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Ren W, Qian C, Ren D, Cai Y, Deng Z, Zhang N, Wang C, Wang Y, Zhu P, Xu L. The GATA transcription factor BcWCL2 regulates citric acid secretion to maintain redox homeostasis and full virulence in Botrytis cinerea. mBio 2024; 15:e0013324. [PMID: 38814088 PMCID: PMC11253612 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00133-24] [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: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is a typical necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus which can deliberately acidify host tissues and trigger oxidative bursts therein to facilitate its virulence. The white collar complex (WCC), consisting of BcWCL1 and BcWCL2, is recognized as the primary light receptor in B. cinerea. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms through which the WCC components, particularly BcWCL2 as a GATA transcription factor, control virulence are not yet fully understood. This study demonstrates that deletion of BcWCL2 results in the loss of light-sensitive phenotypic characteristics. Additionally, the Δbcwcl2 strain exhibits reduced secretion of citrate, delayed infection cushion development, weaker hyphal penetration, and decreased virulence. The application of exogenous citric acid was found to restore infection cushion formation, hyphal penetration, and virulence of the Δbcwcl2 strain. Transcriptome analysis at 48 h post-inoculation revealed that two citrate synthases, putative citrate transporters, hydrolytic enzymes, and reactive oxygen species scavenging-related genes were down-regulated in Δbcwcl2, whereas exogenous citric acid application restored the expression of the above genes involved in the early infection process of Δbcwcl2. Moreover, the expression of Bcvel1, a known regulator of citrate secretion, tissue acidification, and secondary metabolism, was down-regulated in Δbcwcl2 but not in Δbcwcl1. ChIP-qPCR and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that BcWCL2 can bind to the promoter sequences of Bcvel1. Overexpressing Bcvel1 in Δbcwcl2 was found to rescue the mutant defects. Collectively, our findings indicate that BcWCL2 regulates the expression of the global regulator Bcvel1 to influence citrate secretion, tissue acidification, redox homeostasis, and virulence of B. cinerea.IMPORTANCEThis study illustrated the significance of the fungal blue light receptor component BcWCL2 protein in regulating citrate secretion in Botrytis cinerea. Unlike BcWCL1, BcWCL2 may contribute to redox homeostasis maintenance during infection cushion formation, ultimately proving to be essential for full virulence. It is also demonstrated that BcWCL2 can regulate the expression of Bcvel1 to influence host tissue acidification, citrate secretion, infection cushion development, and virulence. While the role of organic acids secreted by plant pathogenic fungi in fungus-host interactions has been recognized, this paper revealed the importance, regulatory mechanisms, and key transcription factors that control organic acid secretion. These understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism of plant pathogens can provide valuable insights for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies against fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiheng Ren
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Qian
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dandan Ren
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunfei Cai
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaohui Deng
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Congcong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pinkuan Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Xu
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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Escaray FJ, Felipo-Benavent A, Antonelli CJ, Balaguer B, Lopez-Gresa MP, Vera P. Plant triterpenoid saponins function as susceptibility factors to promote the pathogenicity of Botrytis cinerea. MOLECULAR PLANT 2024; 17:1073-1089. [PMID: 38807367 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic pathogen that causes diseases in hundreds of plant species, including high-value crops. Its polyxenous nature and pathogenic success are due to its ability to perceive host signals in its favor. In this study, we found that laticifer cells of Euphorbia lathyris are a source of susceptibility factors required by B. cinerea to cause disease. Consequently, poor-in-latex (pil) mutants, which lack laticifer cells, show full resistance to this pathogen, whereas lot-of-latex mutants, which produce more laticifer cells, are hypersusceptible. These S factors are triterpenoid saponins, which are widely distributed natural products of vast structural diversity. The downregulation of laticifer-specific oxydosqualene cyclase genes, which encode the first committed step enzymes for triterpene and, therefore, saponin biosynthesis, conferred disease resistance to B. cinerea. Likewise, the Medicago truncatula lha-1 mutant, compromised in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis, showed enhanced resistance. Interestingly, the application of different purified triterpenoid saponins pharmacologically complemented the disease-resistant phenotype of pil and hla-1 mutants and enhanced disease susceptibility in different plant species. We found that triterpenoid saponins function as plant cues that signal transcriptional reprogramming in B. cinerea, leading to a change in its growth habit and infection strategy, culminating in the abundant formation of infection cushions, the multicellular appressoria apparatus dedicated to plant penetration and biomass destruction in B. cinerea. Taken together, these results provide an explanation for how plant triterpenoid saponins function as disease susceptibility factors to promote B. cinerea pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Escaray
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Amelia Felipo-Benavent
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristian J Antonelli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña Balaguer
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Pilar Lopez-Gresa
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Pablo Vera
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-C.S.I.C, Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edificio 8E, acceso G, Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
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3
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Tsioka A, Psilioti Dourmousi K, Poulaki EG, Papoutsis G, Tjamos SE, Gkizi D. Biocontrol strategies against Botrytis cinerea in viticulture: evaluating the efficacy and mode of action of selected winemaking yeast strains. Lett Appl Microbiol 2024; 77:ovae026. [PMID: 38449374 DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea poses a recurring threat to viticulture, causing significant yield losses each year. The study explored the biocontrol capabilities of commercially used winemaking yeasts as a strategy to manage B. cinerea in grape berries. The winemaking yeast strains-Saccharomyces cerevisiae ES181, Saccharomyces pastorianus KBG6, S. cerevisiae BCS103, Lachancea thermotolerans Omega, and Torulaspora delbrueckii TD291-reduced B. cinerea growth and conidiation in vitro. Furthermore, they demonstrated a decreased disease severity and number of conidia in grape berries. Among these strains, S. cerevisiae BCS103 was the most effective, inducing the expression of the defense-related gene PR4 in berries. Its diffusible compounds and volatile organic compounds also reduced the expression of BcLTF2, a positive regulator of B. cinerea conidiogenesis. The examined winemaking yeast strains, especially S. cerevisiae BCS103, demonstrated effective inhibition of B. cinerea in vitro and in grape berries, influencing key defense genes and reducing BcLTF2 expression, offering potential solutions for disease management in viticulture. The study underscores the promise of commercially available winemaking yeast strains as eco-friendly tools against B. cinerea in viticulture. Leveraging their safety and existing use in winemaking offers a potential avenue for sustainable disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemis Tsioka
- Department of Wine, Vine and Beverage Sciences, University of West Attica, Ag. Spyridonos Street, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Eirini G Poulaki
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Papoutsis
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Sotirios E Tjamos
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Danai Gkizi
- Department of Wine, Vine and Beverage Sciences, University of West Attica, Ag. Spyridonos Street, 12243 Athens, Greece
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Lu P, Wang K, Wang J, Xia C, Yang S, Ma L, Shi H. A novel zinc finger transcription factor, BcMsn2, is involved in growth, development, and virulence in Botrytis cinerea. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1247072. [PMID: 37915851 PMCID: PMC10616473 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1247072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important for plant defense against fungal attack. As a necrotrophic fungus, Botrytis cinerea can exploit ROS that originated from both sides of the host and pathogen during interaction to facilitate its infestation. Meanwhile, B. cinerea needs to exert an efficient oxidative stress responsive system to balance the intracellular redox state when encountering deleterious ROS levels. However, the machinery applied by B. cinerea to cope with ROS remains obscure. Herein, we investigated the role of the transcription factor BcMsn2 in regulating B. cinerea redox homeostasis. Disruption of the BcMsn2 gene severely impaired vegetative growth, sclerotium formation, conidial yield, and fungal virulence. The intracellular oxidative homeostasis of the ∆bcmsn2 mutant was disrupted, leading to significantly elevated levels of ROS and reduced activities of enzymes closely associated with oxygen stress, such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analyses showed remarkable downregulation of the expression of several genes encoding ROS scavenging factors involved in maintaining the redox homeostasis in ∆bcmsn2, suggesting that BcMsn2 functions as a transcriptional regulator of these genes. Our findings indicated that BcMsn2 plays an indispensable role in maintaining the equilibrium of the redox state in B. cinerea, and intracellular ROS serve as signaling molecules that regulate the growth, asexual reproduction, and virulence of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Lu
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ke Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chunbo Xia
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu Yang
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liang Ma
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haojie Shi
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
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Thakur R, Sharma S, Devi R, Sirari A, Tiwari RK, Lal MK, Kumar R. Exploring the molecular basis of resistance to Botrytis cinerea in chickpea genotypes through biochemical and morphological markers. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15560. [PMID: 37361041 PMCID: PMC10289086 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15560] [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: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop around the globe and a valuable source of protein in the human diet. However, it is highly susceptible to various plant pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which can cause significant damage from the seedling phase until harvest, leading to reduced yields and affecting its production. Botrytis cinerea can cause significant damage to chickpea crops, especially under high humidity and moisture conditions. This fungus can cause grey mould disease, which can lead to wilting, stem and pod rot, and reduced yields. Chickpea plants have developed specific barriers to counteract the harmful effects of this fungus. These barriers include biochemical and structural defences. In this study, the defence responses against B. cinerea were measured by the quantification of biochemical metabolites such as antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, glutathione (GSH), H2O2, ascorbic acid (AA) and total phenol in the leaf samples of chickpea genotypes (one accession of wild Cicer species, viz. Cicer pinnatifidum188 identified with high level of resistance to Botrytis grey mould (BGM) and a cultivar, Cicer arietinumPBG5 susceptible to BGM grown in the greenhouse). Seedlings of both the genotypes were inoculated with (1 × 104 spore mL-1) inoculum of isolate 24, race 510 of B. cinerea and samples were collected after 1, 3, 5, and 7 days post-inoculation (dpi). The enhanced enzymatic activity was observed in the pathogen-inoculated leaf samples as compared to uninoculated (healthy control). Among inoculated genotypes, the resistant one exhibited a significant change in enzymatic activity, total phenolic content, MDA, proline, GSH, H2O2, and AA, compared to the susceptible genotype. The study also examined the isozyme pattern of antioxidant enzymes at various stages of B. cinerea inoculation. Results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that BGM had a more significant impact on susceptible genotypes compared to resistant ones when compared to the control (un-inoculated). In addition, SEM and FTIR spectroscopy analyses confirmed the greater severity of BGM on susceptible genotypes compared to their resistant counterparts. Our results suggest the role of antioxidant enzymes and other metabolites as defence tools and biochemical markers to understand compatible and non-compatible plant-pathogen interactions better. The present investigation will assist future plant breeding programs aimed at developing resistant varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Thakur
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | | | - Rajni Devi
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Asmita Sirari
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
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Pérez-Lara G, Olivares-Yañez C, van Bakel H, Larrondo LF, Canessa P. Genome-Wide Characterization of Light-Regulated Gene Expression in Botrytis cinerea Reveals Underlying Complex Photobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8705. [PMID: 37240051 PMCID: PMC10218500 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108705] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus characterized mainly by its wide host range of infected plants. The deletion of the white-collar-1 gene (bcwcl1), which encodes for a blue-light receptor/transcription factor, causes a decrease in virulence, particularly when assays are conducted in the presence of light or photocycles. However, despite ample characterization, the extent of the light-modulated transcriptional responses regulated by BcWCL1 remains unknown. In this study, pathogen and pathogen:host RNA-seq analyses, conducted during non-infective in vitro plate growth and when infecting Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, respectively, informed on the global gene expression patterns after a 60 min light pulse on the wild-type B05.10 or ∆bcwcl1 B. cinerea strains. The results revealed a complex fungal photobiology, where the mutant did not react to the light pulse during its interaction with the plant. Indeed, when infecting Arabidopsis, no photoreceptor-encoding genes were upregulated upon the light pulse in the ∆bcwcl1 mutant. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in B. cinerea under non-infecting conditions were predominantly related to decreased energy production in response to the light pulse. In contrast, DEGs during infection significantly differ in the B05.10 strain and the ∆bcwcl1 mutant. Upon illumination at 24 h post-infection in planta, a decrease in the B. cinerea virulence-associated transcripts was observed. Accordingly, after a light pulse, biological functions associated with plant defense appear enriched among light-repressed genes in fungus-infected plants. Taken together, our results show the main transcriptomic differences between wild-type B. cinerea B05.10 and ∆bcwcl1 after a 60 min light pulse when growing saprophytically on a Petri dish and necrotrophically over A. thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Pérez-Lara
- Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 7500565, Chile
| | - Consuelo Olivares-Yañez
- Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 7500565, Chile
| | - Harm van Bakel
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Luis F. Larrondo
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 7500565, Chile
- Departamento de Genetica Molecular y Microbiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Paulo Canessa
- Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 7500565, Chile
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7
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Cai Y, Chen X, Li P, Ren W, Zhang Q, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Zhu P, Toyoda H, Xu L. Phosphorylation status of a conserved residue in the adenylate cyclase of Botrytis cinerea is involved in regulating photomorphogenesis, circadian rhythm, and pathogenicity. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1112584. [PMID: 36876105 PMCID: PMC9975511 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1112584] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenylate cyclase (AC) regulates growth, reproduction, and pathogenicity in many fungi by synthesizing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and activating downstream protein kinase A (PKA). Botrytis cinerea is a typical necrotrophic plant-pathogenic fungus. It shows a typical photomorphogenic phenotype of conidiation under light and sclerotia formation under dark; both are important reproduction structures for the dispersal and stress resistance of the fungus. The report of B. cinerea adenylate cyclase (BAC) mutation showed it affects the production of conidia and sclerotia. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the cAMP signaling pathways in photomorphogenesis have not been clarified. In this study, the S1407 site was proven to be an important conserved residue in the PP2C domain which poses a remarkable impact on the phosphorylation levels and enzyme activity of the BAC and the overall phosphorylation status of total proteins. The point mutation bacS1407P , complementation bacP1407S , phosphomimetic mutation bacS1407D , and phosphodeficient mutation bacS1407A strains were used for comparison with the light receptor white-collar mutant Δbcwcl1 to elucidate the relationship between the cAMP signaling pathway and the light response. The comparison of photomorphogenesis and pathogenicity phenotype, evaluation of circadian clock components, and expression analysis of light response transcription factor genes Bcltf1, Bcltf2, and Bcltf3 showed that the cAMP signaling pathway could stabilize the circadian rhythm that is associated with pathogenicity, conidiation, and sclerotium production. Collectively, this reveals that the conserved S1407 residue of BAC is a vital phosphorylation site to regulate the cAMP signaling pathway and affects the photomorphogenesis, circadian rhythm, and pathogenicity of B. cinerea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Cai
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Chen
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peixuan Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiheng Ren
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yina Jiang
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pinkuan Zhu
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Ling Xu
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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Comparative Small RNA and Degradome Sequencing Provides Insights into Antagonistic Interactions in the Biocontrol Fungus Clonostachys rosea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0064322. [PMID: 35695572 PMCID: PMC9275246 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00643-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Necrotrophic mycoparasitism is an intricate process involving recognition, physical mycelial contact, and killing of host fungi (mycohosts). During such interactions, mycoparasites undergo a complex developmental process involving massive regulatory changes of gene expression to produce a range of chemical compounds and proteins that contribute to the parasitism of the mycohosts. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are vital components of posttranscriptional gene regulation, although their role in gene expression regulation during mycoparasitisms remain understudied. Here, we investigated the role of sRNA-mediated gene regulation in mycoparasitism by performing sRNA and degradome tag sequencing of the mycoparasitic fungus Clonostachys rosea interacting with the plant-pathogenic mycohosts Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum at two time points. The majority of differentially expressed sRNAs were downregulated during the interactions with the mycohosts compared to a C. rosea self-interaction control, thus allowing desuppression (upregulation) of mycohost-responsive genes. Degradome analysis showed a positive correlation between high degradome counts and antisense sRNA mapping and led to the identification of 201 sRNA-mediated potential gene targets for 282 differentially expressed sRNAs. Analysis of sRNA potential gene targets revealed that the regulation of genes coding for membrane proteins was a common response against both mycohosts. The regulation of genes involved in oxidative stress tolerance and cellular metabolic and biosynthetic processes was exclusive against F. graminearum, highlighting common and mycohost-specific gene regulation of C. rosea. By combining these results with transcriptome data collected during a previous study, we expand the understanding of the role of sRNA in regulating interspecific fungal interactions and mycoparasitism. IMPORTANCE Small RNAs (sRNAs) are emerging as key players in pathogenic and mutualistic fungus-plant interactions; however, their role in fungus-fungus interactions remains elusive. In this study, we employed the necrotrophic mycoparasite Clonostachys rosea and the plant-pathogenic mycohosts Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum and investigated the sRNA-mediated gene regulation in mycoparasitic interactions. The combined approach of sRNA and degradome tag sequencing identified 201 sRNA-mediated putative gene targets for 282 differentially expressed sRNAs, highlighting the role of sRNA-mediated regulation of mycoparasitism in C. rosea. We also identified 36 known and 13 novel microRNAs (miRNAs) and their potential gene targets at the endogenous level and at a cross-species level in B. cinerea and F. graminearum, indicating a role of cross-species RNA interference (RNAi) in mycoparasitism, representing a novel mechanism in biocontrol interactions. Furthermore, we showed that C. rosea adapts its transcriptional response, and thereby its interaction mechanisms, based on the interaction stages and identity of the mycohost.
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Rojas V, Salinas F, Romero A, Larrondo LF, Canessa P. Interactions between Core Elements of the Botrytis cinerea Circadian Clock Are Modulated by Light and Different Protein Domains. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:486. [PMID: 35628742 PMCID: PMC9144814 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea possesses a complex light-sensing system composed of eleven photoreceptors. In B. cinerea, bcwcl1 encodes for the BcWCL1 protein, the orthologue of the blue-light photoreceptor WC-1 from Neurospora crassa. The functional partner of BcWCL1 is the BcWCL2 protein, both interacting in the nucleus and forming the B. cinerea white collar complex (BcWCC). This complex is required for photomorphogenesis and circadian regulation. However, no molecular evidence shows a light-dependent interaction between the BcWCC components or light-sensing capabilities in BcWCL1. In this work, by employing a yeast two-hybrid system that allows for the in vivo analysis of protein-protein interactions, we confirm that BcWCL1 and BcWCL2 interact in the absence of light as well as upon blue-light stimulation, primarily through their PAS (Per-Arnt-Sim) domains. Deletion of the PAS domains present in BcWCL1 (BcWCL1PAS∆) or BcWCL2 (BcWCL2PAS∆) severely impairs the interaction between these proteins. Interestingly, the BcWCL1PAS∆ protein shows a blue-light response and interacts with BcWCL2 or BcWCL2PAS∆ upon light stimulation. Finally, we demonstrate that BcWCL1 and BcWCL1PAS∆ respond to blue light by introducing a point mutation in the photoactive cysteine, confirming that both proteins are capable of light sensing. Altogether, the results revealed the complexity of protein-protein interactions occurring between the core elements of the B. cinerea circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Rojas
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile; (V.R.); (L.F.L.)
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 8331150, Chile; (F.S.); (A.R.)
| | - Francisco Salinas
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 8331150, Chile; (F.S.); (A.R.)
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Andrés Romero
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 8331150, Chile; (F.S.); (A.R.)
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Luis F. Larrondo
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile; (V.R.); (L.F.L.)
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 8331150, Chile; (F.S.); (A.R.)
| | - Paulo Canessa
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative–Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBIO), Santiago 8331150, Chile; (F.S.); (A.R.)
- Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
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10
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Chand Arya G, Aditya Srivastava D, Manasherova E, Prusky DB, Elad Y, Frenkel O, Harel A. BcHnm1, a predicted choline transporter, modulates conidial germination and virulence in Botrytis cinerea. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 158:103653. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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11
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Olivares-Yañez C, Sánchez E, Pérez-Lara G, Seguel A, Camejo PY, Larrondo LF, Vidal EA, Canessa P. A comprehensive transcription factor and DNA-binding motif resource for the construction of gene regulatory networks in Botrytis cinerea and Trichoderma atroviride. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:6212-6228. [PMID: 34900134 PMCID: PMC8637145 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.11.012] [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: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea and Trichoderma atroviride are two relevant fungi in agricultural systems. To gain insights into these organisms' transcriptional gene regulatory networks (GRNs), we generated a manually curated transcription factor (TF) dataset for each of them, followed by a GRN inference utilizing available sequence motifs describing DNA-binding specificity and global gene expression data. As a proof of concept of the usefulness of this resource to pinpoint key transcriptional regulators, we employed publicly available transcriptomics data and a newly generated dual RNA-seq dataset to build context-specific Botrytis and Trichoderma GRNs under two different biological paradigms: exposure to continuous light and Botrytis-Trichoderma confrontation assays. Network analysis of fungal responses to constant light revealed striking differences in the transcriptional landscape of both fungi. On the other hand, we found that the confrontation of both microorganisms elicited a distinct set of differentially expressed genes with changes in T. atroviride exceeding those in B. cinerea. Using our regulatory network data, we were able to determine, in both fungi, central TFs involved in this interaction response, including TFs controlling a large set of extracellular peptidases in the biocontrol agent T. atroviride. In summary, our work provides a comprehensive catalog of transcription factors and regulatory interactions for both organisms. This catalog can now serve as a basis for generating novel hypotheses on transcriptional regulatory circuits in different experimental contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo Olivares-Yañez
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 330, Santiago, Chile
| | - Evelyn Sánchez
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Genomica y Bioinformatica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriel Pérez-Lara
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 330, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aldo Seguel
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Genetica Molecular y Microbiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pamela Y Camejo
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis F Larrondo
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Genetica Molecular y Microbiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Elena A Vidal
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Genomica y Bioinformatica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.,Escuela de Biotecnologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paulo Canessa
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Avda. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 330, Santiago, Chile
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12
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Gao C, Lu S, Wang Y, Xu H, Gao X, Gu Y, Xuan H, Wang B, Yuan H, Cao Y. Bismuth Vanadium Oxide Can Promote Growth and Activity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Front Chem 2021; 9:766078. [PMID: 34858942 PMCID: PMC8632446 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.766078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The excellent properties of nanomaterials have been confirmed in many fields, but their effects on plants are still unclear. In this study, different concentrations of bismuth vanadate (BV) were added to the growth medium to analyze the growth of seedlings, including taproots, lateral roots, leaf stomata, root activity, and superoxide anion O2.- generation. Gene expression levels related to root growth were determined by quantitative PCR in Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that BV promoted the growth of taproots and the development of lateral roots, enhanced the length of the extension zone in roots, increased the number and size of leaf stomata and root activity, reduced the accumulation of ROS in seedlings, and changed the expression levels of genes related to polyamines or hormones. At the same time, we investigated the antibacterial activity of BV against a variety of common pathogens causing crop diseases. The results showed that BV could effectively inhibit the growth of Fusarium wilt of cotton and rice sheath blight. These results provide a new prospect for the development of nanomaterial-assisted plants, which is expected to become one of the ways to solve the problem of controlling and promoting the development of plants. At the same time, it also provides a reference for the study of the effect of BV on plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yongzhou Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hao Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yiwen Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hongyun Xuan
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Baohua Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Huihua Yuan
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yunying Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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13
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The Destructive Fungal Pathogen Botrytis cinerea-Insights from Genes Studied with Mutant Analysis. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110923. [PMID: 33171745 PMCID: PMC7695001 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens affecting numerous plant hosts, including many important crop species. As a molecularly under-studied organism, its genome was only sequenced at the beginning of this century and it was recently updated with improved gene annotation and completeness. In this review, we summarize key molecular studies on B. cinerea developmental and pathogenesis processes, specifically on genes studied comprehensively with mutant analysis. Analyses of these studies have unveiled key genes in the biological processes of this pathogen, including hyphal growth, sclerotial formation, conidiation, pathogenicity and melanization. In addition, our synthesis has uncovered gaps in the present knowledge regarding development and virulence mechanisms. We hope this review will serve to enhance the knowledge of the biological mechanisms behind this notorious fungal pathogen.
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14
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Schüller A, Wolansky L, Berger H, Studt L, Gacek-Matthews A, Sulyok M, Strauss J. A novel fungal gene regulation system based on inducible VPR-dCas9 and nucleosome map-guided sgRNA positioning. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:9801-9822. [PMID: 33006690 PMCID: PMC7595996 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10900-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Programmable transcriptional regulation is a powerful tool to study gene functions. Current methods to selectively regulate target genes are mainly based on promoter exchange or on overexpressing transcriptional activators. To expand the discovery toolbox, we designed a dCas9-based RNA-guided synthetic transcription activation system for Aspergillus nidulans that uses enzymatically disabled "dead" Cas9 fused to three consecutive activation domains (VPR-dCas9). The dCas9-encoding gene is under the control of an estrogen-responsive promoter to allow induction timing and to avoid possible negative effects by strong constitutive expression of the highly active VPR domains. Especially in silent genomic regions, facultative heterochromatin and strictly positioned nucleosomes can constitute a relevant obstacle to the transcriptional machinery. To avoid this negative impact and to facilitate optimal positioning of RNA-guided VPR-dCas9 to targeted promoters, we have created a genome-wide nucleosome map from actively growing cells and stationary cultures to identify the cognate nucleosome-free regions (NFRs). Based on these maps, different single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) were designed and tested for their targeting and activation potential. Our results demonstrate that the system can be used to regulate several genes in parallel and, depending on the VPR-dCas9 positioning, expression can be pushed to very high levels. We have used the system to turn on individual genes within two different biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) which are silent under normal growth conditions. This method also opens opportunities to stepwise activate individual genes in a cluster to decipher the correlated biosynthetic pathway. Graphical abstract KEYPOINTS: • An inducible RNA-guided transcriptional regulator based on VPR-dCas9 was established in Aspergillus nidulans. • Genome-wide nucleosome positioning maps were created that facilitate sgRNA positioning. • The system was successfully applied to activate genes within two silent biosynthetic gene clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schüller
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lisa Wolansky
- Institute Krems Bioanalytics , IMC FH Krems University of Applied Sciences , Krems, Austria
| | - Harald Berger
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Lena Studt
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Agnieszka Gacek-Matthews
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Institute of Microbiology, Functional Microbiology Division, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Institute of Bioanalytics and Agrometabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, A-3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Fungal Genetics Lab, Institute of Microbial Genetics, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, BOKU-Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 24, A-3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
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15
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Zhang N, Yang Z, Liang W, Liu M. Global Proteomic Analysis of Lysine Crotonylation in the Plant Pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:564350. [PMID: 33193151 PMCID: PMC7644960 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.564350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysine crotonylation (Kcr), a recently discovered post-translational modification, plays a key role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. Botrytis cinerea is a destructive necrotrophic fungal pathogen distributed worldwide with broad ranging hosts. However, the functions of Kcr are unknown in B. cinerea or any other plant fungal pathogens. Here, we comprehensively evaluated the crotonylation proteome of B. cinerea and identified 3967 Kcr sites in 1041 proteins, which contained 9 types of modification motifs. Our results show that although the crotonylation was largely conserved, different organisms contained distinct crotonylated proteins with unique functions. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the majority of crotonylated proteins were distributed in cytoplasm (35%), mitochondria (26%), and nucleus (22%). The identified proteins were found to be involved in various metabolic and cellular processes, such as cytoplasmic translation and structural constituent of ribosome. Particularly, 26 crotonylated proteins participated in the pathogenicity of B. cinerea, suggesting a significant role for Kcr in this process. Protein interaction network analysis demonstrated that many protein interactions are regulated by crotonylation. Furthermore, our results show that different nutritional conditions had a significant influence on the Kcr levels of B. cinerea. These data represent the first report of the crotonylome of B. cinerea and provide a good foundation for further explorations of the role of Kcr in plant fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhang
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhenzhou Yang
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenxing Liang
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mengjie Liu
- Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
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16
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McCorison CB, Goodwin SB. The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici senses and responds to different wavelengths of light. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:513. [PMID: 32711450 PMCID: PMC7382159 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06899-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ascomycete fungus Zymoseptoria tritici (synonyms: Mycosphaerella graminicola, Septoria tritici) is a major pathogen of wheat that causes the economically important foliar disease Septoria tritici blotch. Despite its importance as a pathogen, little is known about the reaction of this fungus to light. To test for light responses, cultures of Z. tritici were grown in vitro for 16-h days under white, blue or red light, and their transcriptomes were compared with each other and to those obtained from control cultures grown in darkness. Results There were major differences in gene expression with over 3400 genes upregulated in one or more of the light conditions compared to dark, and from 1909 to 2573 genes specifically upregulated in the dark compared to the individual light treatments. Differences between light treatments were lower, ranging from only 79 differentially expressed genes in the red versus blue comparison to 585 between white light and red. Many of the differentially expressed genes had no functional annotations. For those that did, analysis of the Gene Ontology (GO) terms showed that those related to metabolism were enriched in all three light treatments, while those related to growth and communication were more prevalent in the dark. Interestingly, genes for effectors that have been shown previously to be involved in pathogenicity also were upregulated in one or more of the light treatments, suggesting a possible role of light for infection. Conclusions This analysis shows that Z. tritici can sense and respond to light with a huge effect on transcript abundance. High proportions of differentially expressed genes with no functional annotations illuminates the huge gap in our understanding of light responses in this fungus. Differential expression of genes for effectors indicates that light could be important for pathogenicity; unknown effectors may show a similar pattern of transcription. A better understanding of the effects of light on pathogenicity and other biological processes of Z. tritici could help to manage Septoria tritici blotch in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra B McCorison
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2054, USA
| | - Stephen B Goodwin
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2054, USA.
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17
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Schumacher J, Gorbushina AA. Light sensing in plant- and rock-associated black fungi. Fungal Biol 2020; 124:407-417. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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18
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Corrochano LM. Light in the Fungal World: From Photoreception to Gene Transcription and Beyond. Annu Rev Genet 2019; 53:149-170. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-120417-031415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fungi see light of different colors by using photoreceptors such as the White Collar proteins and cryptochromes for blue light, opsins for green light, and phytochromes for red light. Light regulates fungal development, promotes the accumulation of protective pigments and proteins, and regulates tropic growth. The White Collar complex (WCC) is a photoreceptor and a transcription factor that is responsible for regulating transcription after exposure to blue light. In Neurospora crassa, light promotes the interaction of WCCs and their binding to the promoters to activate transcription. In Aspergillus nidulans, the WCC and the phytochrome interact to coordinate gene transcription and other responses, but the contribution of these photoreceptors to fungal photobiology varies across fungal species. Ultimately, the effect of light on fungal biology is the result of the coordinated transcriptional regulation and activation of signal transduction pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M. Corrochano
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
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19
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Bachleitner S, Sørensen JL, Gacek-Matthews A, Sulyok M, Studt L, Strauss J. Evidence of a Demethylase-Independent Role for the H3K4-Specific Histone Demethylases in Aspergillus nidulans and Fusarium graminearum Secondary Metabolism. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1759. [PMID: 31456754 PMCID: PMC6700381 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi produce a plethora of secondary metabolites (SMs) involved in cellular protection, defense, and signaling. Like other metabolic processes, transcription of SM biosynthesis genes is tightly regulated to prevent an unnecessary use of resources. Genes involved in SM biosynthesis are usually physically linked, arranged in secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGCs). Research over the last decades has shown that chromatin structure and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of histones represent important layers of SMGC regulation. For instance, trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) is a PTM typically associated with promoter regions of actively transcribed genes. Previously, we have shown that the H3K4me3-specific, JmjC domain-containing histone demethylase KdmB functions not only in repression but also in activation of secondary metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans, suggesting that KdmB has additional functions apart from histone demethylation. In this study, we identified demethylase-independent functions of KdmB in transcriptional regulation of SM gene clusters. Furthermore, we show that this activating and demethylase-independent role of the H3K4 demethylase is also conserved in the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Lack of FgKdm5 resulted in significant downregulation of five of seven analyzed SMs, whereby only one SMGC depends on a functional JmjC-domain. In A. nidulans strains deficient in H3K4 methylation, i.e., cclA∆, largely phenocopied kdmB∆, while this is not the case for most of the SMs analyzed in Fusarium spp. Notably, KdmB could not rescue the demethylase function in ∆fgkdm5 but restored all demethylase-independent phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Bachleitner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Jens Laurids Sørensen
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Agnieszka Gacek-Matthews
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Sulyok
- Department for Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Lena Studt
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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20
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Etxebeste O, Otamendi A, Garzia A, Espeso EA, Cortese MS. Rewiring of transcriptional networks as a major event leading to the diversity of asexual multicellularity in fungi. Crit Rev Microbiol 2019; 45:548-563. [PMID: 31267819 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2019.1630359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Complex multicellularity (CM) is characterized by the generation of three-dimensional structures that follow a genetically controlled program. CM emerged at least five times in evolution, one of them in fungi. There are two types of CM programs in fungi, leading, respectively, to the formation of sexual or asexual spores. Asexual spores foment the spread of mycoses, as they are the main vehicle for dispersion. In spite of this key dependence, there is great morphological diversity of asexual multicellular structures in fungi. To advance the understanding of the mechanisms that control initiation and progression of asexual CM and how they can lead to such a remarkable morphological diversification, we studied 503 fungal proteomes, representing all phyla and subphyla, and most known classes. Conservation analyses of 33 regulators of asexual development suggest stepwise emergence of transcription factors. While velvet proteins constitute one of the most ancient systems, the central regulator BrlA emerged late in evolution (with the class Eurotiomycetes). Some factors, such as MoConX4, seem to be species-specific. These observations suggest that the emergence and evolution of transcriptional regulators rewire transcriptional networks. This process could reach the species level, resulting in a vast diversity of morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oier Etxebeste
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ainara Otamendi
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Aitor Garzia
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo A Espeso
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marc S Cortese
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of The Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
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Botcinic acid biosynthesis in Botrytis cinerea relies on a subtelomeric gene cluster surrounded by relics of transposons and is regulated by the Zn2Cys6 transcription factor BcBoa13. Curr Genet 2019; 65:965-980. [DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-00952-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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22
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Schumacher J, Studt L, Tudzynski P. The putative H3K36 demethylase BcKDM1 affects virulence, stress responses and photomorphogenesis in Botrytis cinerea. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 123:14-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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23
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Yun Y, Zhou X, Yang S, Wen Y, You H, Zheng Y, Norvienyeku J, Shim WB, Wang Z. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici C 2H 2 transcription factor FolCzf1 is required for conidiation, fusaric acid production, and early host infection. Curr Genet 2019; 65:773-783. [PMID: 30631890 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-00931-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The soil-borne, asexual fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol) is a causal agent of tomato wilt disease. The infection process of Fol comprises root recognition, adhesion, penetration, colonization of the root cortex and hyphal proliferation within the xylem vessels, which are under the regulation of virulence-involved transcription factors (TFs). In this study, we identified a gene, designated FolCZF1, which encodes a C2H2 TF in Fol. The homologs of FolCzf1 are also known to affect pathogenicity in F. graminearum and Magnaporthe oryzae on wheat and rice, respectively. We learned that FolCZF1 transcript level is upregulated in conidia and early host infection stage, which led us to hypothesize that FolCzf1 is associated with early host infection in Fol. The FolCZF1 deletion mutant (ΔFolCZF1) exhibited defects in growth rate, conidiation, conidia morphology and a complete loss of virulence on tomato root. Further microscopic observation showed that ΔFolCZF1 can penetrate the root but the primary infection hypha cannot extend its colonization inside the host tissue, suggesting that FolCzf1 TF plays an important role in early infection. Fusaric acid, a secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium species, is suggested as a virulence factor in many crop diseases. We found that FolCzf1 plays a critical role in fusaric acid production by regulating the expression of fusaric acid biosynthesis genes. In summary, FolCzf1 is required for conidiation, secondary metabolism, and early host infection in Fol, and we propose that homologs of FolCzf1 are required for early parasitic growth in other plant pathogenic filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingzi Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ya Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Haixia You
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuru Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Institute for Food and Drug Quality Control, Fuzhou, China
| | - Justice Norvienyeku
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Won-Bo Shim
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Zonghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
- Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China.
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Carvalho SD, Castillo JA. Influence of Light on Plant-Phyllosphere Interaction. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1482. [PMID: 30369938 PMCID: PMC6194327 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Plant-phyllosphere interactions depend on microbial diversity, the plant host and environmental factors. Light is perceived by plants and by microorganisms and is used as a cue for their interaction. Photoreceptors respond to narrow-bandwidth wavelengths and activate specific internal responses. Light-induced plant responses include changes in hormonal levels, production of secondary metabolites, and release of volatile compounds, which ultimately influence plant-phyllosphere interactions. On the other hand, microorganisms contribute making some essential elements (N, P, and Fe) biologically available for plants and producing growth regulators that promote plant growth and fitness. Therefore, light directly or indirectly influences plant-microbe interactions. The usage of light-emitting diodes in plant growth facilities is helping increasing knowledge in the field. This progress will help define light recipes to optimize outputs on plant-phyllosphere communications. This review describes research advancements on light-regulated plant-phyllosphere interactions. The effects of full light spectra and narrow bandwidth-wavelengths from UV to far-red light are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia D. Carvalho
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - José A. Castillo
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí, Ecuador
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Liu N, Ren W, Li F, Chen C, Ma Z. Involvement of the cysteine protease BcAtg4 in development and virulence of Botrytis cinerea. Curr Genet 2018; 65:293-300. [PMID: 30167777 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-018-0882-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy serves as a survival mechanism against starvation and has been reported to be important for cell growth and differentiation in eukaryotes. Here, we investigated the function of a cysteine protease BcAtg4 in the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea. Yeast complementation experiments revealed that Bcatg4 can functionally replace the counterpart of yeast. Subcellular localization exhibited that BcAtg4 diffused in cytoplasm at different developmental stages. Targeted gene deletion of Bcatg4 (ΔBcatg4) led to autophagy blocking and a significant retardation in growth and conidiation. In addition, ΔBcatg4 failed to form sclerotia. Infection tests demonstrated that ΔBcatg4 was severely attenuated in virulence on different host plant tissues. All of the phenotypic defects were restored by reintroducing an intact copy of Bcatg4 into ΔBcatg4. These results indicate that Bcatg4 plays multiple roles in the developmental processes and pathogenesis of B. cinerea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Liu
- Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weichao Ren
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fengjie Li
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changjun Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ma
- Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Hua L, Yong C, Zhanquan Z, Boqiang L, Guozheng Q, Shiping T. Pathogenic mechanisms and control strategies of Botrytis cinerea causing post-harvest decay in fruits and vegetables. FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Hua
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
| | - Chen Yong
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
| | - Zhang Zhanquan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- Key Laboratory of Post-Harvest Handing of Fruits, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Li Boqiang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- Key Laboratory of Post-Harvest Handing of Fruits, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Qin Guozheng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- Key Laboratory of Post-Harvest Handing of Fruits, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Tian Shiping
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
- Key Laboratory of Post-Harvest Handing of Fruits, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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Functional analysis of diacylglycerol O-acyl transferase 2 gene to decipher its role in virulence of Botrytis cinerea. Curr Genet 2017; 64:443-457. [PMID: 28940057 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0752-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Gray mold disease inflicted by Botrytis cinerea is a serious menace responsible for significant economic loss worldwide. Due to its polyphagous nature, the pathogen has enthused inquisitiveness in researchers to unravel its complexity. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation was used to generate insertional mutants of Botrytis cinerea. A mutant (BCM-55) with disruption in a gene (BcDGAT2) that encodes for diacylglycerol O-acyl transferase 2 (DGAT2), showed enervated virulence on various hosts' tissues. Enzyme DGAT2 is crucial in the final step of synthesis of triacylglycerol (TAG) that plays an important role in homeostasis of membrane and cellular processes. However, the role of DGAT2 has never been reported in a phytopathogenic fungus. In this study, BCM-55 was characterized to ascertain the role of DGAT2 in virulence of B. cinerea. The insertional mutant was defective in spore production and lacked sclerotia formation as a consequence of lower accumulation of TAG. A significant delay in spore germination in BCM-55 was accompanied with a low penetration potential. Hyphae of the mutant formed swollen endings with considerable impairment in penetration. Deletion of BcDGAT2 also led to increased sensitivity towards cell wall and membrane-disturbing agents. Furthermore, BCM-55 was deficient in the production of oxalic acid and showed lower activity of a cell wall-degrading enzyme, polygalacturonase. The role of BcDGAT2 in virulence was further confirmed by targeted deletion and complementation of the gene. The results insinuate a crucial role of BcDGAT2 in penetration and consequently virulence of B. cinerea. The study provides novel insights into plant-pathogen interactions that can be exploited to develop suitable disease management strategies.
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Cohrs KC, Schumacher J. The Two Cryptochrome/Photolyase Family Proteins Fulfill Distinct Roles in DNA Photorepair and Regulation of Conidiation in the Gray Mold Fungus Botrytis cinerea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e00812-17. [PMID: 28667107 PMCID: PMC5561282 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00812-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant-pathogenic leotiomycete Botrytis cinerea is known for the strict regulation of its asexual differentiation programs by environmental light conditions. Sclerotia are formed in constant darkness; black/near-UV (NUV) light induces conidiation; and blue light represses both differentiation programs. Sensing of black/NUV light is attributed to proteins of the cryptochrome/photolyase family (CPF). To elucidate the molecular basis of the photoinduction of conidiation, we functionally characterized the two CPF proteins encoded in the genome of B. cinerea as putative positive-acting components. B. cinerea CRY1 (BcCRY1), a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) photolyase, acts as the major enzyme of light-driven DNA repair (photoreactivation) and has no obvious role in signaling. In contrast, BcCRY2, belonging to the cry-DASH proteins, is dispensable for photorepair but performs regulatory functions by repressing conidiation in white and especially black/NUV light. The transcription of bccry1 and bccry2 is induced by light in a White Collar complex (WCC)-dependent manner, but neither light nor the WCC is essential for the repression of conidiation through BcCRY2 when bccry2 is constitutively expressed. Further, BcCRY2 affects the transcript levels of both WCC-induced and WCC-repressed genes, suggesting a signaling function downstream of the WCC. Since both CPF proteins are dispensable for photoinduction by black/NUV light, the origin of this effect remains elusive and may be connected to a yet unknown UV-light-responsive system.IMPORTANCEBotrytis cinerea is an economically important plant pathogen that causes gray mold diseases in a wide variety of plant species, including high-value crops and ornamental flowers. The spread of disease in the field relies on the formation of conidia, a process that is regulated by different light qualities. While this feature has been known for a long time, we are just starting to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. Conidiation in B. cinerea is induced by black/near-UV light, whose sensing is attributed to the action of cryptochrome/photolyase family (CPF) proteins. Here we report on the distinct functions of two CPF proteins in the photoresponse of B. cinerea While BcCRY1 acts as the major photolyase in photoprotection, BcCRY2 acts as a cryptochrome with a signaling function in regulating photomorphogenesis (repression of conidiation).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim C Cohrs
- Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der Pflanzen (IBBP), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - Julia Schumacher
- Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der Pflanzen (IBBP), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU), Münster, Germany
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