Fungal biology and agriculture: revisiting the field

Plant pathology has made significant progress over the years, a process that involved overcoming a variety of conceptual and technological hurdles. Descriptive mycology and the advent of chemical plant-disease management have been followed by biochemical and physiological studies of fungi and their hosts. The later establishment of biochemical genetics along with the introduction of DNA-mediated transformation have set the stage for dissection of gene function and advances in our understanding of fungal cell biology and plant-fungus interactions. Currently, with the advent of high-throughput technologies, we have the capacity to acquire vast data sets that have direct relevance to the numerous subdisciplines within fungal biology and pathology. These data provide unique opportunities for basic research and for engineering solutions to important agricultural problems. However, we also are faced with the challenge of data organization and mining to analyze the relationships between fungal and plant genomes and to elucidate the physiological function of pertinent DNA sequences. We present our perspective of fungal biology and agriculture, including administrative and political challenges to plant protection research.

A protein kinase from Colletotrichum trifolii is induced by plant cutin and is required for appressorium formation

When certain phytopathogenic fungi contact plant surfaces, specialized infection structures (appressoria) are produced that facilitate penetration of the plant external barrier; the cuticle. Recognition of this hydrophobic host surface must be sensed by the fungus, initiating the appropriate signaling pathway or pathways for pathogenic development. Using polymerase chain reaction and primers designed from mammalian protein kinase C sequences (PKC), we have isolated, cloned, and characterized a protein kinase from Colletotrichum trifolii, causal agent of alfalfa anthracnose. Though sequence analysis indicated conserved sequences in mammalian PKC genes, we were unable to induce activity of the fungal protein using known activators of PKC. Instead, we show that the C. trifolii gene, designated LIPK (lipid-induced protein kinase) is induced specifically by purified plant cutin or long-chain fatty acids which are monomeric constituents of cutin. PKC inhibitors prevented appressorium formation and, to a lesser extent, spore germination. Overexpression of LIPK resulted in multiple, abnormally shaped appressoria. Gene replacement of lipk yielded strains which were unable to develop appressoria and were unable to infect intact host plant tissue. However, these mutants were able to colonize host tissue following artificial wounding, resulting in typical anthracnose lesions. Taken together, these data indicate a central role in triggering infection structure formation for this protein kinase, which is induced specifically by components of the plant cuticle. Thus, the fungus is able to sense and use host surface chemistry to induce a protein kinase-mediated pathway that is required for pathogenic development.

Abrogation of disease development in plants expressing animal antiapoptotic genes

An emerging topic in plant biology is whether plants display analogous elements of mammalian programmed cell death during development and defense against pathogen attack. In many plant-pathogen interactions, plant cell death occurs in both susceptible and resistant host responses. For example, specific recognition responses in plants trigger formation of the hypersensitive response and activation of host defense mechanisms, resulting in restriction of pathogen growth and disease development. Several studies indicate that cell death during hypersensitive response involves activation of a plant-encoded pathway for cell death. Many susceptible interactions also result in host cell death, although it is not clear how or if the host participates in this response. We have generated transgenic tobacco plants to express animal genes that negatively regulate apoptosis. Plants expressing human Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, nematode CED-9, or baculovirus Op-IAP transgenes conferred heritable resistance to several necrotrophic fungal pathogens, suggesting that disease development required host-cell death pathways. In addition, the transgenic tobacco plants displayed resistance to a necrogenic virus. Transgenic tobacco harboring Bcl-xl with a loss-of-function mutation did not protect against pathogen challenge. We also show that discrete DNA fragmentation (laddering) occurred in susceptible tobacco during fungal infection, but does not occur in transgenic-resistant plants. Our data indicate that in compatible plant-pathogen interactions apoptosis-like programmed cell death occurs. Further, these animal antiapoptotic genes function in plants and should be useful to delineate resistance pathways. These genes also have the potential to generate effective disease resistance in economically important crops.

Identification of differentially expressed genes following treatment of monkey kidney cells with the mycotoxin fumonisin B(1)

Fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) is a mycotoxin produced by the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium moniliforme, which structurally resembles sphingoid bases. FB(1) perturbs sphingolipid synthesis by inhibiting the activity of ceramide synthase. Depending on the host, ingestion of FB(1) causes equine leukoencephalomalacia or porcine pulmonary edema. It is also carcinogenic to rats and may play a role in certain human cancers. Previous studies showed that FB(1) repressed specific isoforms of protein kinase C and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) activity. Conversely, FB(1) induced expression of CDK inhibitors, p21(Waf1/Cip1), p27(Kip1), and p57(Kip2) in monkey kidney cells (CV-1). Consequently, FB(1) treatment of CV-1 cells leads to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. The baculovirus IAP gene (inhibitor of apoptosis), which blocks tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced apoptosis, protects several fibroblast cell types from apoptosis, suggesting the TNF pathway is important for FB(1)-induced apoptosis. To identify genes that are induced by FB(1), we used a PCR-based subtraction approach. Eight genes that showed high similarity (> 90%) to known mammalian genes were identified. These genes included: tumor necrosis factor type 1 receptor associated protein 2 (TRAP2), human leukemia virus receptor (GLVR1), human Scaffold attachment factor A (SAF-A) also called heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (hnRNP-U), human protein kinase C-binding protein (RACK7), human oligosaccharyl transferase STT3 subunit, mouse WW-domain binding protein 2 (WBP2), human fibronectin, and an unknown human clone. The ability of FB(1) to alter gene expression and signal transduction pathways may be necessary for its carcinogenic and toxic effects.

pH signaling in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: identification of a pacC/RIM1 homolog

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum acidifies its ambient environment by producing oxalic acid. This production of oxalic acid during plant infection has been implicated as a primary determinant of pathogenicity in this and other phytopathogenic fungi. We found that ambient pH conditions affect multiple processes in S. sclerotiorum. Exposure to increasing alkaline ambient pH increased the oxalic acid accumulation independent of carbon source, sclerotial development was favored by acidic ambient pH conditions but inhibited by neutral ambient pH, and transcripts encoding the endopolygalacturonase gene pg1 accumulated maximally under acidic culture conditions. We cloned a putative transcription factor-encoding gene, pac1, that may participate in a molecular signaling pathway for regulating gene expression in response to ambient pH. The three zinc finger domains of the predicted Pac1 protein are similar in sequence and organization to the zinc finger domains of the A. nidulans pH-responsive transcription factor PacC. The promoter of pac1 contains eight PacC consensus binding sites, suggesting that this gene, like its homologs, is autoregulated. Consistent with this suggestion, the accumulation of pac1 transcripts paralleled increases in ambient pH. Pac1 was determined to be a functional homolog of PacC by complementation of an A. nidulans pacC-null strain with pac1. Our results suggest that ambient pH is a regulatory cue for processes linked to pathogenicity, development, and virulence and that these processes may be under the molecular regulation of a conserved pH-dependent signaling pathway analogous to that in the nonpathogenic fungus A. nidulans.

Oxalic acid, a pathogenicity factor for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, suppresses the oxidative burst of the host plant

Effective pathogenesis by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum requires the secretion of oxalic acid. Studies were conducted to determine whether oxalate aids pathogen compatibility by modulating the oxidative burst of the host plant. Inoculation of tobacco leaves with an oxalate-deficient nonpathogenic mutant of S. sclerotiorum induced measurable oxidant biosynthesis, but inoculation with an oxalate-secreting strain did not. Oxalate inhibited production of H(2)O(2) in tobacco and soybean cultured cell lines with a median inhibitory concentration of approximately 4 to 5 mM, a concentration less than that measured in preparations of the virulent fungus. Several observations also indicate that the inhibitory effects of oxalate are largely independent of both its acidity and its affinity for Ca(2)+. These and other data demonstrate that oxalate may inhibit a signaling step positioned upstream of oxidase assembly/activation but downstream of Ca(2)+ fluxes into the plant cell cytosol.

Oxalic acid, a pathogenicity factor for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, suppresses the oxidative burst of the host plant

Effective pathogenesis by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum requires the secretion of oxalic acid. Studies were conducted to determine whether oxalate aids pathogen compatibility by modulating the oxidative burst of the host plant. Inoculation of tobacco leaves with an oxalate-deficient nonpathogenic mutant of S. sclerotiorum induced measurable oxidant biosynthesis, but inoculation with an oxalate-secreting strain did not. Oxalate inhibited production of H(2)O(2) in tobacco and soybean cultured cell lines with a median inhibitory concentration of approximately 4 to 5 mM, a concentration less than that measured in preparations of the virulent fungus. Several observations also indicate that the inhibitory effects of oxalate are largely independent of both its acidity and its affinity for Ca(2)+. These and other data demonstrate that oxalate may inhibit a signaling step positioned upstream of oxidase assembly/activation but downstream of Ca(2)+ fluxes into the plant cell cytosol.

Antisense expression of the calmodulin gene from Colletotrichum trifolii impairs prepenetration development(1)

Calmodulin is a ubiquitous highly conserved calcium binding protein involved in cell signalling. Previous studies in our laboratory suggested a role for calmodulin in prepenetration morphogenesis in Colletotrichum trifolii, the causal agent of alfalfa anthracnose. In this report, we describe the cloning, sequencing and partial characterization of the calmodulin gene from C. trifolii. The gene is present as a single copy in the genome of C. trifolii and its predicted amino acid sequence shows considerable homology to other fungal calmodulins. The gene is most highly expressed during conidial germination and appressorial development. Using a Neurospora crassa inducible promoter driving the calmodulin gene in antisense orientation, transformants were obtained with constitutive levels of antisense calmodulin expression. Upon induction, transformants did not develop appressoria and were not pathogenic on alfalfa plants.

A Ras protein from a phytopathogenic fungus causes defects in hyphal growth polarity, and induces tumors in mice

Ras is a low-molecular-weight guanine nucleotide (GDP/GTP)-binding protein that transduces signals for growth and differentiation in eukaryotes. In mammals, the importance of Ras in regulating growth is underscored by the observation that activating mutations in ras genes are found in many animal tumors. Colletorichum trifolii is a filamentous fungal pathogen of alfalfa which causes anthracnose disease. To investigate signaling pathways that regulate growth and development in this fungus, a gene encoding a Ras homolog (CT-Ras) was cloned from C. trifolii. CT-Ras exhibited extensive amino acid similarity to Ras proteins from higher and lower eukaryotes. A single amino acid change resulting in mutationally activated CT-Ras induced cellular transformation of mouse (NIH 3T3) fibroblasts and tumor formation in nu/nu mice. In Colletotrichum, mutationally activated CT-Ras induced abnormal hyphal proliferation and defects in polarized growth, and significantly reduced differentiation in a nutrient-dependent manner. These results show that C. trifolii Ras is a functional growth regulator in both mammals and fungi, and demonstrate that proper regulation of Ras is required for normal fungal growth and development.

Colletotrichum trifolii mutants disrupted in the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase are nonpathogenic

Colletotrichum trifolii is the fungal pathogen of alfalfa that causes anthracnose disease. For successful plant infection, this fungus must undergo a series of morphological transitions following conidial attachment, including germination and subsequent differentiation, resulting in appressorium formation. Our previous studies with pharmacological effectors of signaling pathways have suggested the involvement of cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) during these processes. To more precisely evaluate the role of PKA in C. trifolii morphogenesis, the gene encoding the catalytic (C) subunit of PKA (Ct-PKAC) was isolated, sequenced, and inactivated by gene replacement. Southern blot analysis with C. trifolii genomic DNA suggested that Ct-PKAC is a single-copy gene. Northern (RNA) blot analysis with total RNA from different fungal growth stages indicated that the expression of this gene was developmentally regulated. When Ct-PKAC was insertionally inactivated by gene replacement, the transformants showed a small reduction in growth relative to the wild type and conidiation patterns were altered. Importantly, PKA-deficient strains were unable to infect intact alfalfa (host) plants, though only a slight delay was observed in the timing for conidial germination and appressorial formation in the Ct-PKAC disruption mutants. Moreover, these mutants were able to colonize host tissues following artificial wounding, resulting in typical anthracnose disease lesions. Coupled with microscopy, these data suggest that the defect in pathogenicity is likely due to a failure in penetration. Our results demonstrate that PKA has an important role in regulating the transition between vegetative growth and conidiation, and is essential for pathogenic development in C. trifolii.

The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 transcriptionally activates the p21 promoter through a cis-acting element containing two Sp1 binding sites

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a food-borne mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliforme. Structurally FB1 resembles sphingoid bases, and ingestion of FB1 causes several animal diseases. FB1 will cause hepatic carcinoma in rats and is implicated as a cofactor in esophageal or hepatic carcinoma. Previous studies concluded that FB1 repressed cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) activity but induced CDK inhibitors p21(Waf1/Cip1), p27(Kip1), and p57(Kip2) in monkey kidney cells (CV-1). In contrast, CV-1 cells transformed by simian virus 40 are resistant to the antiproliferative or apoptotic effects of FB1. Consequently, FB1 treatment of CV-1 cells leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In this study, we demonstrate that FB1 transcriptionally activates the p21 promoter. Functional analysis of the p21 promoter by reporter gene assays mapped the FB1-responsive region to -124 to -47. DNase I footprinting analysis revealed two protected motifs that span the FB1-responsive region, -124 to -101 (footprint II) and -89 to -67 (footprint III). Further studies demonstrated that DNA sequences from -124 to -101 were sufficient for FB1 stimulation. DNA sequences from -124 to -101 contain two Sp1 binding sites, and gel shift assays provided evidence that nuclear factors specifically bind to this region. Disruption of the two Sp1 binding sites abrogated the binding of nuclear proteins and prevented activation by FB1. Taken together, these results suggest that Sp1 or Sp1-related proteins mediate FB1-induced activation of the p21 promoter.

Molecular cloning and characterization of Ct-PKAR, a gene encoding the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in Colletotrichum trifolii

Colletotrichum trifolii is a plant pathogenic fungus causing alfalfa anthracnose. Prepenetration development, including conidial germination and appressorial formation, are requisite for successful infection. Pharmacological data from our laboratory indicated a role for a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway during these early morphogenic transitions. Thus, the cloning and characterization of the genes for PKA catalytic and regulatory subunits were undertaken to more precisely determine the function of PKA during C. trifolii pathogenic growth and development. In this report, the cloning, sequencing, and partial characterization of the gene encoding the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Ct-PKAR) is described. An open reading frame of 1,212 bp containing 404 predicted amino acid residues was identified. Database analysis revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence of Ct-PKAR shares considerable similarity with that of PKA regulatory subunits in other organisms, particularly in the conserved regions. Furthermore, the Ct-PKAR protein is classified as a type II regulatory subunit based on the presence of the hall-mark autophosphorylation site. Southern blot analysis indicated that Ct-PKAR is a single-copy gene. Northern blot analysis showed that the expression of Ct-PKAR is developmentally regulated. Ct-PKAR was shown to be a functional regulatory subunit of PKA by complementating the Neurospora crassa mcb mutant, which has a temperature-sensitive mutation in the regulatory subunit of PKA.

Serine/threonine protein kinases and phosphatases in filamentious fungi

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are one of the central currencies by which living cells perceive and respond to environmental cues. A number of fundamental processes in fungi such as the cell cycle, transcription, and mating have been shown to require protein phosphorylation. The analysis of protein kinases and phosphatases in filamentous fungi is in its infancy; however, it has already become clear that kinases and phosphatases are likely to be important mediators of fungal proliferation and development as well as signal transduction and infection-related morphogenesis. In this review, we describe, summarize, and consider the rapidly expanding field of protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in various aspects of filamentous fungal growth and development.

Gene Expression Analysis during Conidial Germ Tube and Appressorium Development in Colletotrichum trifolii

Preinfection development in Colletotrichum spp. exhibits three morphologies (conidia, germ tubes, and appressoria) and is directed by a complex interplay of environmental signals. Germ tube morphogenesis for Colletotrichum trifolii and the related fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene was shown to be partially dependent on a balance between self-germination inhibitors and environmental nutrients or cutin. The degree of responsiveness to these environmental signals was strikingly different between the two fungal species. A solid contact surface stimulated germ tube morphogenesis and was the only apparent requirement for appressorium morphogenesis in both fungi. A population of C. trifolii conidia was incubated on a solid surface in the presence of cutin to stimulate nearly synchronous preinfection morphogenesis for gene expression analysis. RNA analysis of signal-transducing genes from C. trifolii, including genes for a serine-threonine kinase (TB3), calmodulin, and protein kinase C, showed that maximum transcription of all three genes occurred in conidia prior to or during germ tube morphogenesis. Transcription of melanin biosynthetic genes THR1 and SCD1 (Y. Kubo, Y. Takano, and I. Furusawa, Colletotrichum Newsl. II:5-10, 1996; N. S. Perpetua, Y. Kubo, N. Yasuda, Y. Takano, and I. Furusawa, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 9:323-329, 1996) was highest prior to and during appressorium morphogenesis.

Isolation of pathogen/stress-inducible cDNAs from alfalfa by mRNA differential display

Differential display of mRNA was used to isolate a full-length (SRG1) and a partial (SRG2) alfalfa cDNA induced during infection with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum trifolii. The deduced amino acid sequences are similar to each other and resemble plant defense-related proteins and tree pollen allergens. SRG1 is a member of a gene family in alfalfa, which may also include the putative defense-related gene PR10. Unlike many defense-related genes described in similar systems, expression of SRG1-like genes does not correlate with resistance to C. trifolii. We speculate SRG1 is induced in response to plant stress.

Isolation of a beta-tubulin gene from Fusarium moniliforme that confers cold-sensitive benomyl resistance

A beta-tubulin gene from a UV-irradiated benomyl-resistant mutant of Fusarium moniliforme was isolated, cloned, and sequenced. The gene encodes a 446-amino-acid polypeptide with homology to other fungal beta-tubulins. RNA blot analysis showed expression of the gene during vegetative growth and conidial germination but no expression during conidiation. A point mutation, which likely confers benomyl resistance, has been identified in the cloned gene; this mutation results in a single amino acid substitution of asparagine for tyrosine at position 50. Expression of benomyl resistance in the mutant was also cold sensitive. Sexual crosses betweeen the mutant and a wild-type strain indicated cosegregation of benomyl resistance and cold sensitivity.

A kinase-encoding gene from Colletotrichum trifolii complements a colonial growth mutant of Neurospora crassa

Colletotrichum trifolii is a fungal pathogen which is responsible for anthracnose disease of alfalfa. To initiate research on molecular communication in this fungus, a kinase-encoding gene (TB3) and the corresponding cDNA were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of TB3 closely resembles that of a Neurospora crassa serine/threonine protein kinase, COT1, required for hyphal elongation and branching. The C-terminal catalytic domains of TB3 and COT1 are highly conserved but the N-terminal regions are divergent, particularly in the homopolymeric glutamine repeats of TB3. Northern analysis indicated that TB3 expression was highest 1 h after inducing conidial germination and 1 h before germ tubes were first observed. Expression of TB3 transcripts returned to constitutive levels by 4 h after induction of germination. TB3 complemented the cot-I mutant of Neurospora crassa, demonstrating the functional conservation of this kinase between a pathogenic and a saprophytic fungus.

Fumonisins and Alternaria alternata lycopersici toxins: sphinganine analog mycotoxins induce apoptosis in monkey kidney cells

Fusarium moniliforme toxins (fumonisins) and Alternaria alternata lycopersici (AAL) toxins are members of a new class of sphinganine analog mycotoxins that occur widely in the food chain. These mycotoxins represent a serious threat to human and animal health, inducing both cell death and neoplastic events in mammals. The mechanisms by which this family of chemical congeners induce changes in cell homeostasis were investigated in African green monkey kidney cells (CV-1) by assessing the appearance of apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and putative components of signal transduction pathways involved in apoptosis. Structurally, these mycotoxins resemble the sphingoid bases, sphingosine and sphinganine, that are reported to play critical roles in cell communication and signal transduction. The addition of fumonisin B1 or AAL toxin, TA, to CV-1 cells induced the stereotypical hallmarks of apoptosis, including the formation of DNA ladders, compaction of nuclear DNA, and the subsequent appearance of apoptotic bodies. Neither mycotoxin induced cell death, DNA ladders, or apoptotic bodies in CV-1 cells expressing simian virus 40 large T antigen (COS-7) at toxin concentrations that readily killed CV-1 cells. Fumonisin B1 induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in CV-1 cells but not in COS-7 cells. AAL toxin TA did not arrest cell cycle progression in either cell line. The induction of apoptosis combined with the widespread presence of these compounds in food crops and animal feed identifies a previously unrecognized health risk to humans and livestock. These molecules also represent a new class of natural toxicants that can be used as model compounds to further characterize the molecular and biochemical pathways leading to apoptosis.

Chemistry and biological activity of AAL toxins

AAL toxins and fumonisins comprise a family of highly reactive, chemically related mycotoxins that disrupt cellular homeostasis in both plant and animal tissues. Two critical issues to resolve are the detection of the entire family in food matricies and the mode of cellular disruption. Analysis of the entire set of chemical congeners in food matrices is difficult but has been achieved by a combination of different HPLC and mass spectrometry strategies. The mode of cellular disruption is unknown but likely involves changes associated with the inhibition of ceramide synthase in both plants and animals. Toxin treated cells exhibit morphological and biochemical changes characteristic of apoptosis. Further evaluation of the specific genetic and biochemical changes that occur during toxin-induced cell death may aid in understanding the mole of the action of these mycotoxins.

Effects of Calcium and Calmodulin on Spore Germination and Appressorium Development in Colletotrichum trifolii

Spore germination and appressorium formation are important steps in the process of fungal development and pathogenesis. These prepenetration events, which begin with spore attachment and culminate with appressorium maturation, a common scheme for many pathogenic fungi, are prerequisites for penetration of host external barriers and subsequent colonization. Conditions for in vitro spore germination and appressorium development in Colletotrichum trifolii are described. In addition, effects of Ca(sup2+) and calmodulin on these processes have been examined. Results indicate that, as for other pathogenic fungi, appressorium development is induced on a hard surface. The data suggest that disturbance of calcium homeostasis, by ethylene-bis(oxy-ethylenenitrolo)tetraacetic acid (EGTA) or calcium channel blockers, impairs appressorium development. Moreover, calmodulin inhibitors affect both germination and differentiation, implying that the Ca(sup2+)/calmodulin signal transduction pathway is important in the early development of C. trifolii on the plant host surface.

Isolation, characterization, and expression of a second beta-tubulin-encoding gene from Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene is a fungal plant pathogen of Aeschynomene virginica. A beta-tubulin-encoding gene (TUB2) from this pathogen was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of TUB2 had a high degree of homology to other fungal beta-tubulins. A portion of TUB2 from a benomyl-resistant C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene mutant was also cloned and sequenced. A point mutation resulting in a glutamic acid-to-lysine substitution at amino acid 198 likely confers benomyl resistance. The mutation is relevant for use as a selectable marker in developing a gene transfer system in C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene. Northern (RNA) hybridizations with C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene TUB2 and another C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene beta-tubulin-encoding gene (TUB1) as probes showed differential expression of these genes in different cell types.

Isolation and characterization of a beta-tubulin-encoding gene from Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (C.g.a.) is a fungal pathogen of legumes and is used as a commercial mycoherbicide for rice and soybeans. As an initial study to potentially improve the utility of this fungus and develop a gene transfer system, a beta-tubulin (beta Tub)-encoding gene (TUB1) was isolated, cloned and sequenced. The coding sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of the C.g.a. TUB1 gene was highly homologous to the TUB1 gene of Colletotrichum graminicola. Southern hybridizations, using the C.g.a. TUB1 and C. graminicola TUB2 genes as probes, suggest that C.g.a. contains two TUB genes. Variation in both the restriction pattern and the number of TUB genes present in different formae specialis of C. gloeosporioides was evident. These observations are relevant for assessing relationships among formae specialis of C. gloeosporioides.

The regulatory gene nit-2 of Neurospora crassa complements a nnu mutant of Gibberella zeae (Fusarium graminearum)

The nnu mutant of Gibberella zeae (=Fusarium graminearum) is unable to catabolize many of the nitrogen sources utilized by its wild-type parent, and may have suffered a mutation in the major nitrogen regulatory locus. Transformation of this mutant with the major nitrogen regulatory gene from Neurospora crassa, nit-2, restored the wild-type phenotype, thus confirming that the nnu mutation is in the major nitrogen regulatory locus of G. zeae. Our results are consistent with the premise of conservation of the structure of regulatory factors and suggest the possibility that functional DNA homologues of this regulatory element occur across a broad range of ascomycetous fungi.

Fate of DNA encoding hygromycin resistance after meiosis in transformed strains of Gibberella fujikuroi (Fusarium moniliforme)

Stability of foreign DNA transformed into a novel host is an important parameter in decisions to permit the release of genetically engineered microorganisms into the environment. Meiotic instability of transformed DNA has been reported in fungi such as Ascobolus, Aspergillus, and Neurospora. We used strains of Gibberella fujikuroi (Fusarium moniliforme) transformed with the hygr gene from Escherichia coli to study meiotic stability of foreign DNA in this plant pathogenic fungus. Crosses with single-copy transformants segregated hygr:hygs in a 1:1 manner consistent with that expected for a Mendelian locus in a haploid organism. Multicopy transformants, however, segregated hygr:hygs in a 1:2 manner that was not consistent with Mendelian expectations for a chromosomal marker, even though two unrelated auxotrophic nuclear genes were segregating normally. Segregation ratios in crosses in which hygr was introduced via the male parent did not differ significantly from crosses in which the transformed strain served as the female parent. Some of the sensitive progeny from the crosses with the multicopy transformants carried hygr sequences. When these phenotypically sensitive progeny were crossed with a wild-type strain that carried no hygr sequences, some of the progeny were phenotypically hygr. Some progeny from some crosses were more resistant to hygromycin than were their sibs or the transformant strains that served as their parents. Transformants passaged through a maize plant only rarely segregated progeny with the high levels of resistance. The mechanism underlying these genetic instabilities is not clear but may involve unequal crossing over or methylation or both. Further work with cloned genes with homology to sequences already present in the Fusarium genome is warranted.

Use of molecular markers for monitoring fungi involved in stalk rot of corn

Separate genes conferring antibiotic drag resistance have been inserted into Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium moniliforme. These organisms are associated with stalk rot of corn, a disease of uncertain cause. Antibiotic resistant fungi were obtained by developing a gene transfer system using whole cells as recipients for DNA. Hygromycin B and benomyl-resistant colonies were isolated by treating fungal tissue with lithium acetate and adding plasmid vectors containing the respective genes which give drug resistance. The DNA was stably integrated into the fungal chromosome. Following plant inoculation, disease symptoms developed and the isolates were recovered on selective medium. In each case, these fungi retained the transformed phenotype, although extensive rearrangements and/or deletions occurred. Specific molecular tagging allows detailed studies of this interaction and should be of general use in situations involving complex multiple pathogen diseases.

Structure of the cutinase gene and detection of promoter activity in the 5'-flanking region by fungal transformation

The cutinase gene from Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi (Nectria hematococa) was cloned and sequenced. Sau3A fragments of genomic DNA from the fungus were cloned in a lambda Charon 35 vector. When restriction fragments generated from the inserts were screened with 5' and 3' probes from cutinase cDNA, a 5.5-kilobase SstI fragment hybridized with both probes, suggesting the presence of the entire cutinase gene. A 2,818-base pair segment was sequenced, revealing a 690-nucleotide open reading frame that was identical to that found in the cutinase cDNA with a single 51-base pair intron. Transformation vectors were constructed containing a promoterless gene for hygromycin resistance, which was translationally fused to flanking sequences of the cutinase gene. When protoplasts and mycelia were transformed with these vectors, hygromycin-resistant transformants were obtained. Successful transformation was assessed by Southern blot analysis by using radiolabeled probes for the hygromycin resistance gene and the putative promoter. The results of Southern blot analysis indicated that the plasmid had integrated into the Fusarium genome and that the antibiotic resistance was a manifestation of the promoter activity of the cutinase flanking sequences. Transformation of Colletotrichum capsici with the same construct confirmed the promoter activity of the flanking region and the integration of the foreign DNA. Transformation and deletion analysis showed that promoter activity resided within the 360 nucleotides immediately 5' to the cutinase initiation codon.