1
|
Shan Y, Wang D, Zhao FH, Song J, Zhu H, Li Y, Zhang XJ, Dai XF, Han D, Chen JY. Insights into the biocontrol and plant growth promotion functions of Bacillus altitudinis strain KRS010 against Verticillium dahliae. BMC Biol 2024; 22:116. [PMID: 38764012 PMCID: PMC11103837 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01913-1] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae, is a soil-borne vascular fungal disease, which has caused great losses to cotton yield and quality worldwide. The strain KRS010 was isolated from the seed of Verticillium wilt-resistant Gossypium hirsutum cultivar "Zhongzhimian No. 2." RESULTS The strain KRS010 has a broad-spectrum antifungal activity to various pathogenic fungi as Verticillium dahliae, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium spp., Colletotrichum spp., and Magnaporthe oryzae, of which the inhibition rate of V. dahliae mycelial growth was 73.97% and 84.39% respectively through confrontation test and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) treatments. The strain was identified as Bacillus altitudinis by phylogenetic analysis based on complete genome sequences, and the strain physio-biochemical characteristics were detected, including growth-promoting ability and active enzymes. Moreover, the control efficiency of KRS010 against Verticillium wilt of cotton was 93.59%. After treatment with KRS010 culture, the biomass of V. dahliae was reduced. The biomass of V. dahliae in the control group (Vd991 alone) was 30.76-folds higher than that in the treatment group (KRS010+Vd991). From a molecular biological aspect, KRS010 could trigger plant immunity by inducing systemic resistance (ISR) activated by salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. Its extracellular metabolites and VOCs inhibited the melanin biosynthesis of V. dahliae. In addition, KRS010 had been characterized as the ability to promote plant growth. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated that B. altitudinis KRS010 is a beneficial microbe with a potential for controlling Verticillium wilt of cotton, as well as promoting plant growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Shan
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Life Science and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, 157012, China
| | - Dan Wang
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Fu-Hua Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Life Science and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, 157012, China
| | - Jian Song
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - He Zhu
- The Cotton Research Center of Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Cotton Industry Technology System Liaohe Comprehensive Experimental Station, Liaoning Provincial Institute of Economic Crops, Liaoyang, 111000, China
| | - Yue Li
- The Cotton Research Center of Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Cotton Industry Technology System Liaohe Comprehensive Experimental Station, Liaoning Provincial Institute of Economic Crops, Liaoyang, 111000, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, 157012, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Dai
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China
| | - Dongfei Han
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Jie-Yin Chen
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li W, Li S, Tang C, Klosterman SJ, Wang Y. Kss1 of Verticillium dahliae regulates virulence, microsclerotia formation, and nitrogen metabolism. Microbiol Res 2024; 281:127608. [PMID: 38241914 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127608] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae causes destructive vascular wilt diseases on more than 200 plant species, including economically important crops and ornamental trees worldwide. The melanized microsclerotia (MS) enable V. dahliae to survive for years in soil, thus the fungus is especially difficult to control once it has become established. Previously, we found that the mitogen activated protein kinase VdSte11 (MAPKKK) plays key roles in MS formation, penetration, and virulence in V. dahliae. In this study, two MAPK homologs of the yeast Ste7p and Kss1p were identified and characterized in V. dahliae. Deletion of VdSte7 or VdKss1 reuslted in severe defects in melaninized MS formation and virulence. Furthermore, phosphorylation assays demonstrated that VdSte11 and VdSte7 can phosphorylate VdKss1 in V. dahliae. Proteomic analysis revealed a significant change in sterol biosynthesis with a fold change of ≥ 1.2 after the deletion of VdKss1. In addition, phosphoproteomic analysis showed that VdKss1 was involved in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism. Finally, we identified VdRlm1 as a potentially downstream target of VdKss1, which is involved in regulating ammonium nitrogen utilization. This study sheds light on the network of regulatory proteins in V. dahliae that affect MS formation and nitrogen metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Sa Li
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Steven J Klosterman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, CA, USA
| | - Yonglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li H, Sheng RC, Zhang CN, Wang LC, Li M, Wang YH, Qiao YH, Klosterman SJ, Chen JY, Kong ZQ, Subbarao KV, Chen FM, Zhang DD. Two zinc finger proteins, VdZFP1 and VdZFP2, interact with VdCmr1 to promote melanized microsclerotia development and stress tolerance in Verticillium dahliae. BMC Biol 2023; 21:237. [PMID: 37904147 PMCID: PMC10617112 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01697-w] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanin plays important roles in morphological development, survival, host-pathogen interactions and in the virulence of phytopathogenic fungi. In Verticillum dahliae, increases in melanin are recognized as markers of maturation of microsclerotia which ensures the long-term survival and stress tolerance, while decreases in melanin are correlated with increased hyphal growth in the host. The conserved upstream components of the VdCmr1-regulated pathway controlling melanin production in V. dahliae have been extensively identified, but the direct activators of this pathway are still unclear. RESULTS We identified two genes encoding conserved C2H2-type zinc finger proteins VdZFP1 and VdZFP2 adjacent to VdPKS9, a gene encoding a negative regulator of both melanin biosynthesis and microsclerotia formation in V. dahliae. Both VdZFP1 and VdZFP2 were induced during microsclerotia development and were involved in melanin deposition. Their localization changed from cytoplasmic to nuclear in response to osmotic pressure. VdZFP1 and VdZFP2 act as modulators of microsclerotia melanization in V. dahliae, as confirmed by melanin biosynthesis inhibition and supplementation with the melanin pathway intermediate scytalone in albino strains. The results indicate that VdZFP1 and VdZFP2 participate in melanin biosynthesis by positively regulating VdCmr1. Based on the results obtained with yeast one- and two-hybrid (Y1H and Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) systems, we determined the melanin biosynthesis relies on the direct interactions among VdZFP1, VdZFP2 and VdCmr1, and these interactions occur on the cell walls of microsclerotia. Additionally, VdZFP1 and/or VdZFP2 mutants displayed increased sensitivity to stress factors rather than alterations in pathogenicity, reflecting the importance of melanin in stress tolerance of V. dahliae. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed that VdZFP1 and VdZFP2 positively regulate VdCmr1 to promote melanin deposition during microsclerotia development, providing novel insight into the regulation of melanin biosynthesis in V. dahliae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huan Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ruo-Cheng Sheng
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chen-Ning Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li-Chao Wang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ya-Hong Wang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu-Hang Qiao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Steven J Klosterman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, CA, USA
| | - Jie-Yin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Kong
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China
| | - Krishna V Subbarao
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o United States Agricultural Research Station,, Salinas, CA, USA.
| | - Feng-Mao Chen
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang D, Zhao Z, Long Y, Fan R. Protein Kinase C Is Involved in Vegetative Development, Stress Response and Pathogenicity in Verticillium dahliae. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14266. [PMID: 37762573 PMCID: PMC10531995 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Potato Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a serious soil-borne vascular disease, which restricts the sustainable development of the potato industry, and the pathogenic mechanism of the fungus is complex. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the important pathogenic factors of V. dahliae to expand the understanding of its pathology. Protein kinase C (PKC) gene is located in the Ca2+ signaling pathway, which is highly conserved in filamentous fungi and involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes. In the current study, the PKC gene in V. dahliae (VdPKC) was characterized, and its effects on the fungal pathogenicity and tolerance to fungicide stress were further studied. The results showed that the VdPKC positively regulated the growth and development, conidial germination, and production of V. dahliae, which was necessary for the fungus to achieve pathogenicity. It also affected the formation of melanin and microsclerotia and changed the adaptability of V. dahliae to different environmental stresses. In addition, VdPKC altered the tolerance of V. dahliae to different fungicides, which may be a potential target for polyoxin. Therefore, our results strongly suggest that VdPKC gene is necessary for the vegetative growth, stress response, and pathogenicity of V. dahliae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rong Fan
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; (D.W.); (Z.Z.); (Y.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xiao L, Tang C, Klosterman SJ, Wang Y. VdTps2 Modulates Plant Colonization and Symptom Development in Verticillium dahliae. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:572-583. [PMID: 36989041 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-03-23-0024-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The trehalose biosynthesis pathway is a potential target for antifungal drugs development. Trehalose phosphate synthase (TPS) and phosphatase are widely conserved components of trehalose biosynthesis in fungi. However, the role of trehalose biosynthesis in the vascular plant-pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae remains unclear. Here, we investigated the functions of the TPS complex, including VdTps1, VdTps2, and VdTps3 in V. dahliae. Unlike VdTps2, deletion of VdTps1 or VdTps3 did not alter any phenotypes compared with the wild-type strain. In contrast, the ΔVdTps2 strain showed severely depressed radial growth due to the abnormal swelling of the hyphal tips. Further, deletion of VdTps2 increased microsclerotia formation, melanin biosynthesis, and resistance to cell-wall perturbation and high-temperature stress. Virulence assays and quantification of fungal biomass revealed that deletion of VdTps2 delayed disease symptom development, as evident by the reduced virulence and decreased biomass of the ΔVdTps2 strain in plant stem tissue following inoculation. Additionally, increases in penetration peg formation observed in the ΔVdTps2 strain in the presence of H2O2 suggested that VdTps2 suppresses initial colonization. Our results also revealed the role of VdTps2 as a regulator of autophagy. Together, these results indicate that VdTps2 contributes to plant colonization and disease development. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Steven J Klosterman
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, U.S.A
| | - Yonglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Transcription Factor VdCf2 Regulates Growth, Pathogenicity, and the Expression of a Putative Secondary Metabolism Gene Cluster in Verticillium dahliae. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0138522. [PMID: 36342142 PMCID: PMC9680623 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01385-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae
is an important soilborne phytopathogen which can ruinously attack numerous host plants and cause significant economic losses. Transcription factors (TFs) were reported to be involved in various biological processes, such as hyphal growth and virulence of pathogenic fungi.
Collapse
|
7
|
Li H, Wang D, Zhang DD, Geng Q, Li JJ, Sheng RC, Xue HS, Zhu H, Kong ZQ, Dai XF, Klosterman SJ, Subbarao KV, Chen FM, Chen JY. A polyketide synthase from Verticillium dahliae modulates melanin biosynthesis and hyphal growth to promote virulence. BMC Biol 2022; 20:125. [PMID: 35637443 PMCID: PMC9153097 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01330-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During the disease cycle, plant pathogenic fungi exhibit a morphological transition between hyphal growth (the phase of active infection) and the production of long-term survival structures that remain dormant during “overwintering.” Verticillium dahliae is a major plant pathogen that produces heavily melanized microsclerotia (MS) that survive in the soil for 14 or more years. These MS are multicellular structures produced during the necrotrophic phase of the disease cycle. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) are responsible for catalyzing production of many secondary metabolites including melanin. While MS contribute to long-term survival, hyphal growth is key for infection and virulence, but the signaling mechanisms by which the pathogen maintains hyphal growth are unclear. Results We analyzed the VdPKSs that contain at least one conserved domain potentially involved in secondary metabolism (SM), and screened the effect of VdPKS deletions in the virulent strain AT13. Among the five VdPKSs whose deletion affected virulence on cotton, we found that VdPKS9 acted epistatically to the VdPKS1-associated melanin pathway to promote hyphal growth. The decreased hyphal growth in VdPKS9 mutants was accompanied by the up-regulation of melanin biosynthesis and MS formation. Overexpression of VdPKS9 transformed melanized hyphal-type (MH-type) into the albinistic hyaline hyphal-type (AH-type), and VdPKS9 was upregulated in the AH-type population, which also exhibited higher virulence than the MH-type. Conclusions We show that VdPKS9 is a powerful negative regulator of both melanin biosynthesis and MS formation in V. dahliae. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of how plant pathogens promote their virulence by the maintenance of vegetative hyphal growth during infection and colonization of plant hosts, and may provide novel targets for the control of melanin-producing filamentous fungi. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01330-2.
Collapse
|
8
|
The bZip Transcription Factor VdMRTF1 is a Negative Regulator of Melanin Biosynthesis and Virulence in Verticillium dahliae. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0258121. [PMID: 35404080 PMCID: PMC9045294 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02581-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ascomycete fungus Verticillium dahliae infects over 400 plant species and causes serious losses of economically important crops, such as cotton and tomato, and also of woody plants, such as smoke tree, maple, and olive. Melanized long-term survival structures known as microsclerotia play crucial roles in the disease cycle of V. dahliae, enabling this soilborne fungus to survive for years in the soil in the absence of a host. Previously, we identified VdMRTF1 (microsclerotia-related transcription factor) encoding a bZip transcription factor which is downregulated during microsclerotial development in V. dahliae. In the present study, we showed that VdMRTF1 negatively controls melanin production and virulence by genetic, biological, and transcriptomic analyses. The mutant strain lacking VdMRTF1 (ΔVdMRTF1) exhibited increased melanin biosynthesis and the defect also promoted microsclerotial development and sensitivity to Ca2+. In comparison with the wild-type strain, the ΔVdMRTF1 strain showed a significant enhancement in virulence and displayed an increased capacity to eliminate reactive oxygen species in planta. Furthermore, analyses of transcriptomic profiles between the ΔVdMRTF1 and wild-type strains indicated that VdMRTF1 regulates the differential expression of genes associated with melanin biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, hydrogen peroxide catabolic processes, and oxidoreductase activity in V. dahliae. Taken together, these data show that VdMRTF1 is a negative transcriptional regulator of melanin biosynthesis, microsclerotia formation, and virulence in V. dahliae. IMPORTANCE Verticillium wilt is difficult to manage because the pathogen colonizes the plant xylem tissue and produces melanized microsclerotia which survive for more than 10 years in soil without a host. The molecular mechanisms underlying microsclerotia formation are of great importance to control the disease. Here, we provide evidence that a bZip transcription factor, VdMRTF1, plays important roles in melanin biosynthesis, microsclerotial development, resistance to elevated Ca2+ levels, and fungal virulence of V. dahliae. The findings extend and deepen our understanding of the complexities of melanin biosynthesis, microsclerotia formation, and virulence that are regulated by bZip transcription factors in V. dahliae.
Collapse
|
9
|
Harting R, Höfer A, Tran VT, Weinhold LM, Barghahn S, Schlüter R, Braus GH. The Vta1 transcriptional regulator is required for microsclerotia melanization in Verticillium dahliae. Fungal Biol 2020; 124:490-500. [PMID: 32389312 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Many fungi are able to produce resting structures, which ensure survival and protect them against various stresses in their habitat such as exposure to UV light, temperature variations, drought as well as changing pH and nutrient conditions. Verticillium dahliae is a plant pathogenic fungus that forms melanized resting structures, called microsclerotia, for survival of time periods without a host. These highly stress resistant microsclerotia persist in the soil for many years and are therefore problematic for an effective treatment of the fungus. The Verticillium transcription activator of adhesion 1 (Vta1) was initially identified as one of several transcriptional regulators that rescue adhesion in non-adhesive Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Vta2 and Vta3 are required for early steps in plant infection and colonization and additionally control microsclerotia formation. Here, we show that Vta1 function is different, because it is dispensable for root colonization and infection. Vta1 is produced in the fungal cell during microsclerotia development. Analysis of the deletion mutant revealed that the absence of Vta1 allows microsclerotia production, but they are colorless and no more melanized. Vta1 is required for melanin production and activates transcription of melanin biosynthesis genes including the polyketide synthase encoding PKS1 and the laccase LAC1. The primary function of Vta1 in melanin production is important for survival of microsclerotia as resting structures of V. dahliae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Harting
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annalena Höfer
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Van-Tuan Tran
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lisa-Maria Weinhold
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sina Barghahn
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rabea Schlüter
- Imaging Center of the Department of Biology, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li JJ, Zhou L, Yin CM, Zhang DD, Klosterman SJ, Wang BL, Song J, Wang D, Hu XP, Subbarao KV, Chen JY, Dai XF. The Verticillium dahliae Sho1-MAPK pathway regulates melanin biosynthesis and is required for cotton infection. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:4852-4874. [PMID: 31667948 PMCID: PMC6916341 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Verticillium dahliae is a soil‐borne fungus that causes vascular wilt on numerous plants worldwide. The fungus survives in the soil for up to 14 years by producing melanized microsclerotia. The protective function of melanin in abiotic stresses is well documented. Here, we found that the V. dahliae tetraspan transmembrane protein VdSho1, a homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sho1, acts as an osmosensor, and is required for plant penetration and melanin biosynthesis. The deletion mutant ΔSho1 was incubated on a cellophane membrane substrate that mimics the plant epidermis, revealing that the penetration of ΔSho1 strain was reduced compared to the wild‐type strain. Furthermore, VdSho1 regulates melanin biosynthesis by a signalling mechanism requiring a kinase‐kinase signalling module of Vst50‐Vst11‐Vst7. Strains, ΔVst50, ΔVst7 and ΔVst11 also displayed defective penetration and melanin production like the ΔSho1 strain. Defects in penetration and melanin production in ΔSho1 were restored by overexpression of Vst50, suggesting that Vst50 lies downstream of VdSho1 in the regulatory pathway governing penetration and melanin biosynthesis. Data analyses revealed that the transmembrane portion of VdSho1 was essential for both membrane penetration and melanin production. This study demonstrates that Vst50‐Vst11‐Vst7 module regulates VdSho1‐mediated plant penetration and melanin production in V. dahliae, contributing to virulence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Jiao Li
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chun-Mei Yin
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Steven J Klosterman
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, c/o United States Agricultural Research Station, Salinas, California, 93905, USA
| | - Bao-Li Wang
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jian Song
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Krishna V Subbarao
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, California, 93905, USA
| | - Jie-Yin Chen
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Dai
- Laboratory of Cotton Disease, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality and Safety Control in Storage and Transport Process, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100193, China
| |
Collapse
|