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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.
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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.
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Chen X, Zhang W, Wang J, Zhu S, Shen X, Chen H, Fan Y. Transcription Factors BbPacC and Bbmsn2 Jointly Regulate Oosporein Production in Beauveria bassiana. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0311822. [PMID: 36416546 PMCID: PMC9769838 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03118-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana can produce the secondary metabolite oosporein under alkaline conditions or in fungus-killed cadavers. However, the regulatory mechanism of oosporein synthesis is not fully understood. In thisstudy, we found that the pH signaling transcription factor BbPacC is involved in the regulation of oosporein production. Overexpression of BbPacC promotes oosporein production in B. bassiana at pH 6.0 or under alkaline conditions (pH 8.0), but deletion of this gene abolished oosporein production. Under acidic conditions (pH 4.0), no oosporein production was observed in the wild-type and BbPacC overexpression strains. Yeast one-hybrid assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed the binding ability of BbPacC with 4 putative PacC-binding sites in the promoter region of BbOpS3, a transcription factor located in the oosporein synthetic gene cluster regulating the expression of oosporein synthetic genes. Overexpression of Bbmsn2, a previously reported negative regulator of oosporein synthesis, in OEPacC or wild-type strains abolished oosporein production in all tested conditions. However, deletion of Bbmsn2 in the BbPacC overexpression strain significantly improved oosporein production even at pH 4.0. These results indicated that BbPacC is a positive regulator of oosporein production and functions jointly with Bbmsn2 to regulate oosporein production in different environments and particularly under alkaline conditions. IMPORTANCE B. bassiana produces the red dibenzoquinone pigment oosporein under certain specific conditions, such as alkaline conditions and fungus-killed cadavers. Ooporein possesses antibiotic and insect immune inhibition activities and plays multiple roles during the infection process of B. bassiana against insect hosts. Several negative regulators involved in oosporein synthesis have been reported; however, we know little about the positive regulators outside the biosynthetic gene cluster. Here, we found that the pH signaling transcription factor BbPacC positively regulates oosporein production by binding to several PacC-binding sites. In addition, our results also indicate that BbPacC jointly acts with the negative regulator Bbmsn2 to regulate oosporein synthesis. Our results provide insight into understanding the regulatory mechanism of oosporein production as well as targets to engineer B. bassiana strains producing high levels of oosporein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shengan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinchi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongjun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanhua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, People’s Republic of China
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Cruz AHS, Santos RS, Martins MP, Peres NTA, Trevisan GL, Mendes NS, Martinez-Rossi NM, Rossi A. Relevance of Nutrient-Sensing in the Pathogenesis of Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton interdigitale. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:858968. [PMID: 37746184 PMCID: PMC10512404 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.858968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The growth and development of organisms depend on nutrient availability. Dermatophytes must sense nutrient levels and adapt to the host environment to colonize human and animal keratinized tissues. Owing to the clinical importance of the Trichophyton genus, this study compared the expression profile of genes involved in metabolism, cell cycle control, and proteases in two Trichophyton species, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton interdigitale, in response to nutrients and environmental pH. In addition, we evaluated the activity of enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid, glyoxylate, and methylcitrate cycles. Moreover, the effects of interruption of the transcription factor pacC on T. interdigitale in the same conditions as for the wild-type strain were determined. Our analyses revealed specific responses in each species to the nutritional and pH variation. An improved adaptation of T. interdigitale to keratin was observed, compared with that of T. rubrum. T. rubrum growth in buffered keratin media indicated pH 8.0 as an optimal pH condition for metabolic activity, which differed from that for T. interdigitale. Tricarboxylic acid components in T. rubrum showed increased enzymatic activity and transcript accumulation. In T. interdigitale, a higher activity of enzymes in glyoxylate and methylcitrate cycles was observed, with no direct correlation to the transcriptional profile. T. interdigitale fungal metabolism suggests the requirement of anaplerotic pathways in the late cultivation period. The identified differences between T. rubrum and T. interdigitale may represent determinants for adaptation to the host and the incidence of infection with each species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline H. S. Cruz
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo S. Santos
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Maíra P. Martins
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nalu T. A. Peres
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Glauce L. Trevisan
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Niege S. Mendes
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nilce M. Martinez-Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Li B, Chen Y, Tian S. Function of pH-dependent transcription factor PacC in regulating development, pathogenicity, and mycotoxin biosynthesis of phytopathogenic fungi. FEBS J 2021; 289:1723-1730. [PMID: 33751796 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
pH, as one of the most important environmental factors, affects various biological processes in pathogenic fungi. Sensing and responding to fluctuations in ambient pH are essential for these fungi to complete their life cycle. Fungi have evolved a complicated and conserved system, the so-called Pal-pH pathway, to regulate genes and adapt to alterations in ambient pH. PacC is the dominant transcription factor in the Pal-pH pathway and regulates various biological processes. The regulatory mode of PacC has been extensively studied in Aspergillus nidulans and is generally conserved in other fungal species, including numerous phytopathogenic fungi. However, species-specific alterations have been reported. This review summarizes recent advances in the regulatory mechanisms of PacC and its role in controlling development, pathogenicity, and mycotoxin biosynthesis in phytopathogenic fungi. Potential applications of these findings and some unresolved questions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Corrêa TLR, de Araújo EF. Fungal phytases: from genes to applications. Braz J Microbiol 2020; 51:1009-1020. [PMID: 32410091 PMCID: PMC7455620 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00289-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytic acid stores 60-90% of the inorganic phosphorus in legumes, oil seeds, and cereals, making it inaccessible for metabolic processes in living systems. In addition, given its negative charge, phytic acid complexes with divalent cations, starch, and proteins. Inorganic phosphorous can be released from phytic acid upon the action of phytases. Phytases are phosphatases produced by animals, plants, and microorganisms, notably Aspergillus niger, and are employed as animal feed additive, in chemical industry and for ethanol production. Given the industrial relevance of phytases produced by filamentous fungi, this work discusses the functional characterization of fungal phytase-coding genes/proteins, highlighting the physicochemical parameters that govern the enzymatic activity, the development of phytase super-producing strains, and key features for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamy Lívia Ribeiro Corrêa
- Department of Microbiology/BIOAGRO, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs s/n, Vicosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil.
| | - Elza Fernandes de Araújo
- Department of Microbiology/BIOAGRO, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs s/n, Vicosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil
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Abstract
Most genomes within the species complex of Fusarium oxysporum are organized into two compartments: the core chromosomes (CCs) and accessory chromosomes (ACs). As opposed to CCs, which are conserved and vertically transmitted to carry out essential housekeeping functions, lineage- or strain-specific ACs are believed to be initially horizontally acquired through unclear mechanisms. These two genomic compartments are different in terms of gene density, the distribution of transposable elements, and epigenetic markers. Although common in eukaryotes, the functional importance of ACs is uniquely emphasized among fungal species, specifically in relationship to fungal pathogenicity and their adaptation to diverse hosts. With a focus on the cross-kingdom fungal pathogen F. oxysporum, this review provides a summary of the differences between CCs and ACs based on current knowledge of gene functions, genome structures, and epigenetic signatures, and explores the transcriptional crosstalk between the core and accessory genomes.
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Martins MP, Martinez-Rossi NM, Sanches PR, Rossi A. The PAC-3 transcription factor critically regulates phenotype-associated genes in Neurospora crassa. Genet Mol Biol 2020; 43:e20190374. [PMID: 32584919 PMCID: PMC7355564 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2019-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play an important role in fungal environmental adaptive process by promoting adjustment to challenging stimuli via gene modulation and activation of signaling networks. The transcription factor encoded by the pac-3/rim101/pacC gene is involved in pH regulation and is associated with a wide variety of cellular functions. The deletion of pac-3 affects fungal development. In Neurospora crassa, the Δpac-3 strain presents diminished aerial growth and reduced conidiation. However, the PAC-3-regulated genes associated with this altered phenotype have not been elucidated. In this study, we used RNA-seq to analyze the phenotypic plasticity induced after pac-3 deletion in the filamentous fungus N. crassa cultivated in media supplemented with sufficient or limited inorganic phosphate. Genes related to morphology, hyphal development, and conidiation were of particular interest in this study. Our results suggest a pac-3 dependency in gene regulation in a Pi-dependent manner. Furthermore, our analysis suggested that the fungus attempts to overcome the deletion effects in a Δpac-3 mutant through a complex combined regulatory mechanism. Finally, the modulatory responses observed in the Δpac-3 strain, a double mutant generated based on the Δmus-52 mutant strain, is strain-specific, highlighting that the phenotypic impact may be attributed to pac-3 absence despite the combined mus-52 deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maíra Pompeu Martins
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Genética, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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da Silva LG, Martins MP, Sanches PR, Peres NTDA, Martinez-Rossi NM, Rossi A. Saline stress affects the pH-dependent regulation of the transcription factor PacC in the dermatophyte Trichophyton interdigitale. Braz J Microbiol 2020; 51:1585-1591. [PMID: 32519213 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal growth and development depend on adaptation to the particular pH of their environment. Ambient pH sensing implies the activation of the pacC signaling pathway, which then acts as a critical regulator for different physiological conditions. The PacC transcription factor may also be associated with the control of salt stress tolerance. In a pH-dependent manner, salinity stress is surpassed by changes in gene expression and coordinated activation of other signaling pathways, thus permitting survival in the challenging environment. In this study, we assessed the regulatory role of Trichophyton interdigitale PacC in response to pH variation and salinity stress. By employing gene expression analysis, we evaluated the influence of PacC in the modulation of salt stress-related genes, including the transcription factors crz1, egr2, and the MAP kinase hog1 in the dermatophyte T. interdigitale. In our analysis, we also included the evaluation of a potassium/sodium efflux P-type ATPase aiming to identify the role of PacC on its ion pumping activity. Here we demonstrated that salinity stress and buffered pH conditions might affect the pacC gene modulation in the dermatophyte T. interdigitale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Gomes da Silva
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Maíra Pompeu Martins
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | | | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil.
| | - Antonio Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
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