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Chen YY, Zhu C, Zhao JH, Liu T, Gao F, Zhang YC, Duan CG. DNA methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of Verticillium dahliae virulence in plants. ABIOTECH 2023; 4:185-201. [PMID: 37970467 PMCID: PMC10638132 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-023-00117-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
As a conserved epigenetic mark, DNA cytosine methylation, at the 5' position (5-mC), plays important roles in multiple biological processes, including plant immunity. However, the involvement of DNA methylation in the determinants of virulence of phytopathogenic fungi remains elusive. In this study, we profiled the DNA methylation patterns of the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae, one of the major causal pathogens of Verticillium wilt disease that causes great losses in many crops, and explored its contribution in fungal pathogenicity. We reveal that DNA methylation modification is present in V. dahliae and is required for its full virulence in host plants. The major enzymes responsible for the establishment of DNA methylation in V. dahliae were identified. We provided evidence that DNA methyltransferase-mediated establishment of DNA methylation pattern positively regulates fungal virulence, mainly through repressing a conserved protein kinase VdRim15-mediated Ca2+ signaling and ROS production, which is essential for the penetration activity of V. dahliae. In addition, we further demonstrated that histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3), another heterochromatin marker that is closely associated with 5-mC in eukaryotes, also participates in the regulation of V. dahliae pathogenicity, through a similar mechanism. More importantly, DNA methyltransferase genes VdRid, VdDnmt5, as well as H3K9me3 methyltransferase genes, were greatly induced during the early infection phase, implying that a dynamic regulation of 5-mC and H3K9me3 homeostasis is required for an efficient infection. Collectively, our findings uncover an epigenetic mechanism in the regulation of phytopathogenic fungal virulence. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-023-00117-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Ya Chen
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 200032 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Chen Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 200032 China
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000 China
| | - Jian-Hua Zhao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Ting Liu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 200032 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Feng Gao
- Qilu Zhongke Academy of Modern Microbiology Technology, Jinan, 250000 China
| | - Ying-Chao Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Cheng-Guo Duan
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, 200032 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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2
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Müller M, Kües U, Budde KB, Gailing O. Applying molecular and genetic methods to trees and their fungal communities. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:2783-2830. [PMID: 36988668 PMCID: PMC10106355 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12480-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Forests provide invaluable economic, ecological, and social services. At the same time, they are exposed to several threats, such as fragmentation, changing climatic conditions, or increasingly destructive pests and pathogens. Trees, the inherent species of forests, cannot be viewed as isolated organisms. Manifold (micro)organisms are associated with trees playing a pivotal role in forest ecosystems. Of these organisms, fungi may have the greatest impact on the life of trees. A multitude of molecular and genetic methods are now available to investigate tree species and their associated organisms. Due to their smaller genome sizes compared to tree species, whole genomes of different fungi are routinely compared. Such studies have only recently started in forest tree species. Here, we summarize the application of molecular and genetic methods in forest conservation genetics, tree breeding, and association genetics as well as for the investigation of fungal communities and their interrelated ecological functions. These techniques provide valuable insights into the molecular basis of adaptive traits, the impacts of forest management, and changing environmental conditions on tree species and fungal communities and can enhance tree-breeding cycles due to reduced time for field testing. It becomes clear that there are multifaceted interactions among microbial species as well as between these organisms and trees. We demonstrate the versatility of the different approaches based on case studies on trees and fungi. KEY POINTS: • Current knowledge of genetic methods applied to forest trees and associated fungi. • Genomic methods are essential in conservation, breeding, management, and research. • Important role of phytobiomes for trees and their ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Müller
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty for Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Ursula Kües
- Molecular Wood Biotechnology and Technical Mycology, Faculty for Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center of Sustainable Land Use (CBL), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katharina B Budde
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty for Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center of Sustainable Land Use (CBL), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Gailing
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Faculty for Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
- Center of Sustainable Land Use (CBL), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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Chun J, Ko YH, So KK, Cho SH, Kim DH. A fungal GPI-anchored protein gene functions as a virulence and antiviral factor. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111481. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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Nasrullah, Hussain A, Ahmed S, Rasool M, Shah AJ. DNA methylation across the tree of life, from micro to macro-organism. Bioengineered 2022; 13:1666-1685. [PMID: 34986742 PMCID: PMC8805842 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2014387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a process in which methyl (CH3) groups are added to the DNA molecule. The DNA segment does not change in the sequence, but DNA methylation could alter the action of DNA. Different enzymes like DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) take part in methylation of cytosine/adenine nucleosides in DNA. In prokaryotes, DNA methylation is performed to prevent the attack of phage and also plays a role in the chromosome replication and repair. In fungi, DNA methylation is studied to see the transcriptional changes, as in insects, the DNA methylation is not that well-known, it plays a different role like other organisms. In mammals, the DNA methylation is related to different types of cancers and plays the most important role in the placental development and abnormal DNA methylation connected with diseases like cancer, autoimmune diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrullah
- Center for Advanced Studies in Vaccinology & Biotechnology (Casvab), University of Baluchistan, Quetta- Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Abrar Hussain
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Buitems, Quetta-Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Sagheer Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shifa College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Mahmood Rasool
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. E-mails:
| | - Abdul Jabbar Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Comsats University, Abbottabad. E-mails:
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Chun J, Ko YH, Kim DH. Interaction between hypoviral-regulated fungal virulence factor laccase3 and small heat shock protein Hsp24 from the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica. J Microbiol 2021; 60:57-62. [PMID: 34826098 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1498-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Laccase3 is an important virulence factor of the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica. Laccase3 gene (lac3) transcription is induced by tannic acid, a group of phenolic compounds found in chestnut trees, and its induction is regulated by the hypovirus CHV1 infection. CpHsp24, a small heat shock protein gene of C. parasitica, plays a determinative role in stress adaptation and pathogen virulence. Having uncovered in our previous study that transcriptional regulation of the CpHsp24 gene in response to tannic acid supplementation and CHV1 infection was similar to that of the lac3, and that conserved phenotypic changes of reduced virulence were observed in mutants of both genes, we inferred that both genes were implicated in a common pathway. Building on this finding, in this paper we examined whether the CpHsp24 protein (CpHSP24) was a molecular chaperone for the lac3 protein (LAC3). Our pull-down experiment indicated that the protein products of the two genes directly interacted with each other. Heterologous co-expression of CpHsp24 and lac3 genes using Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in more laccase activity in the cotransformant than in a parental lac3-expresssing yeast strain. These findings suggest that CpHSP24 is, in fact, a molecular chaperone for the LAC3, which is critical component of fungal pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeesun Chun
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Yo-Han Ko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Hyuk Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Zhang Z, He C, Chen Y, Li B, Tian S. DNA Methyltransferases Regulate Pathogenicity of Botrytis cinerea to Horticultural Crops. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080659. [PMID: 34436198 PMCID: PMC8399656 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens that cause gray mold rot in horticultural products, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers, leading to serious economic losses. B. cinerea is difficult to control because it has strong stress resistance and complex infection modes. The pathogenic mechanisms of B. cinerea have been revealed at multiple levels, but little is known at the epigenetic level. In this study, we first revealed the important role of DNA methyltransferases in regulating the development and pathogenicity of B. cinerea. We showed that two DNA methyltransferases, BcDIM2 and BcRID2, showed a strong synergistic effect in regulating the pathogenicity of B. cinerea. The double knockout mutant ΔBcdim2rid2 showed slower mycelial growth, lower spore germination, attenuated oxidative tolerance, and complete pathogenicity loss on various hosts, which is related to the reduced expression of virulence-related genes in ΔBcdim2rid2 and the induced resistance of the host. Although B. cinerea has multiple DNA methyltransferases, the global methylation level is very low, and few 5mC sites can be detected by BS-seq. These results first revealed the important role and the action mode of DNA methyltransferases in B. cinerea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (Z.Z.); (C.H.); (Y.C.); (B.L.)
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chang He
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (Z.Z.); (C.H.); (Y.C.); (B.L.)
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (Z.Z.); (C.H.); (Y.C.); (B.L.)
| | - Boqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (Z.Z.); (C.H.); (Y.C.); (B.L.)
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (Z.Z.); (C.H.); (Y.C.); (B.L.)
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence:
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7
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Distinct Roles of Two DNA Methyltransferases from Cryphonectria parasitica in Fungal Virulence, Responses to Hypovirus Infection, and Viral Clearance. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.02890-20. [PMID: 33563819 PMCID: PMC8545091 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02890-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Two DNA methyltransferase (DNMTase) genes from Cryphonectria parasitica have been previously identified as CpDmt1 and CpDmt2, which are orthologous to rid and dim-2 of Neurospora crassa, respectively. While global changes in DNA methylation have been associated with fungal sectorization and CpDmt1 but not CpDmt2 has been implicated in the sporadic sectorization, the present study continues to investigate the biological functions of both DNMTase genes. Transcription of both DNMTases is regulated in response to infection with the Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1-EP713). CpDmt1 is upregulated and CpDmt2 is downregulated by CHV1 infection. Conidium production and response to heat stress are affected only by mutation of CpDmt1, not by CpDmt2 mutation. Significant changes in virulence are observed in opposite directions; i.e., the CpDmt1-null mutant is hypervirulent, while the CpDmt2-null mutant is hypovirulent. Compared to the CHV1-infected wild type, CHV1-transferred single and double mutants show severe growth retardation: the colony size is less than 10% that of the parental virus-free null mutants, and their titers of transferred CHV1 are higher than that of the wild type, implying that no defect in viral replication occurs. However, as cultivation proceeds, spontaneous viral clearance is observed in hypovirus-infected colonies of the null mutants, which has never been reported in this fungus-virus interaction. This study demonstrates that both DNMTases are significant factors in fungal development and virulence. Each fungal DNMTase affects fungal biology in both common and separate ways. In addition, both genes are essential to the antiviral responses, including viral clearance which depends on their mutations.
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8
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Nai YS, Huang YC, Yen MR, Chen PY. Diversity of Fungal DNA Methyltransferases and Their Association With DNA Methylation Patterns. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:616922. [PMID: 33552027 PMCID: PMC7862722 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.616922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are a group of proteins that catalyze DNA methylation by transferring a methyl group to DNA. The genetic variation in DNMTs results in differential DNA methylation patterns associated with various biological processes. In fungal species, DNMTs and their DNA methylation profiles were found to be very diverse and have gained many research interests. We reviewed fungal DNMTs in terms of their biological functions, protein domain structures, and their associated epigenetic regulations compared to those known in plant and animal systems. In addition, we summarized recent reports on potential RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) related to DNMT5 in fungi. We surveyed up to 40 fungal species with published genome-wide DNA methylation profiles (methylomes) and presented the associations between the specific patterns of fungal DNA methylation and their DNMTs based on a phylogenetic tree of protein domain structures. For example, the main DNMTs in Basidiomycota, DNMT1 with RFD domain + DNMT5, contributing to CG methylation preference, were distinct from RID + Dim-2 in Ascomycota, resulting in a non-CG methylation preference. Lastly, we revealed that the dynamic methylation involved in fungal life stage changes was particularly low in mycelium and DNA methylation was preferentially located in transposable elements (TEs). This review comprehensively discussed fungal DNMTs and methylomes and their connection with fungal development and taxonomy to present the diverse usages of DNA methylation in fungal genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shin Nai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Huang
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Bioinformatics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Bioinformatics Program, Institute of Information Science, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Ren Yen
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pao-Yang Chen
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Bonner C, Sproule A, Rowland O, Overy D, Subramaniam R. DNA Methylation Is Responsive to the Environment and Regulates the Expression of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters, Metabolite Production, and Virulence in Fusarium graminearum. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 1:614633. [PMID: 37743878 PMCID: PMC10512235 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2020.614633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Histone modifications play a significant role in the regulation of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in the phytopathogen Fusarium graminearum, by contrast, epigenetic regulation by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) is less documented. In this study, we characterized two DNMTs (FgDIM-2 and FgRID) in F. graminearum, with homologies to "Deficient in methylation" (DIM-2) and "Repeat-induced point (RIP) deficient" (RID) from Neurospora. The loss of DNMTs resulted in not only a decrease in average methylation density in the nutrient-poor, compared to nutrient-rich conditions, but also differences in the genes expressed between the WT and the DNMT mutant strains, implicating the external environment as an important trigger in altering DNA methylation patterns. Consequently, we observed significant changes in the regulation of multiple BGCs and alterations in the pathogenicity of the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Bonner
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Amanda Sproule
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Owen Rowland
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David Overy
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rajagopal Subramaniam
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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DNA methyltransferase implicated in the recovery of conidiation, through successive plant passages, in phenotypically degenerated Metarhizium. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:5371-5383. [PMID: 32318770 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10628-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Metarhizium robertsii is a fungus with two lifestyles; it is a plant root symbiont and an insect pathogen. A spontaneously phenotypically degenerated strain of M. robertsii strain ARSEF 2575 (M. robertsii lc-2575; lc = low conidiation) showed a reduction in conidiation and fungal virulence after successive subculturing on agar medium. In order to recover conidiation, we experimentally passaged M. robertsii lc-2575 through plant (soldier bean and switchgrass) root or insect (Galleria mellonella) larvae. After five passages, the resultant strains had significantly increased conidial yields on agar and increased virulence in insect bioassays. Concomitantly, DNA methyltransferase, MrDIM-2 expression was downregulated in BR5 (a strain after 5 bean root passages) and isolates after switchgrass and insect passages. Bisulfite sequencing showed little difference in overall genomic DNA methylation levels (~ 0.37%) between M. robertsii lc-2575 and BR5. However, a finer comparison of the different methylated regions (DMRs) showed that DMRs of BR5 were more abundant in the intergenic regions (69.32%) compared with that of M. robertsii lc-2575 (33.33%). The addition of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-azacytidine, to agar supported the role of DNA methyltransferases and resulted in an increase in conidiation of M. robertsii lc-2575. Differential gene expression was observed in selected DMRs in BR5 when compared with M. robertsii lc-2575. Here we implicated epigenetic regulation in the recovery of conidiation through the effects of DNA methyltransferase and that plant passage could be used as a method to recover fungal conidiation and virulence in a phenotypically degenerated M. robertsii. KEY POINTS: • Passage of Metarhizium through plant root or insect results in increased conidiation. • DNA methyltransferase is downregulated after host passage. • Bisulfite sequencing identified potentially methylated genes involved in conidiation.
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Zhang F, Huang L, Deng J, Tan C, Geng L, Liao Y, Yuan J, Wang S. A Cell Wall Integrity-Related MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase AflBck1 Is Required for Growth and Virulence in Fungus Aspergillus flavus. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2020; 33:680-692. [PMID: 31922927 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-19-0327-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus represents an important fungal pathogen, causing severe economic losses in crops. The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway contributes to many physiological processes, but its precise role in A. flavus is not yet fully understood. In this study, we focused on the AflBck1 gene, which encodes a MAP kinase kinase kinase of the Slt2-MAPK pathway. Targeted deletion of AflBck1 led to a significant defect in growth and development, and a AflBck1-deleted mutant (∆AflBck1) showed higher sensitivity to cell-wall stress than wild type (WT). Importantly, we observed that ∆AflBck1 displayed an enhanced ability to produce aflatoxin, a potential carcinogenic mycotoxin. However, the pathogenicity of the ∆AflBck1 mutant was markedly reduced in peanut seeds. We also presented evidence that AflBck1 was genetically epistatic to AflMkk2 in the Slt2-MAPK pathway. Finally, we found that loss of the proline-rich region at the N terminus of AflBck1 affected the reproduction of A. flavus. Collectively, this study not only extended the understanding that the MAPK pathway regulated A. flavus pathogenicity but also provided a possible strategy to control A. flavus contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- School of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou 363055, China
| | - Luhua Huang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jili Deng
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Can Tan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Longpo Geng
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yun Liao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jun Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, and School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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12
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The Pattern and Function of DNA Methylation in Fungal Plant Pathogens. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8020227. [PMID: 32046339 PMCID: PMC7074731 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To successfully infect plants and trigger disease, fungal plant pathogens use various strategies that are dependent on characteristics of their biology and genomes. Although pathogenic fungi are different from animals and plants in the genomic heritability, sequence feature, and epigenetic modification, an increasing number of phytopathogenic fungi have been demonstrated to share DNA methyltransferases (MTases) responsible for DNA methylation with animals and plants. Fungal plant pathogens predominantly possess four types of DNA MTase homologs, including DIM-2, DNMT1, DNMT5, and RID. Numerous studies have indicated that DNA methylation in phytopathogenic fungi mainly distributes in transposable elements (TEs), gene promoter regions, and the repetitive DNA sequences. As an important and heritable epigenetic modification, DNA methylation is associated with silencing of gene expression and transposon, and it is responsible for a wide range of biological phenomena in fungi. This review highlights the relevant reports and insights into the important roles of DNA methylation in the modulation of development, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolism of fungal plant pathogens. Recent evidences prove that there are massive links between DNA and histone methylation in fungi, and they commonly regulate fungal development and mycotoxin biosynthesis.
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Evaluation of DNA Methylation Changes by CRED-RA Analysis Following Prednisone Treatment of Endophyte, Fusarium oxysporum. Indian J Microbiol 2020; 60:254-258. [PMID: 32255859 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-020-00857-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endophytes that represent a sub-set of plant resident microbes are a reservoir of bioactive metabolites. Many of the secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters of endophytes are silent under axenic culture conditions. Epigenetic reprogramming of such cryptic pathways is possible by use of small molecule modulators like prednisone. Methylation changes induced by prednisone, a hypomethylating epigenetic modulator were studied in endophytic Fusarium oxysporum. CRED-RA analysis following exposure to non-cytotoxic dose (300 µM) revealed prednisone as effective in inducing non-methylation and semi-methylation pattern while inhibiting full-methylation of the genome. Effectiveness of prednisone as a DNA methyl transferase inhibitor can be explored in future to study alterations in secondary metabolite gene expression profile in endophytic F. oxysporum.
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Grognet P, Timpano H, Carlier F, Aït-Benkhali J, Berteaux-Lecellier V, Debuchy R, Bidard F, Malagnac F. A RID-like putative cytosine methyltransferase homologue controls sexual development in the fungus Podospora anserina. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008086. [PMID: 31412020 PMCID: PMC6709928 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methyltransferases are ubiquitous enzymes conserved in bacteria, plants and opisthokonta. These enzymes, which methylate cytosines, are involved in numerous biological processes, notably development. In mammals and higher plants, methylation patterns established and maintained by the cytosine DNA methyltransferases (DMTs) are essential to zygotic development. In fungi, some members of an extensively conserved fungal-specific DNA methyltransferase class are both mediators of the Repeat Induced Point mutation (RIP) genome defense system and key players of sexual reproduction. Yet, no DNA methyltransferase activity of these purified RID (RIP deficient) proteins could be detected in vitro. These observations led us to explore how RID-like DNA methyltransferase encoding genes would play a role during sexual development of fungi showing very little genomic DNA methylation, if any. To do so, we used the model ascomycete fungus Podospora anserina. We identified the PaRid gene, encoding a RID-like DNA methyltransferase and constructed knocked-out ΔPaRid defective mutants. Crosses involving P. anserina ΔPaRid mutants are sterile. Our results show that, although gametes are readily formed and fertilization occurs in a ΔPaRid background, sexual development is blocked just before the individualization of the dikaryotic cells leading to meiocytes. Complementation of ΔPaRid mutants with ectopic alleles of PaRid, including GFP-tagged, point-mutated and chimeric alleles, demonstrated that the catalytic motif of the putative PaRid methyltransferase is essential to ensure proper sexual development and that the expression of PaRid is spatially and temporally restricted. A transcriptomic analysis performed on mutant crosses revealed an overlap of the PaRid-controlled genetic network with the well-known mating-types gene developmental pathway common to an important group of fungi, the Pezizomycotina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Grognet
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris‐Saclay, France
| | - Hélène Timpano
- Université Paris-Sud, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France, CNRS, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France
| | - Florian Carlier
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris‐Saclay, France
| | - Jinane Aït-Benkhali
- Université Paris-Sud, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France, CNRS, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France
| | | | - Robert Debuchy
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris‐Saclay, France
| | - Frédérique Bidard
- Université Paris-Sud, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France, CNRS, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie UMR8621, Orsay, France
| | - Fabienne Malagnac
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris‐Saclay, France
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Chun J, So KK, Ko YH, Kim JM, Kim DH. Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of MAPK-Mediated Regulation of Sectorization in Cryphonectria parasitica. Mol Cells 2019; 42:363-375. [PMID: 31091557 PMCID: PMC6530638 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2019.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal sectorization is a complex trait that is still not fully understood. The unique phenotypic changes in sporadic sectorization in mutants of CpBck1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) gene, and CpSlt2, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) gene, in the cell wall integrity pathway of the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica have been previously studied. Although several environmental and physiological factors cause this sectoring phenotype, genetic variants can also impact this complex morphogenesis. Therefore, RNA sequencing analysis was employed to identify candidate genes associated with sectorization traits and understand the genetic mechanism of this phenotype. Transcriptomic analysis of CpBck1 and CpSlt2 mutants and their sectored progeny strains revealed a number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to various cellular processes. Approximately 70% of DEGs were common between the wild-type and each of CpBck1 and CpSlt2 mutants, indicating that CpBck1 and CpSlt2 are components of the same MAPK pathway, but each component governs specific sets of genes. Functional description of the DEGs between the parental mutants and their sectored progenies revealed several key pathways, including the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, translation, amino acid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism; among these, pathways for secondary metabolism and translation appeared to be the most common pathway. The results of this comparative study provide a better understanding of the genetic regulation of sector formation and suggest that complex several regulatory pathways result in interplays between secondary metabolites and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeesun Chun
- Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
| | - Kum-Kang So
- Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
| | - Yo-Han Ko
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kim
- Department of Bio-Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Life Science and Natural Resources, Wonkwang University, Chonbuk 54538,
Korea
| | - Dae-Hyuk Kim
- Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
- Department of Molecular Biology, Chonbuk National University, Chonbuk 54896,
Korea
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Zeng Z, Wu J, Kovalchuk A, Raffaello T, Wen Z, Liu M, Asiegbu FO. Genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptomic profiles in the lifestyle strategies and asexual development of the forest fungal pathogen Heterobasidion parviporum. Epigenetics 2019; 14:16-40. [PMID: 30633603 PMCID: PMC6380393 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1564426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterobasidion parviporum is the most devastating fungal pathogen of conifer forests in Northern Europe. The fungus has dual life strategies, necrotrophy on living trees and saprotrophy on dead woods. DNA cytosine methylation is an important epigenetic modification in eukaryotic organisms. Our presumption is that the lifestyle transition and asexual development in H. parviporum could be driven by epigenetic effects. Involvements of DNA methylation in the regulation of aforementioned processes have never been studied thus far. RNA-seq identified lists of highly induced genes enriched in carbohydrate-active enzymes during necrotrophic interaction with host trees and saprotrophic sawdust growth. It also highlighted signaling- and transcription factor-related genes potentially associated with the transition of saprotrophic to necrotrophic lifestyle and groups of primary cellular activities throughout asexual development. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed that DNA methylation displayed pronounced preference in CpG dinucleotide context across the genome and mostly targeted transposable element (TE)-rich regions. TE methylation level demonstrated a strong negative correlation with TE expression, reinforcing the protective function of DNA methylation in fungal genome stability. Small groups of genes putatively subject to methylation transcriptional regulation in response to saprotrophic and necrotrophic growth in comparison with free-living mycelia were also explored. Our study reported on the first methylome map of a forest pathogen. Analysis of transcriptome and methylome variations associated with asexual development and different lifestyle strategies provided further understanding of basic biological processes in H. parviporum. More importantly, our work raised additional potential roles of DNA methylation in fungi apart from controlling the proliferation of TEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zeng
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jiayao Wu
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andriy Kovalchuk
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tommaso Raffaello
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zilan Wen
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mengxia Liu
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Fred O. Asiegbu
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Mathieu S, Cusant L, Roux C, Corradi N. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: intraspecific diversity and pangenomes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 220:1129-1134. [PMID: 29949657 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 1129 I. Introduction 1129 II. Intraspecific phenotypic variation and the plant host 1130 III. High inter-isolate genetic diversity in model AMF 1130 IV. Genome diversity within the model AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis 1131 V. Pangenomes and the future of AMF ecological genomics 1131 Acknowledgements 1133 References 1133 SUMMARY: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous plant symbionts with an intriguing population biology. Conspecific AMF strains can vary substantially at the genetic and phenotypic levels, leading to direct and quantifiable variation in plant growth. Recent studies have shown that high intraspecific diversity is very common in AMF, and not only found in model species. Studies have also revealed how the phenotype of conspecific isolates varies depending on the plant host, highlighting the functional relevance of intraspecific phenotypic plasticity for the AMF ecology and mycorrhizal symbiosis. Recent work has also demonstrated that conspecific isolates of the model AMF Rhizophagus irregularis harbor large and highly variable pangenomes, highlighting the potential role of intraspecific genome diversity for the ecological adaptation of these symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Mathieu
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Loïc Cusant
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse, UPS, CNRS 24 Chemin de Borde Rouge-Auzeville, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Christophe Roux
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse, UPS, CNRS 24 Chemin de Borde Rouge-Auzeville, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Nicolas Corradi
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
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