Plectosporium tabacinum, a Pathogen of the Invasive Aquatic Weed Hydrilla verticillata in Florida

Diversity of Plectosphaerella within aquatic plants from southwest China, with P. endophytica and P. sichuanensis spp. nov

Members of Plectosphaerella inhabit different substrates, including plants, soil and insects, and most species are pathogens causing large losses in agriculture. During a survey of endophytic fungi in aquatic plants in southwest China, 112 strains of Plectosphaerella were isolated, representing two new species, P. endophytica sp. nov. and P. sichuanensis sp. nov., as well as two known species, P. cucumerina and P. pauciseptata. The novel taxa are described and illustrated here using combined morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic (LSU-ITS-TEF-1α-TUB2) analyses. Our result revealed Plectosphaerella species inhabiting within aquatic plants in southwest China, and the separation frequency of each species was presented.

Phylogeny and taxonomy of two new Plectosphaerella (Plectosphaerellaceae, Glomerellales) species from China

The genus Plectosphaerella is the largest genus in the family Plectosphaerellaceae. Some species are plant pathogens, whereas others are soil-borne. Seven Plectosphaerella isolates were collected from various locations in the southwest of China. Using multi-locus phylogenetic (LSU, ITS, EF1α, RPB2) analyses combined with morphological characteristics, two new species, Plectosphaerella guizhouensis sp. nov. and Plectosphaerella nauculaspora sp. nov. are described, illustrated and compared with related species.

Functional genomics tools to decipher the pathogenicity mechanisms of the necrotrophic fungus Plectosphaerella cucumerina in Arabidopsis thaliana

The analysis of the interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana and adapted (PcBMM) and nonadapted (Pc2127) isolates of the necrotrophic fungus Plectosphaerella cucumerina has contributed to the identification of molecular mechanisms controlling plant resistance to necrotrophs. To characterize the pathogenicity bases of the virulence of necrotrophic fungi in Arabidopsis, we developed P. cucumerina functional genomics tools using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. We generated PcBMM-GFP and Pc2127-GFP transformants constitutively expressing the green fluorescence protein (GFP), and a collection of random T-DNA insertional PcBMM transformants. Confocal microscopy analyses of the initial stages of PcBMM-GFP infection revealed that this pathogen, like other necrotrophic fungi, does not form an appressorium or penetrate into plant cells, but causes successive degradation of leaf cell layers. By comparing the colonization of Arabidopsis wild-type plants and hypersusceptible (agb1-1 and cyp79B2cyp79B3) and resistant (irx1-6) mutants by PcBMM-GFP or Pc2127-GFP, we found that the plant immune response was already mounted at 12-18 h post-inoculation, and that Arabidopsis resistance to these fungi correlated with the time course of spore germination and hyphal growth on the leaf surface. The virulence of a subset of the PcBMM T-DNA insertional transformants was determined in Arabidopsis wild-type plants and agb1-1 mutant, and several transformants were identified that showed altered virulence in these genotypes in comparison with that of untransformed PcBMM. The T-DNA flanking regions in these fungal mutants were successfully sequenced, further supporting the utility of these functional genomics tools in the molecular characterization of the pathogenicity of necrotrophic fungi.

Fungal infection of mantis shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) caused by two anamorphic fungi found in Japan

Two fungal pathogens of the mantis shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) in Yamaguchi and Aichi Prefectures, Japan are described as the new species Plectosporium oratosquillae and Acremonium sp. (a member of the Emericellopsis marine clade). Both fungi infect the gills of the mantis shrimp, which become brown or black due to melanization. The former species is characterized by its slow growth on artificial seawater yeast extract peptone glucose (PYGS) agar, pale yellow to pale orange or grayish yellow colonies, short cylindrical solitary phialides with a wavy tip, and one-celled ellipsoidal conidia. Although lacking the two-celled conidia demonstrated by the type species Plectosporium tabacinum, the taxonomic placement of the new species was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (ITS1, 5.8S rDNA and ITS2). Acremonium sp., the other causal pathogen, differs from P. oratosquillae by its fast growth on PYGS agar, pale orange to salmon-colored colonies, long, slender conidiophores consisting of solitary phialides with tips lacking an undulate outline, and typically cylindrical conidia. Analysis of ITS and beta-tubulin gene sequences placed this fungus within the phylogenetically distinct Emericellopsis (anam. Acremonium) marine clade. Various physiological characteristics of both pathogens were also investigated. This is the first report of a fungal infection found on the mantis shrimp in Japan.

Constitutive expression of ETHYLENE-RESPONSE-FACTOR1 in Arabidopsis confers resistance to several necrotrophic fungi

Infection of a plant by a pathogen induces a variety of defense responses that imply the action of several signaling molecules, including salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (E). Here we describe the role of ETHYLENE-RESPONSE-FACTOR1 (ERF1) as a regulator of ethylene responses after pathogen attack in Arabidopsis. The ERF1 transcript is induced on infection by Botrytis cinerea, and overexpression of ERF1 in Arabidopsis is sufficient to confer resistance to necrotrophic fungi such as B. cinerea and Plectosphaerella cucumerina. A positive co-operation between E and SA pathways was observed in the plant response to P. cucumerina. Infection by Pseudomonas syringae tomato DC3000, however, does not affect ERF1 expression, and activation of ethylene responses by ERF1 overexpression in Arabidopsis plants reduces tolerance against this pathogen, suggesting negative crosstalk between E and SA signaling pathways, and demonstrating that positive and negative interactions between both pathways can be established depending on the type of pathogen.

Growth and spore production of Plectosporium tabacinum

Plectosporium tabacinum (van Beyma) M.E. Palm, W. Gams, et Nirenberg has been evaluated as a bioherbicide for the control of Galium spurium L. (false cleavers). Little is known, however, about the specific culture and sporulation requirements of this fungus on standard agar media. In addition, information on submerged liquid culture spore production is not available. This information is important for the successful culture and further development of this fungus as a biocontrol agent. This study characterized mycelial growth and sporulation of Plectosporium tabacinum on 14 different standard agar media over a range of light regimes, pH, and temperatures. Conditions required for submerged liquid culture spore production and resulting weed control efficacy were also assessed. This included the effect of liquid culture medium and pH and the effect of carbon source, nitrogen source, carbon concentration, and carbon–nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Potato dextrose agar is the best agar medium for growth and spore production. On standard agar media, growth and spore production was not influenced by light regime. Medium pH did not affect mycelial growth and spore germination but the optimal pH for spore production was 7.0. The optimal temperature for the mycelial growth was between 22 and 25°C, but the optimal temperature for spore production was at either 20 or 30°C, depending upon the nutrient medium. Temperatures above 20°C were required to achieve greater than 90% spore germination. For submerged liquid culture spore production, Richard's solution (RS) is the best liquid medium for spore production. The optimal pH was 7.0 for RS but varied with culture media. Potassium nitrate and corn starch were the best nitrogen source and carbon source, respectively. A medium with a carbon concentration of 12.6 g/L and a C:N ratio of 7.5:1 is optimum for spore production and weed control efficacy.Key words: Plectosporium tabacinum, bioherbicide, mass production, fermentation, false cleavers, Galium spurium.

Plectosporium tabacinum, a Pathogen of the Invasive Aquatic Weed Hydrilla verticillata in Florida

Plectosporium tabacinum, the anamorph of Plectosphaerella cucumerina, was isolated in 1996 from Hydrilla verticillata (hydrilla), an invasive aquatic weed in Florida. P. tabacinum, applied as a suspension of conidia, was pathogenic to hydrilla shoots maintained in aqueous solutions in test tubes. Koch's postulates were fulfilled in several repeated experiments. Infected shoots became slightly chlorotic within 24 h after inoculation. Infected leaves remained intact and were supported by water pressure but collapsed upon removal from water. Histological studies of leaves stained with malachite green and acid fuchsin revealed fungal hyphae within plant cells. The disease developed over a range of temperatures from 15 to 30°C. At 25°C, symptoms were most severe in 5% Hoagland's solution, followed by river water, deionized water, 0.5% Hoagland's, tap water, and spring water. Disease severity increased as inoculum concentration was increased from 10⁵ to 10⁷ conidia ml^-1. This is the first report of P. tabacinum as a pathogen of hydrilla, a fully submerged aquatic plant species.