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Pejenaute-Ochoa MD, Tomás-Gallardo L, Ibeas JI, Barrales RR. Row1, a member of a new family of conserved fungal proteins involved in infection, is required for appressoria functionality in Ustilago maydis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:1101-1122. [PMID: 38742361 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19798] [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: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The appressorium of phytopathogenic fungi is a specific structure with a crucial role in plant cuticle penetration. Pathogens with melanized appressoria break the cuticle through cell wall melanization and intracellular turgor pressure. However, in fungi with nonmelanized appressorium, the mechanisms governing cuticle penetration are poorly understood. Here we characterize Row1, a previously uncharacterized appressoria-specific protein of Ustilago maydis that localizes to membrane and secretory vesicles. Deletion of row1 decreases appressoria formation and plant penetration, thereby reducing virulence. Specifically, the Δrow1 mutant has a thicker cell wall that is more resistant to glucanase degradation. We also observed that the Δrow1 mutant has secretion defects. We show that Row1 is functionally conserved at least among Ustilaginaceae and belongs to the Row family, which consists of five other proteins that are highly conserved among Basidiomycota fungi and are involved in U. maydis virulence. We observed similarities in localization between Row1 and Row2, which is also involved in cell wall remodelling and secretion, suggesting similar molecular functions for members of this protein family. Our data suggest that Row1 could modify the chitin-glucan matrix of the fungal cell wall and may be involved in unconventional protein secretion, thereby promoting both appressoria maturation and penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Dolores Pejenaute-Ochoa
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Laura Tomás-Gallardo
- Proteomics and Biochemistry Platform, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km. 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - José I Ibeas
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Ramón R Barrales
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide-CSIC-Junta de Andalucía, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
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Williams A, Sinanaj B, Hoysted GA. Plant-microbe interactions through a lens: tales from the mycorrhizosphere. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:399-412. [PMID: 38085925 PMCID: PMC11006548 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The soil microbiome plays a pivotal role in maintaining ecological balance, supporting food production, preserving water quality and safeguarding human health. Understanding the intricate dynamics within the soil microbiome necessitates unravelling complex bacterial-fungal interactions (BFIs). BFIs occur in diverse habitats, such as the phyllosphere, rhizosphere and bulk soil, where they exert substantial influence on plant-microbe associations, nutrient cycling and overall ecosystem functions. In various symbiotic associations, fungi form mycorrhizal connections with plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake through the root and mycorrhizal pathways. Concurrently, specific soil bacteria, including mycorrhiza helper bacteria, play a pivotal role in nutrient acquisition and promoting plant growth. Chemical communication and biofilm formation further shape plant-microbial interactions, affecting plant growth, disease resistance and nutrient acquisition processes. SCOPE Promoting synergistic interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and soil microbes holds immense potential for advancing ecological knowledge and conservation. However, despite the significant progress, gaps remain in our understanding of the evolutionary significance, perception, functional traits and ecological relevance of BFIs. Here we review recent findings obtained with respect to complex microbial communities - particularly in the mycorrhizosphere - and include the latest advances in the field, outlining their profound impacts on our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and plant physiology and function. CONCLUSIONS Deepening our understanding of plant BFIs can help assess their capabilities with regard to ecological and agricultural safe-guarding, in particular buffering soil stresses, and ensuring sustainable land management practices. Preserving and enhancing soil biodiversity emerge as critical imperatives in sustaining life on Earth amidst pressures of anthropogenic climate change. A holistic approach integrates scientific knowledge on bacteria and fungi, which includes their potential to foster resilient soil ecosystems for present and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Williams
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Besiana Sinanaj
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Grace A Hoysted
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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3
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Schuster M, Schweizer G, Reißmann S, Happel P, Aßmann D, Rössel N, Güldener U, Mannhaupt G, Ludwig N, Winterberg S, Pellegrin C, Tanaka S, Vincon V, Presti LL, Wang L, Bender L, Gonzalez C, Vranes M, Kämper J, Seong K, Krasileva K, Kahmann R. Novel Secreted Effectors Conserved Among Smut Fungi Contribute to the Virulence of Ustilago maydis. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:250-263. [PMID: 38416124 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0139-fi] [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] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens deploy a set of molecules (proteins, specialized metabolites, and sRNAs), so-called effectors, to aid the infection process. In comparison to other plant pathogens, smut fungi have small genomes and secretomes of 20 Mb and around 500 proteins, respectively. Previous comparative genomic studies have shown that many secreted effector proteins without known domains, i.e., novel, are conserved only in the Ustilaginaceae family. By analyzing the secretomes of 11 species within Ustilaginaceae, we identified 53 core homologous groups commonly present in this lineage. By collecting existing mutants and generating additional ones, we gathered 44 Ustilago maydis strains lacking single core effectors as well as 9 strains containing multiple deletions of core effector gene families. Pathogenicity assays revealed that 20 of these 53 mutant strains were affected in virulence. Among the 33 mutants that had no obvious phenotypic changes, 13 carried additional, sequence-divergent, structurally similar paralogs. We report a virulence contribution of seven previously uncharacterized single core effectors and of one effector family. Our results help to prioritize effectors for understanding U. maydis virulence and provide genetic resources for further characterization. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Schuster
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Gabriel Schweizer
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Independent Data Lab UG, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Reißmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Petra Happel
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Aßmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Rössel
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Güldener
- Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, 80636 München, Germany
| | - Gertrud Mannhaupt
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Ludwig
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sarah Winterberg
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Clément Pellegrin
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Shigeyuki Tanaka
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Volker Vincon
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Libera Lo Presti
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lei Wang
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lena Bender
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Phillips-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Carla Gonzalez
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Miroslav Vranes
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Genetics, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jörg Kämper
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Genetics, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kyungyong Seong
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Ksenia Krasileva
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Regine Kahmann
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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4
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Derbyshire MC, Raffaele S. Surface frustration re-patterning underlies the structural landscape and evolvability of fungal orphan candidate effectors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5244. [PMID: 37640704 PMCID: PMC10462633 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40949-9] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens secrete effector proteins to subvert host physiology and cause disease. Effectors are engaged in a molecular arms race with the host resulting in conflicting evolutionary constraints to manipulate host cells without triggering immune responses. The molecular mechanisms allowing effectors to be at the same time robust and evolvable remain largely enigmatic. Here, we show that 62 conserved structure-related families encompass the majority of fungal orphan effector candidates in the Pezizomycotina subphylum. These effectors diversified through changes in patterns of thermodynamic frustration at surface residues. The underlying mutations tended to increase the robustness of the overall effector protein structure while switching potential binding interfaces. This mechanism could explain how conserved effector families maintained biological activity over long evolutionary timespans in different host environments and provides a model for the emergence of sequence-unrelated effector families with conserved structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Sylvain Raffaele
- Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Micro-organismes Environnement (LIPME), INRAE, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
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5
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Shi W, Stolze SC, Nakagami H, Misas Villamil JC, Saur IML, Doehlemann G. Combination of in vivo proximity labeling and co-immunoprecipitation identifies the host target network of a tumor-inducing effector in the fungal maize pathogen Ustilago maydis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:4736-4750. [PMID: 37225161 PMCID: PMC10433927 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad188] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plant pathogens secrete effectors, which target host proteins to facilitate infection. The Ustilago maydis effector UmSee1 is required for tumor formation in the leaf during infection of maize. UmSee1 interacts with maize SGT1 (suppressor of G2 allele of skp1) and blocks its phosphorylation in vivo. In the absence of UmSee1, U. maydis cannot trigger tumor formation in the bundle sheath. However, it remains unclear which host processes are manipulated by UmSee1 and the UmSee1-SGT1 interaction to cause the observed phenotype. Proximity-dependent protein labeling involving the turbo biotin ligase tag (TurboID) for proximal labeling of proteins is a powerful tool for identifying the protein interactome. We have generated transgenic U. maydis that secretes biotin ligase-fused See1 effector (UmSee1-TurboID-3HA) directly into maize cells. This approach, in combination with conventional co-immunoprecipitation, allowed the identification of additional UmSee1 interactors in maize cells. Collectively, our data identified three ubiquitin-proteasome pathway-related proteins (ZmSIP1, ZmSIP2, and ZmSIP3) that either interact with or are close to UmSee1 during host infection of maize with U. maydis. ZmSIP3 represents a cell cycle regulator whose degradation appears to be promoted in the presence of UmSee1. Our data provide a possible explanation of the requirement for UmSee1 in tumor formation during U. maydis-Zea mays interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shi
- Institute for Plant Sciences University of Cologne, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Germany
| | - Sara C Stolze
- Protein Mass Spectrometry, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Hirofumi Nakagami
- Protein Mass Spectrometry, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany
- Basic Immune System of Plants, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Johana C Misas Villamil
- Institute for Plant Sciences University of Cologne, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Germany
| | - Isabel M L Saur
- Institute for Plant Sciences University of Cologne, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Germany
| | - Gunther Doehlemann
- Institute for Plant Sciences University of Cologne, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Germany
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6
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Beernink BM, Whitham SA. Foxtail mosaic virus: A tool for gene function analysis in maize and other monocots. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:811-822. [PMID: 37036421 PMCID: PMC10257046 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13330] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many plant viruses have been engineered into vectors for use in functional genomics studies, expression of heterologous proteins, and, most recently, gene editing applications. The use of viral vectors overcomes bottlenecks associated with mutagenesis and transgenesis approaches often implemented for analysis of gene function. There are several engineered viruses that are demonstrated or suggested to be useful in maize through proof-of-concept studies. However, foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), which has a relatively broad host range, is emerging as a particularly useful virus for gene function studies in maize and other monocot crop or weed species. A few clones of FoMV have been independently engineered, and they have different features and capabilities for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and virus-mediated overexpression (VOX) of proteins. In addition, FoMV can be used to deliver functional guide RNAs in maize and other plants expressing the Cas9 protein, demonstrating its potential utility in virus-induced gene editing applications. There is a growing number of studies in which FoMV vectors are being applied for VIGS or VOX in maize and the vast majority of these are related to maize-microbe interactions. In this review, we highlight the biology and engineering of FoMV as well as its applications in maize-microbe interactions and more broadly in the context of the monocot functional genomics toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bliss M. Beernink
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and MicrobiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Steven A. Whitham
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and MicrobiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
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Lee S, Völz R, Lim YJ, Harris W, Kim S, Lee YH. The nuclear effector MoHTR3 of Magnaporthe oryzae modulates host defence signalling in the biotrophic stage of rice infection. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:602-615. [PMID: 36977203 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Fungal effectors play a pivotal role in suppressing the host defence system, and their evolution is highly dynamic. By comparative sequence analysis of plant-pathogenic fungi and Magnaporthe oryzae, we identified the small secreted C2 H2 zinc finger protein MoHTR3. MoHTR3 exhibited high conservation in M. oryzae strains but low conservation among other plant-pathogenic fungi, suggesting an emerging evolutionary selection process. MoHTR3 is exclusively expressed in the biotrophic stage of fungal invasion, and the encoded protein localizes to the biotrophic interfacial complex (BIC) and the host cell nucleus. The signal peptide crucial for MoHTR3' secretion to the BIC and the protein section required for its translocation to the nucleus were both identified by a functional protein domain study. The host-nuclear localization of MoHTR3 suggests a function as a transcriptional modulator of host defence gene induction. After ΔMohtr3 infection, the expression of jasmonic acid- and ethylene-associated genes was diminished in rice, in contrast to when the MoHTR3-overexpressing strain (MoHTR3ox) was applied. The transcript levels of salicylic acid- and defence-related genes were also affected after ΔMohtr3 and MoHTR3ox application. In pathogenicity assays, ΔMohtr3 was indistinguishable from the wild type. However, MoHTR3ox-infected plants showed diminished lesion formation and hydrogen peroxide accumulation, accompanied by a decrease in susceptibility, suggesting that the MoHTR3-induced manipulation of host cells affects host-pathogen interaction. MoHTR3 emphasizes the role of the host nucleus as a critical target for the pathogen-driven manipulation of host defence mechanisms and underscores the ongoing evolution of rice blast's arms race.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehee Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ronny Völz
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - You-Jin Lim
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - William Harris
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seongbeom Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Center for Fungal Genetic Resources, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Plant Immunity Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Center for Plant Microbiome Research, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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8
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Khan M, Djamei A. Co-immunoprecipitation-Based Identification of Effector-Host Protein Interactions from Pathogen-Infected Plant Tissue. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2690:87-100. [PMID: 37450139 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3327-4_8] [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] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions play an essential role in host-pathogen interactions. Phytopathogens secrete a cocktail of effector proteins to suppress plant immunity and reprogram host cell metabolism in their favor. Identification and characterization of effectors and their target protein complexes by co-immunoprecipitation can help to gain a deeper understanding of the functions of individual effectors during pathogenicity and can also provide new insights into the wiring of plant signaling pathways or metabolic complexes. Here we describe a detailed protocol to perform co-immunoprecipitation of effector-target protein complexes from plant extracts with an example of the Ustilago maydis/maize pathosystem for which we also provide a fungal protoplast transformation and maize seedling infection protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoona Khan
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Armin Djamei
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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9
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Soberanes-Gutiérrez CV, Castillo-Jiménez A, Pérez-Rueda E, Galán-Vásquez E. Construction and analysis of gene co-expression network in the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1048694. [PMID: 36569046 PMCID: PMC9767968 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048694] [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: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Biological systems respond to environmental disturbances and a wide range of compounds through complex gene interaction networks. The enormous growth of experimental information obtained using large-scale genomic techniques such as microarrays and RNA sequencing led to the construction of a wide variety of gene co-expression networks in recent years. These networks allow the discovery of clusters of co-expressed genes that potentially work in the same process linking them to biological processes often of interest to industrial, medicinal, and academic research. Methods In this study, we built the gene co-expression network of Ustilago maydis from the gene expression data of 168 samples belonging to 19 series, which correspond to the GPL3681 platform deposited in the NCBI using WGCNA software. This network was analyzed to identify clusters of co-expressed genes, gene hubs and Gene Ontology terms. Additionally, we identified relevant modules through a hypergeometric approach based on a predicted set of transcription factors and virulence genes. Results and Discussion We identified 13 modules in the gene co-expression network of U. maydis. The TFs enriched in the modules of interest belong to the superfamilies of Nucleic acid-binding proteins, Winged helix DNA-binding, and Zn2/Cys6 DNA-binding. On the other hand, the modules enriched with virulence genes were classified into diseases related to corn smut, Invasive candidiasis, among others. Finally, a large number of hypothetical, a large number of hypothetical genes were identified as highly co-expressed with virulence genes, making them possible experimental targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthia V. Soberanes-Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Ciencias Agrogenómicas, de la Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad León, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Castillo-Jiménez
- Licenciatura en Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Pérez-Rueda
- Unidad Académica Yucatán, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Edgardo Galán-Vásquez
- Departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas Computacionales y Automatización, Instituto de Investigación en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico,*Correspondence: Edgardo Galán-Vásquez,
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10
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Bindics J, Khan M, Uhse S, Kogelmann B, Baggely L, Reumann D, Ingole KD, Stirnberg A, Rybecky A, Darino M, Navarrete F, Doehlemann G, Djamei A. Many ways to TOPLESS - manipulation of plant auxin signalling by a cluster of fungal effectors. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 236:1455-1470. [PMID: 35944559 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant biotrophic pathogens employ secreted molecules, called effectors, to suppress the host immune system and redirect the host's metabolism and development in their favour. Putative effectors of the gall-inducing maize pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis were analysed for their ability to induce auxin signalling in plants. Using genetic, biochemical, cell-biological, and bioinformatic approaches we functionally elucidate a set of five, genetically linked effectors, called Topless (TPL) interacting protein (Tips) effectors that induce auxin signalling. We show that Tips induce auxin signalling by interfering with central corepressors of the TPL family. CRISPR-Cas9 mutants and deletion strain analysis indicate that the auxin signalling inducing subcluster effectors plays a redundant role in virulence. Although none of the Tips seem to have a conserved interaction motif, four of them bind solely to the N-terminal TPL domain and, for Tip1 and Tip4, we demonstrate direct competition with auxin/indole-3-acetic acid transcriptional repressors for their binding to TPL class of corepressors. Our findings reveal that TPL proteins, key regulators of growth-defence antagonism, are a major target of the U. maydis effectome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janos Bindics
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mamoona Khan
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Nussallee 9, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Uhse
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin Kogelmann
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Baggely
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Reumann
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kishor D Ingole
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Nussallee 9, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Stirnberg
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Rybecky
- CEPLAS, Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Darino
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fernando Navarrete
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gunther Doehlemann
- CEPLAS, Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Armin Djamei
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna Bio Center (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Nussallee 9, 53115, Bonn, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, D-06466, Stadt Seeland, Germany
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Gutiérrez-Domínguez DE, Chí-Manzanero B, Rodríguez-Argüello MM, Todd JNA, Islas-Flores I, Canseco-Pérez MÁ, Canto-Canché B. Identification of a Novel Lipase with AHSMG Pentapeptide in Hypocreales and Glomerellales Filamentous Fungi. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169367. [PMID: 36012636 PMCID: PMC9408867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipases are enzymes that hydrolyze triglycerides to fatty acids and glycerol. A typical element in lipases is a conserved motif of five amino acids (the pentapeptide), most commonly G-X-S-X-G. Lipases with the pentapeptide A-X-S-X-G are present in species of Bacillus, Paucimonas lemoignei, and the yeast Trichosporon asahii; they are usually thermotolerant and solvent resistant. Recently, while searching for true lipases in the Trichoderma harzianum genome, one lipase containing the pentapeptide AHSMG was identified. In this study, we cloned from T. harzianum strain B13-1 the lipase ID135964, renamed here as ThaL, which is 97.65% identical with the reference. We found that ThaL is a lid-containing true lipase of cluster III that belongs to a large family comprising highly conserved proteins in filamentous fungi in the orders Hypocreales and Glomerellales, in which predominantly pathogenic fungi are found. ThaL was expressed in conidia, as well as in T. harzianum mycelium, where it was cultured in liquid minimal medium. These results—together with the amino acid composition, absence of a signal peptide, mitochondrial sorting prediction, disordered regions in the protein, and lineage-specific phylogenetic distribution of its homologs—suggest that ThaL is a non-canonical effector. In summary, AHSMG-lipase is a novel lipase family in filamentous fungi, and is probably involved in pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Esther Gutiérrez-Domínguez
- Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Bartolomé Chí-Manzanero
- Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - María Mercedes Rodríguez-Argüello
- Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jewel Nicole Anna Todd
- Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Ignacio Islas-Flores
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ángel Canseco-Pérez
- Dirección de Investigación, Evaluación y Posgrado, Universidad Tecnológica de Tlaxcala, Carretera a el Carmen Xalplatlahuaya s/n. El Carmen Xalplatlahuaya, Huamantla C.P. 90500, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Blondy Canto-Canché
- Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida C.P. 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-999-942-8330
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12
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Saado I, Chia KS, Betz R, Alcântara A, Pettkó-Szandtner A, Navarrete F, D'Auria JC, Kolomiets MV, Melzer M, Feussner I, Djamei A. Effector-mediated relocalization of a maize lipoxygenase protein triggers susceptibility to Ustilago maydis. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:2785-2805. [PMID: 35512341 PMCID: PMC9252493 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
As the gall-inducing smut fungus Ustilago maydis colonizes maize (Zea mays) plants, it secretes a complex effector blend that suppresses host defense responses, including production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redirects host metabolism to facilitate colonization. We show that the U. maydis effector ROS burst interfering protein 1 (Rip1), which is involved in pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered suppression of host immunity, is functionally conserved in several other monocot-infecting smut fungi. We also have identified a conserved C-terminal motif essential for Rip1-mediated PAMP-triggered suppression of the ROS burst. The maize susceptibility factor lipoxygenase 3 (Zmlox3) bound by Rip1 was relocalized to the nucleus, leading to partial suppression of the ROS burst. Relocalization was independent of its enzymatic activity, revealing a distinct function for ZmLox3. Most importantly, whereas Zmlox3 maize mutant plants showed increased resistance to U. maydis wild-type strains, rip1 deletion strains infecting the Zmlox3 mutant overcame this effect. This could indicate that Rip1-triggered host resistance depends on ZmLox3 to be suppressed and that lox3 mutation-based resistance of maize to U. maydis requires functional Rip1. Together, our results reveal that Rip1 acts in several cellular compartments to suppress immunity and that targeting of ZmLox3 by Rip1 is responsible for the suppression of Rip1-dependent reduced susceptibility of maize to U. maydis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indira Saado
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
| | - Khong-Sam Chia
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
| | - Ruben Betz
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
| | - André Alcântara
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
| | | | - Fernando Navarrete
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - John C D'Auria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
| | | | - Michael Melzer
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
| | - Ivo Feussner
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Armin Djamei
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter 7(VBC),Vienna 1030, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Stadt Seeland D-06466, Germany
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13
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Dora S, Terrett OM, Sánchez-Rodríguez C. Plant-microbe interactions in the apoplast: Communication at the plant cell wall. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:1532-1550. [PMID: 35157079 PMCID: PMC9048882 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The apoplast is a continuous plant compartment that connects cells between tissues and organs and is one of the first sites of interaction between plants and microbes. The plant cell wall occupies most of the apoplast and is composed of polysaccharides and associated proteins and ions. This dynamic part of the cell constitutes an essential physical barrier and a source of nutrients for the microbe. At the same time, the plant cell wall serves important functions in the interkingdom detection, recognition, and response to other organisms. Thus, both plant and microbe modify the plant cell wall and its environment in versatile ways to benefit from the interaction. We discuss here crucial processes occurring at the plant cell wall during the contact and communication between microbe and plant. Finally, we argue that these local and dynamic changes need to be considered to fully understand plant-microbe interactions.
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14
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Zaccaron AZ, Chen LH, Samaras A, Stergiopoulos I. A chromosome-scale genome assembly of the tomato pathogen Cladosporium fulvum reveals a compartmentalized genome architecture and the presence of a dispensable chromosome. Microb Genom 2022; 8:000819. [PMID: 35471194 PMCID: PMC9453070 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cladosporium fulvum is a fungal pathogen that causes leaf mould of tomato. The reference genome of this pathogen was released in 2012 but its high repetitive DNA content prevented a contiguous assembly and further prohibited the analysis of its genome architecture. In this study, we combined third generation sequencing technology with the Hi-C chromatin conformation capture technique, to produce a high-quality and near complete genome assembly and gene annotation of a Race 5 isolate of C. fulvum. The resulting genome assembly contained 67.17 Mb organized into 14 chromosomes (Chr1-to-Chr14), all of which were assembled telomere-to-telomere. The smallest of the chromosomes, Chr14, is only 460 kb in size and contains 25 genes that all encode hypothetical proteins. Notably, PCR assays revealed that Chr14 was absent in 19 out of 24 isolates of a world-wide collection of C. fulvum, indicating that Chr14 is dispensable. Thus, C. fulvum is currently the second species of Capnodiales shown to harbour dispensable chromosomes. The genome of C. fulvum Race 5 is 49.7 % repetitive and contains 14 690 predicted genes with an estimated completeness of 98.9%, currently one of the highest among the Capnodiales. Genome structure analysis revealed a compartmentalized architecture composed of gene-dense and repeat-poor regions interspersed with gene-sparse and repeat-rich regions. Nearly 39.2 % of the C. fulvum Race 5 genome is affected by Repeat-Induced Point (RIP) mutations and evidence of RIP leakage toward non-repetitive regions was observed in all chromosomes, indicating the RIP plays an important role in the evolution of this pathogen. Finally, 345 genes encoding candidate effectors were identified in C. fulvum Race 5, with a significant enrichment of their location in gene-sparse regions, in accordance with the 'two-speed genome' model of evolution. Overall, the new reference genome of C. fulvum presents several notable features and is a valuable resource for studies in plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Z. Zaccaron
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California Davis, Davis, USA
| | - Li-Hung Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California Davis, Davis, USA
- Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Anastasios Samaras
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California Davis, Davis, USA
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Navarrete F, Gallei M, Kornienko AE, Saado I, Khan M, Chia KS, Darino MA, Bindics J, Djamei A. TOPLESS promotes plant immunity by repressing auxin signaling and is targeted by the fungal effector Naked1. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 3:100269. [PMID: 35529945 PMCID: PMC9073326 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the antagonism between growth and defense is hardwired by hormonal signaling. The perception of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) from invading microorganisms inhibits auxin signaling and plant growth. Conversely, pathogens manipulate auxin signaling to promote disease, but how this hormone inhibits immunity is not fully understood. Ustilago maydis is a maize pathogen that induces auxin signaling in its host. We characterized a U. maydis effector protein, Naked1 (Nkd1), that is translocated into the host nucleus. Through its native ethylene-responsive element binding factor-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motif, Nkd1 binds to the transcriptional co-repressors TOPLESS/TOPLESS-related (TPL/TPRs) and prevents the recruitment of a transcriptional repressor involved in hormonal signaling, leading to the de-repression of auxin and jasmonate signaling and thereby promoting susceptibility to (hemi)biotrophic pathogens. A moderate upregulation of auxin signaling inhibits the PAMP-triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, an early defense response. Thus, our findings establish a clear mechanism for auxin-induced pathogen susceptibility. Engineered Nkd1 variants with increased expression or increased EAR-mediated TPL/TPR binding trigger typical salicylic-acid-mediated defense reactions, leading to pathogen resistance. This implies that moderate binding of Nkd1 to TPL is a result of a balancing evolutionary selection process to enable TPL manipulation while avoiding host recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Navarrete
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michelle Gallei
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Aleksandra E. Kornienko
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Indira Saado
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Mamoona Khan
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Khong-Sam Chia
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Martin A. Darino
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Janos Bindics
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Armin Djamei
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany
- Corresponding author
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16
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Huang Z, Li H, Zhou Y, Bao Y, Duan Z, Wang C, Powell CA, Chen B, Zhang M, Yao W. Predication of the Effector Proteins Secreted by Fusarium sacchari Using Genomic Analysis and Heterogenous Expression. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8010059. [PMID: 35049998 PMCID: PMC8780550 DOI: 10.3390/jof8010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the causative agents of pokkah boeng disease (PBD), which affects sugarcane crops globally, is the fungus Fusarium sacchari. These fungal infections reduce sugar quality and yield, resulting in severe economic losses. Effector proteins play important roles in the interactions between pathogenic fungi and plants. Here, we used bioinformatic prediction approaches to identify 316 candidate secreted effector proteins (CSEPs) in the complete genome of F. sacchari. In total, 95 CSEPs contained known conserved structures, representing 40 superfamilies and 18 domains, while an additional 91 CSEPs contained seven known motifs. Of the 130 CSEPs containing no known domains or motifs, 14 contained one of four novel motifs. A heterogeneous expression system in Nicotiana benthamiana was used to investigate the functions of 163 CSEPs. Seven CSEPs suppressed BAX-triggered programmed cell death in N. benthamiana, while four caused cell death in N. benthamiana. The expression profiles of these eleven CSEPs during F. sacchari infection suggested that they may be involved in sugarcane-F. sacchari interaction. Our results establish a basis for further studies of the role of effector molecules in pathogen–sugarcane interactions, and provide a framework for future predictions of pathogen effector molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Huang
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Huixue Li
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Yuming Zhou
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Yixue Bao
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Zhenzhen Duan
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Caixia Wang
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | | | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
| | - Muqing Zhang
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
- IRREC-IFAS, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.Z.); (W.Y.)
| | - Wei Yao
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-Biological Resources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China; (Z.H.); (H.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.B.); (Z.D.); (C.W.); (B.C.)
- IRREC-IFAS, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.Z.); (W.Y.)
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17
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Kanyuka K. Virus-Mediated Protein Overexpression (VOX) in Monocots to Identify and Functionally Characterize Fungal Effectors. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2523:93-112. [PMID: 35759193 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2449-4_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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
One of the important armories that pathogens utilize to successfully colonize the plants is small secreted effector proteins, which could perform a variety of functions from suppression of plant innate immunity to manipulation of plant physiology in favor of the disease. Plants, on the other hand, evolved disease resistance genes that recognize some of the effectors or avirulence (Avr) proteins. Both, identification of the Avr proteins and understanding of the mechanisms of action of other effectors, are important areas of research in the molecular plant-pathogen interactions field as this knowledge is critical for the development of new effective pathogen control measures. To enable functional analysis of the effectors, it is desirable to be able to overexpress them readily in the host plants. Here we describe detailed experimental protocols for transient effector overexpression in wheat and other monocots using binary Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)- and Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV)-derived vectors. This functional genomics tool, better known as VOX (Virus-mediated protein OvereXpression), is rapid and relatively simple and inexpensive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostya Kanyuka
- Plant Pathology and Entomology, NIAB, Cambridge, UK.
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK.
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18
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Zuo W, Depotter JRL, Gupta DK, Thines M, Doehlemann G. Cross-species analysis between the maize smut fungi Ustilago maydis and Sporisorium reilianum highlights the role of transcriptional change of effector orthologs for virulence and disease. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:719-733. [PMID: 34270791 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The constitution and regulation of effector repertoires shape host-microbe interactions. Ustilago maydis and Sporisorium reilianum are two closely related smut fungi, which both infect maize but cause distinct disease symptoms. Understanding how effector orthologs are regulated in these two pathogens can therefore provide insights into the evolution of different infection strategies. We tracked the infection progress of U. maydis and S. reilianum in maize leaves and used two distinct infection stages for cross-species RNA-sequencing analyses. We identified 207 of 335 one-to-one effector orthologs as differentially regulated during host colonization, which might reflect the distinct disease development strategies. Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene conversion, we identified two differentially expressed effector orthologs with conserved function between two pathogens. Thus, differential expression of functionally conserved genes might contribute to species-specific adaptation and symptom development. Interestingly, another differentially expressed orthogroup (UMAG_05318/Sr10075) showed divergent protein function, providing a possible case for neofunctionalization. Collectively, we demonstrated that the diversification of effector genes in related pathogens can be caused both by alteration on the transcriptional level and through functional diversification of the encoded effector proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiliang Zuo
- Institute for Plant Sciences and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, Cologne, 50674, Germany
| | - Jasper R L Depotter
- Institute for Plant Sciences and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, Cologne, 50674, Germany
| | - Deepak K Gupta
- Department for Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
- Integrative Fungal Research Cluster (IPF), Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
| | - Marco Thines
- Department for Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
- Integrative Fungal Research Cluster (IPF), Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
| | - Gunther Doehlemann
- Institute for Plant Sciences and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47a, Cologne, 50674, Germany
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19
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Hoang CV, Bhaskar CK, Ma LS. A Novel Core Effector Vp1 Promotes Fungal Colonization and Virulence of Ustilago maydis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080589. [PMID: 34436129 PMCID: PMC8396986 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis secretes a plethora of uncharacterized effector proteins and causes smut disease in maize. Among the effector genes that are up-regulated during the biotrophic growth in maize, we identified vp1 (virulence promoting 1), which has an expression that was up-regulated and maintained at a high level throughout the life cycle of the fungus. We characterized Vp1 by applying in silico analysis, reverse genetics, phenotypic assessment, microscopy, and protein localization and provided a fundamental understanding of the Vp1 protein in U. maydis. The reduction in fungal virulence and colonization in the vp1 mutant suggests the virulence-promoting function of Vp1. The deletion studies on the NLS (nuclear localization signal) sequence and the protein localization study revealed that the C-terminus of Vp1 is processed after secretion in plant apoplast and could localize to the plant nucleus. The Ustilago hordei ortholog UhVp1 lacks NLS localized in the plant cytoplasm, suggesting that the orthologs might have a distinct subcellular localization. Further complementation studies of the Vp1 orthologs in related smut fungi revealed that none of them could complement the virulence function of U. maydis Vp1, suggesting that UmVp1 could acquire a specialized function via sequence divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuong V. Hoang
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (C.V.H.); (C.K.B.)
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Chibbhi K. Bhaskar
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (C.V.H.); (C.K.B.)
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Lay-Sun Ma
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (C.V.H.); (C.K.B.)
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-2-2787-1145
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