Chitin synthase gene FgCHS8 affects virulence and fungal cell wall sensitivity to environmental stress in Fusarium graminearum. Issue 5 (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Ya-Zhou; Chen, Qing; Liu, Cai-Hong; Liu, Yu-Bin; Yi, Pan; Niu, Ke-Xin; Wang, Yan-Qing; Wang, An-Qi; Yu, Hai-Yue; Pu, Zhi-En; Jiang, Qian-Tao; Wei, Yu-Ming; Qi, Peng-Fei; Zheng, You-Liang
• Is Part Of: Fungal biology. Volume 120:Issue 5(2016:May)
• Page Start: 764
• Page End: 774
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Fusarium head blight -- Mycotoxin -- Pathogenicity -- Salicylic acid -- Wheat; FHB Fusarium head blight -- DON deoxynivalenol -- 3ADON 3-acetyled derivative deoxynivalenol -- 15ADON 15-acetyled derivative deoxynivalenol -- 4ANIV 4-acetyled derivative nivalenol -- CHS chitin synthase -- SA salicylic acid -- mSNA modified Synthetischer Nährstoffarmer Agar -- CMC carboxymethyl cellulose -- PDA potato dextrose agar -- YEB yeast extract broth -- LB Left Border -- RB Right Border -- GFP green fluorescent protein -- HPH hygromycin B resistance gene -- RT-PCR reverse-transcription PCR -- GYEP glucose yeast extract peptone medium -- WT wild-type isolate; Mycology -- Periodicals; Fungi -- Periodicals; 579.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2016.02.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1878-6146

Abstract

Abstract: Fusarium graminearum is the major causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and barley and is considered to be one of the most devastating plant diseases worldwide. Chitin is a critical component of the fungal cell wall and is polymerized from UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosamine by chitin synthase. We characterized FgCHS8, a new class of the chitin synthase gene in F. graminearum . Disruption of FgCHS8 resulted in reduced accumulation of chitin, decreased chitin synthase activity, and had no effect on conidia growth when compared with the wild-type isolate. Δ FgCHS8 had a growth rate comparable to that of the wild-type isolate in vitro . However, Δ FgCHS8 had reduced growth when grown on agar supplemented with either 0.025% SDS or 0.9 mM salicylic acid. Δ FgCHS8 produced significantly less deoxynivalenol and exhibited reduced pathogenicity in wheat spikes. Re-introduction of a functional FgCHS8 gene into the Δ FgCHS8 mutant strain restored the wild-type phenotypes. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that FgCHS8 protein was initially expressed in the septa zone, and then gradually distributed over the entire cellular membrane, indicating that FgCHS8 was required for cell wall development. Our results demonstrated that FgCHS8 is important for cell wall sensitivity to environmental stress factors and deoxynivalenol production in F. graminearum . Highlights: FgCHS8 have chitin synthase activity and regulates the accumulation of chitin. FgCHS8 does not affect spore production. FgCHS8 is strongly expressed in the septa zone. FgCHS8 is important for cell wall sensitivity to environmental stress factors, pathogenicity, and deoxynivalenol production. The mutant phenotypes were restored by the wild type FgCHS8 gene.