, which is essential for maintenance of peroxisomal structure and woronin bodies, is required for metabolism and development in the rice blast fungus

Peroxisomes are present ubiquitously and make important contributions to cellular metabolism in eukaryotes. They play crucial roles in pathogenicity of plant fungal pathogens. The peroxisomal matrix proteins and peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs) are synthesized in the cytosol and imported post-translationally. Although the peroxisomal import machineries are generally conserved, some species-specific features were found in different types of organisms. In phytopathogenic fungi, the pathways of the matrix proteins have been elucidated, while the import machinery of PMPs remains obscure. Here, we report that MoPEX19, an ortholog of ScPEX19, was required for PMPs import and peroxisomal maintenance, and played crucial roles in metabolism and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. MoPEX19 was expressed in a low level and Mopex19p was distributed in the cytoplasm and newly formed peroxisomes. MoPEX19 deletion led to mislocalization of peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs), as well peroxisomal matrix proteins. Peroxisomal structures were totally absent in Δmopex19 mutants and woronin bodies also vanished. Δmopex19 exhibited metabolic deficiency typical in peroxisomal disorders and also abnormality in glyoxylate cycle which was undetected in the known mopex mutants. The Δmopex19 mutants performed multiple disorders in fungal development and pathogenicity-related morphogenesis, and lost completely the pathogenicity on its hosts. These data demonstrate that MoPEX19 plays crucial roles in maintenance of peroxisomal and peroxisome-derived structures and makes more contributions to fungal development and pathogenicity than the known MoPEX genes in the rice blast fungus.

Cells in cells: morphogenetic and metabolic strategies conditioning rice infection by the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is a global food security threat due to its destruction of cultivated rice. Of the world's rice harvest, 10-30 % is lost each year to this pathogen, and changing climates are likely to favor its spread into new areas. Insights into how the fungus might be contained could come from the wealth of molecular and cellular studies that have been undertaken in order to shed light on the biological underpinnings of blast disease, aspects of which we review herein. Infection begins when a three-celled spore lands on the surface of a leaf, germinates, and develops the specialized infection structure called the appressorium. The mature appressorium develops a high internal turgor that acts on a thin penetration peg, forcing it through the rice cuticle and into the underlying epidermal cells. Primary then invasive hyphae (IH) elaborate from the peg and grow asymptomatically from one living rice cell to another for the first few days of infection before host cells begin to die and characteristic necrotic lesions form on the surface of the leaf, from which spores are produced to continue the life cycle. To gain new insights into the biology of rice blast disease, we argue that, conceptually, the infection process can be viewed as two discrete phases occurring in markedly different environments and requiring distinct biochemical pathways and morphogenetic regulation: outside the host cell, where the appressorium develops in a nutrient-free environment, and inside the host cell, where filamentous growth occurs in a glucose-rich, nitrogen-poor environment, at least from the perspective of the fungus. Here, we review the physiological and metabolic changes that occur in M. oryzae as it transitions from the surface to the interior of the host, thus enabling us to draw lessons about the strategies that allow M. oryzae cells to thrive in rice cells.

Two conidiation-related Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor genes in the rice blast fungus

Regulation of gene expression by transcription factors (TFs) helps plant pathogens to interact with the host plants and to sustain a pathogenic lifestyle in the environmental changes. Elucidating novel functions of TFs is, therefore, crucial for understanding pathogenesis mechanisms of plant pathogens. Magnaporthe oryzae, the rice blast pathogen, undergoes a series of developmental morphogenesis to complete its infection cycle. To understand TF genes implicated in pathogenic development of this fungus, two Zn(II)2Cys6 TF genes, MoCOD1 and MoCOD2, whose expression was notably induced during conidiation, were functionally characterized. Targeted deletion of MoCOD1 resulted in defects in conidiation and pathogenicity due to defects in appressorium formation and invasive growth within the host cells. MoCOD2 was also a critical regulator in conidiation and pathogenicity, but not in conidial germination and appressorium formation. When rice plants were inoculated with conidia of the ΔMocod2 mutant, rapid accumulation of dark brown granules was observed around the infection sites in the plant cells and no visible disease symptom was incited. Taken together, both MoCOD1 and MoCOD2 play important roles in conidiation and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.

Intracellular targeting of ascomycetous catalase-peroxidases (KatG1s)

Bifunctional catalase-peroxidases (KatGs) are heme oxidoreductases widely spread among bacteria, archaea and among lower eukaryotes. In fungi, two KatG groups with different localization have evolved, intracellular (KatG1) and extracellular (KatG2) proteins. Here, the cloning, expression analysis and subcellular localization of two novel katG1 genes from the soil fungi Chaetomium globosum and Chaetomium cochliodes are reported. Whereas, the metalloenzyme from Ch. globosum is expressed constitutively, Ch. cochliodes KatG1 reveals a slight increase in expression after induction of oxidative stress by cadmium ions and hydrogen peroxide. The intronless open reading frames of both Sordariomycetes katG1 genes as well as of almost all fungal katG1s possess two peroxisomal targeting signals (PTS1 and PTS2). Peroxisomal localization of intracellular eukaryotic catalase-peroxidases was verified by organelle separation and immunofluorescence microscopy. Co-localization with the peroxisomal enzyme 3-ketoacyl-CoA-thiolase was demonstrated for KatGs from Magnaporthe grisea, Chaetomium globosum and Chaetomium cochliodes. The physiological role of fungal catalase-peroxidases is discussed.

PTS1 peroxisomal import pathway plays shared and distinct roles to PTS2 pathway in development and pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae

Peroxisomes participate in various important metabolisms and are required in pathogenicity of fungal plant pathogens. Peroxisomal matrix proteins are imported from cytoplasm into peroxisomes through peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (PTS1) or peroxisomal targeting signal 2 (PTS2) import pathway. PEX5 and PEX7 genes participate in the two pathways respectively. The involvement of PEX7 mediated PTS2 import pathway in fungal pathogenicity has been documented, while that of PTS1 remains unclear. Through null mutant analysis of MoPEX5, the PEX5 homolog in Magnaporthe oryzae, we report the crucial roles of PTS1 pathway in the development and host infection in the rice blast fungus, and compared with those of PTS2. We found that MoPEX5 disruption specifically blocked the PTS1 pathway. Δmopex5 was unable to use lipids as sole carbon source and lost pathogenicity completely. Similar as Δmopex7, Δmopex5 exhibited significant reduction in lipid utilization and mobilization, appressorial turgor genesis and H₂O₂ resistance. Additionally, Δmopex5 presented some distinct defects which were undetected in Δmopex7 in vegetative growth, conidial morphogenesis, appressorial morphogenesis and melanization. The results indicated that the PTS1 peroxisomal import pathway, in addition to PTS2, is required for fungal development and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus, and also, as a main peroxisomal import pathway, played a more predominant role than PTS2.

Unique requirements for mono- and polyubiquitination of the peroxisomal targeting signal co-receptor, Pex20

In Pichia pastoris, the peroxisomal targeting signal 2 (PTS2)-dependent peroxisomal matrix protein import pathway requires the receptor, Pex7, and its co-receptor Pex20. A conserved lysine (Lys(19)) near the N terminus of Pex20 is required for its polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, whereas a conserved cysteine (Cys(8)) is essential for its recycling. In this study, we found that Cys(8) is required for the DTT-sensitive mono- and diubiquitination of Pex20. We also show that the PTS2 cargo receptor, Pex7, is required for Pex20 polyubiquitination. Pex4, the E2 ubiquitin-conjugation enzyme, is required for monoubiquitination of Pex20. However, it is also necessary for polyubiquitination of Pex20, making its behavior distinct from the ubiquitination described for other PTS receptors. Unlike the roles of specific RING peroxins in Pex5 ubiquitination, we found that all the RING peroxins (Pex2, Pex10, and Pex12) are required as E3 ubiquitin ligases for Pex20 mono- and polyubiquitination. A model for Pex20 ubiquitination is proposed based on these observations. This is the first description of the complete ubiquitination pathway of Pex20, which provides a better understanding of the recycling and degradation of this PTS2 cargo co-receptor.

Function of peroxisomes in plant-pathogen interactions

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous organelles of eukaryotic cells that accomplish a variety of biochemical functions, including β-oxidation of fatty acids, glyoxylate cycle, etc. Many reports have been accumulating that indicate peroxisome related metabolic functions are essential for pathogenic development of plant pathogenic fungi. They include peroxisome biogenesis proteins, peroxins and preferential destruction of peroxisomes, pexophagy. Gene disrupted mutants of anthracnose disease pathogen Colletotrichum orbiculare or rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae defective in peroxins or pexophagy showed deficiency in pathogenesis. Woronin body, a peroxisome related cellular organelle that is related to endurance of fungal cells against environmental damage has essential roles in pathogenesis of M. oryzae. Also, peroxisome related metabolisms such as β-oxidation and glyoxylate cycle are essential for pathogenesis in several plant pathogenic fungi. In addition, secondary metabolisms including polyketide melanin biosynthesis of C. orbiculare and M. oryzae, and host selective toxins produced by necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria alternata have pivotal roles in fungal pathogenesis. Every such factor was listed and their functions for pathogenesis were demonstrated (Table 18.1 and Fig. 18.1).

Peroxisome function is required for virulence and survival of Fusarium graminearum

Peroxisomes are organelles that are involved in a number of important cellular metabolic processes, including the β-oxidation of fatty acids, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, the role of peroxisomes was examined in Fusarium graminearum by targeted deletion of three genes (PEX5, PEX6, and PEX7) encoding peroxin (PEX) proteins required for peroxisomal protein import. PEX5 and PEX7 deletion mutants were unable to localize the fluorescently tagged peroxisomal targeting signal type 1 (PTS1)- and PTS2-containing proteins to peroxisomes, respectively, whereas the PEX6 mutant failed to localize both fluorescent proteins. Deletion of PEX5 and PEX6 resulted in retarded growth on long-chain fatty acids and butyrate, while the PEX7 deletion mutants utilized fatty acids other than butyrate. Virulence on wheat heads was greatly reduced in the PEX5 and PEX6 deletion mutants, and they were defective in spreading from inoculated florets to the adjacent spikelets through rachis. Deletion of PEX5 and PEX6 dropped survivability of aged cells in planta and in vitro due to the accumulation of ROS followed by necrotic cell death. These results demonstrate that PTS1-dependent peroxisomal protein import mediated by PEX5 and PEX6 are critical to virulence and survival of F. graminearum.

Integration of peroxisomes into an endomembrane system that governs cellular aging

The peroxisome is an organelle that has long been known for its essential roles in oxidation of fatty acids, maintenance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and anaplerotic replenishment of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates destined for mitochondria. Growing evidence supports the view that these peroxisome-confined metabolic processes play an essential role in defining the replicative and chronological age of a eukaryotic cell. Much progress has recently been made in defining molecular mechanisms that link cellular aging to fatty acid oxidation, ROS turnover, and anaplerotic metabolism in peroxisomes. Emergent studies have revealed that these organelles not only house longevity-defining metabolic reactions but can also regulate cellular aging via their dynamic communication with other cellular compartments. Peroxisomes communicate with other organelles by establishing extensive physical contact with lipid bodies, maintaining an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to peroxisome connectivity system, exchanging certain metabolites, and being involved in the bidirectional flow of some of their protein and lipid constituents. The scope of this review is to summarize the evidence that peroxisomes are dynamically integrated into an endomembrane system that governs cellular aging. We discuss recent progress in understanding how communications between peroxisomes and other cellular compartments within this system influence the development of a pro- or anti-aging cellular pattern. We also propose a model for the integration of peroxisomes into the endomembrane system governing cellular aging and critically evaluate several molecular mechanisms underlying such integration.

Recent advances in peroxisomal matrix protein import

Peroxisomes are essential organelles responsible for many metabolic reactions, such as the oxidation of very long chain and branched fatty acids, D-amino acids and polyamines, as well as the production and turnover of hydrogen peroxide. They comprise a class of organelles called microbodies, including glycosomes, glyoxysomes and Woronin bodies. Dysfunction of human peroxisomes causes severe and often fatal peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs). Peroxisomal matrix protein import is mediated by receptors that shuttle between the cytosol and peroxisomal matrix using ubiquitination/deubiquitination reactions and ATP hydrolysis for receptor recycling. We focus on the machinery involved in the peroxisomal matrix protein import cycle, highlighting recent advances in peroxisomal matrix protein import, cargo release and receptor recycling/degradation.