FgSKN7 and FgATF1 have overlapping functions in ascosporogenesis, pathogenesis and stress responses in Fusarium graminearum. (7th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiang, Cong; Zhang, Shijie; Zhang, Qiang; Tao, Yin; Wang, Chenfang; Xu, Jin‐Rong
• Is Part Of: Environmental microbiology. Volume 17:Number 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 1245
• Page End: 1260
• Publication Date: 2014-08-07
• Subjects: Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12561
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-2912

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Fusarium head blight caused by <italic>F</italic><italic>usarium graminearum</italic> is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat and barley. Deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by the pathogen is an important mycotoxins and virulence factor. Because oxidative burst is a common defense response and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces DON production, in this study, we characterized functional relationships of three stress‐related transcription factor genes <italic>FgAP</italic><italic>1</italic>, <italic>FgATF</italic><italic>1</italic> and <italic>FgSKN</italic><italic>7.</italic> Although all of them played a role in tolerance to oxidative stress, deletion of <italic>FgAP</italic><italic>1</italic> or <italic>FgATF</italic><italic>1</italic> had no significant effect on DON production. In contrast, <italic>F</italic><italic>gskn7</italic> mutants were reduced in DON production and defective in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>‐induced <italic>TRI</italic> gene expression. The <italic>F</italic><italic>gap1</italic> mutant had no detectable phenotype other than increased sensitivity to H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and <italic>F</italic><italic>gap1</italic> <italic>F</italic><italic>gatf1</italic> and <italic>F</italic><italic>gap1</italic> <italic>F</italic><italic>gskn7</italic> mutants lacked additional or more severe phenotypes than the single mutants. The <italic>F</italic><italic>gatf1</italic>, but not <italic>F</italic><italic>gskn7</italic>, mutant was significantly reduced in virulence and delayed in ascospore release. The <italic>F</italic><italic>gskn7</italic> <italic>F</italic><italic>gatf1</italic> double mutant had more severe defects in growth, conidiation and virulence than the <italic>F</italic><italic>gatf1</italic> or <italic>F</italic><italic>gskn7</italic> mutant. Instead of producing four‐celled ascospores, it formed eight small, single‐celled ascospores in each ascus. Therefore, <italic>FgSKN</italic><italic>7</italic> and <italic>FgATF</italic><italic>1</italic> must have overlapping functions in intracellular ROS signalling for growth, development and pathogenesis in <italic>F</italic><italic>. graminearum</italic>.</p> </abstract>