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Lv L, Yang C, Zhang X, Chen T, Luo M, Yu G, Chen Q. Autophagy-related protein PlATG2 regulates the vegetative growth, sporangial cleavage, autophagosome formation, and pathogenicity of peronophythora litchii. Virulence 2024; 15:2322183. [PMID: 38438325 PMCID: PMC10913709 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2322183] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that is important for the development and pathogenicity of phytopathogenic fungi and for the defence response of plants. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying autophagy in the pathogenicity of the plant pathogenic oomycete Peronophythora litchii, the causal agent of litchi downy blight, have not been well characterized. In this study, the autophagy-related protein ATG2 homolog, PlATG2, was identified and characterized using a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene replacement strategy in P. litchii. A monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining assay indicated that deletion of PlATG2 abolished autophagosome formation. Infection assays demonstrated that ΔPlatg2 mutants showed significantly impaired pathogenicity in litchi leaves and fruits. Further studies have revealed that PlATG2 participates in radial growth and asexual/sexual development of P. litchii. Moreover, zoospore release and cytoplasmic cleavage of sporangia were considerably lower in the ΔPlatg2 mutants than in the wild-type strain by FM4-64 staining. Taken together, our results revealed that PlATG2 plays a pivotal role in vegetative growth, sporangia and oospore production, zoospore release, sporangial cleavage, and plant infection of P. litchii. This study advances our understanding of the pathogenicity mechanisms of the phytopathogenic oomycete P. litchii and is conducive to the development of effective control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lv
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Chengdong Yang
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Taixu Chen
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Manfei Luo
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Ge Yu
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Qinghe Chen
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, College of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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Yu G, Li W, Yang C, Zhang X, Luo M, Chen T, Wang X, Wang R, Chen Q. PlAtg8-mediated autophagy regulates vegetative growth, sporangial cleavage, and pathogenesis in Peronophythora litchii. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0353123. [PMID: 38084976 PMCID: PMC10783124 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03531-23] [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: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Peronophythora litchii is the pathogen of litchi downy blight, which is the most serious disease in litchi. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process in eukaryotes. Atg8 is a core protein of the autophagic pathway, which modulates growth and pathogenicity in the oomycete P. litchii. In P. litchii, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the PlATG8 impaired autophagosome formation. PlATG8 knockout mutants exhibited attenuated colony expansion, sporangia production, zoospore discharge, and virulence on litchi leaves and fruits. The reduction in zoospore release was likely underpinned by impaired sporangial cleavage. Thus, in addition to governing autophagic flux, PlAtg8 is indispensable for vegetative growth and infection of P. litchii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Yu
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Wenqiang Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Monitoring and Integrated Management of Crop Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chengdong Yang
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Manfei Luo
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Taixu Chen
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xuejian Wang
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rongbo Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory for Monitoring and Integrated Management of Crop Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qinghe Chen
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control of Tropical Plant Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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Situ J, Xi P, Lin L, Huang W, Song Y, Jiang Z, Kong G. Signal and regulatory mechanisms involved in spore development of Phytophthora and Peronophythora. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:984672. [PMID: 36160220 PMCID: PMC9500583 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.984672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oomycetes cause hundreds of destructive plant diseases, threatening agricultural production and food security. These fungus-like eukaryotes show multiple sporulation pattern including the production of sporangium, zoospore, chlamydospore and oospore, which are critical for their survival, dispersal and infection on hosts. Recently, genomic and genetic technologies have greatly promoted the study of molecular mechanism of sporulation in the genus Phytophthora and Peronophythora. In this paper, we characterize the types of asexual and sexual spores and review latest progress of these two genera. We summarize the genes encoding G protein, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, transcription factors, RNA-binding protein, autophagy-related proteins and so on, which function in the processes of sporangium production and cleavage, zoospore behaviors and oospore formation. Meanwhile, various molecular, chemical and electrical stimuli in zoospore behaviors are also discussed. Finally, with the molecular mechanism of sporulation in Phytophthora and Peronophythora is gradually being revealed, we propose some thoughts for the further research and provide the alternative strategy for plant protection against phytopathogenic oomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjian Situ
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pinggen Xi
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Long Lin
- Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weixiong Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Song
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zide Jiang
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanghui Kong
- Department of Plant Pathology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Guanghui Kong,
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Nekrakalaya B, Arefian M, Kotimoole CN, Krishna RM, Palliyath GK, Najar MA, Behera SK, Kasaragod S, Santhappan P, Hegde V, Prasad TSK. Towards Phytopathogen Diagnostics? Coconut Bud Rot Pathogen Phytophthora palmivora Mycelial Proteome Analysis Informs Genome Annotation. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2022; 26:189-203. [PMID: 35353641 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2021.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Planetary agriculture stands to benefit immensely from phytopathogen diagnostics, which would enable early detection of pathogens with harmful effects on crops. For example, Phytophthora palmivora is one of the most destructive phytopathogens affecting many economically important tropical crops such as coconut. P. palmivora causes diseases in over 200 host plants, and notably, the bud rot disease in coconut and oil palm, which is often lethal because it is usually detected at advanced stages of infection. Limited availability of large-scale omics datasets for P. palmivora is an important barrier for progress toward phytopathogen diagnostics. We report here the mycelial proteome of P. palmivora using high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis. We identified 8073 proteins in the mycelium. Gene Ontology-based functional classification of detected proteins revealed 4884, 4981, and 3044 proteins, respectively, with roles in biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular components. Proteins such as P-loop, NTPase, and WD40 domains with key roles in signal transduction pathways were identified. KEGG pathway analysis annotated 2467 proteins to various signaling pathways, such as phosphatidylinositol, Ca2+, and mitogen-activated protein kinase, and autophagy and cell cycle. These molecular substrates might possess vital roles in filamentous growth, sporangia formation, degradation of damaged cellular content, and recycling of nutrients in P. palmivora. This large-scale proteomics data and analyses pave the way for new insights on biology, genome annotation, and vegetative growth of the important plant pathogen P. palmivora. They also can help accelerate research on future phytopathogen diagnostics and preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhagya Nekrakalaya
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Mohammad Arefian
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Chinmaya Narayana Kotimoole
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | | | | | - Mohammad Altaf Najar
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Behera
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Sandeep Kasaragod
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | | | - Vinayaka Hegde
- ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, India
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A C 2H 2 Zinc Finger Protein PlCZF1 Is Necessary for Oospore Development and Virulence in Peronophythora litchii. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052733. [PMID: 35269874 PMCID: PMC8910974 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
C2H2 zinc finger is one of the most common motifs found in the transcription factors (TFs) in eukaryotes organisms, which have a broad range of functions, such as regulation of growth and development, stress tolerance and pathogenicity. Here, PlCZF1 was identified to encode a C2H2 zinc finger in the litchi downy blight pathogen Peronophythora litchii. PlCZF1 is conserved in P. litchii and Phytophthora species. In P. litchii, PlCZF1 is highly expressed in sexual developmental and early infection stages. We generated Δplczf1 mutants using the CRISPR/Cas9 method. Compared with the wild type, the Δplczf1 mutants showed no significant difference in vegetative growth and asexual reproduction, but were defective in oospore development and virulence. Further experiments revealed that the transcription of PlM90, PlLLP and three laccase encoding genes were down-regulated in the Δplczf1 mutant. Our results demonstrated that PlCZF1 is a vital regulator for sexual development and pathogenesis in P. litchii.
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Autophagy-Related Gene PlATG6a Is Involved in Mycelial Growth, Asexual Reproduction and Tolerance to Salt and Oxidative Stresses in Peronophythora litchii. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031839. [PMID: 35163762 PMCID: PMC8836449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031839] [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] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is ubiquitously present in eukaryotes. During this process, intracellular proteins and some waste organelles are transported into lysosomes or vacuoles for degradation, which can be reused by the cell to guarantee normal cellular metabolism. However, the function of autophagy-related (ATG) proteins in oomycetes is rarely known. In this study, we identified an autophagy-related gene, PlATG6a, encoding a 514-amino-acid protein in Peronophythora litchii, which is the most destructive pathogen of litchi. The transcriptional level of PlATG6a was relatively higher in mycelium, sporangia, zoospores and cysts. We generated PlATG6a knockout mutants using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The P. litchii Δplatg6a mutants were significantly impaired in autophagy and vegetative growth. We further found that the Δplatg6a mutants displayed decreased branches of sporangiophore, leading to impaired sporangium production. PlATG6a is also involved in resistance to oxidative and salt stresses, but not in sexual reproduction. The transcription of peroxidase-encoding genes was down-regulated in Δplatg6a mutants, which is likely responsible for hypersensitivity to oxidative stress. Compared with the wild-type strain, the Δplatg6a mutants showed reduced virulence when inoculated on the litchi leaves using mycelia plugs. Overall, these results suggest a critical role for PlATG6a in autophagy, vegetative growth, sporangium production, sporangiophore development, zoospore release, pathogenesis and tolerance to salt and oxidative stresses in P. litchii.
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Li W, Li P, Zhou X, Situ J, Lin Y, Qiu J, Yuan Y, Xi P, Jiang Z, Kong G. A Cytochrome B 5-Like Heme/Steroid Binding Domain Protein, PlCB5L1, Regulates Mycelial Growth, Pathogenicity and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Peronophythora litchii. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:783438. [PMID: 34899811 PMCID: PMC8655872 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.783438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As an electron transport component, cytochrome b5 is an essential component of the Class II cytochrome P450 monooxygenation system and widely present in animals, plants, and fungi. However, the roles of Cyt-b5 domain proteins in pathogenic oomycetes remain unknown. Peronophythora litchii is an oomycete pathogen that causes litchi downy blight, the most destructive disease of litchi. In this study, we identified a gene, designated PlCB5L1, that encodes a Cyt-b5 domain protein in P. litchii, and characterized its function. PlCB5L1 is highly expressed in the zoospores, cysts, germinated cysts, and during early stages of infection. PlCB5L1 knockout mutants showed reduced growth rate and β-sitosterol utilization. Importantly, we also found that PlCB5L1 is required for the full pathogenicity of P. litchii. Compared with the wild-type strain, the PlCB5L1 mutants exhibited significantly higher tolerance to SDS and sorbitol, but impaired tolerance to cell wall stress, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress. Further, the expression of genes involved in oxidative stress tolerance, including peroxidase, cytochrome P450, and laccase genes, were down-regulated in PlCB5L1 mutants under oxidative stress. This is the first report that a Cyt-b5 domain protein contributes to the development, stress response, and pathogenicity in plant pathogenic oomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junjian Situ
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiming Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahui Qiu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuling Yuan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pinggen Xi
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zide Jiang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanghui Kong
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Department of Plant Pathology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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