title: A two-component histidine kinase Shk1 controls stress response, sclerotial formation and fungicide resistance in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
abstract: Fungal histidine kinases (HKs) are involved in osmotic and oxidative stress responses, hyphal development, fungicide sensitivity and virulence. Members of HK class III are known to signal through the high-osmolarity glycerol mitogen-activated protein kinase (HOG MAPK). In this study, we characterized the Shk1 gene (SS1G_12694.3), which encodes a putative class III HK, from the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Disruption of Shk1 resulted in resistance to phenylpyrrole and dicarboximide fungicides and increased sensitivity to hyperosmotic stress and H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress. The Shk1 mutant showed a significant reduction in vegetative hyphal growth and was unable to produce sclerotia. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR and glycerol determination assays showed that the expression of SsHOG1 (the last kinase of the Hog pathway) and glycerol accumulation were regulated by the Shk1 gene, but PAK (p21-activated kinase) was not. In addition, the Shk1 mutant showed no change in virulence. All the defects were restored by genetic complementation of the Shk1 deletion mutant with the wild-type Shk1 gene. These findings indicate that Shk1 is involved in vegetative differentiation, sclerotial formation, glycerol accumulation and adaption to hyperosmotic and oxidative stresses, and to fungicides, in S. sclerotiorum. Taken together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, the role of two-component HKs in Sclerotinia.
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Pesticide, Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, 210095, China.
authors.forename: Yabing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Changyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Shengming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mingguo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D000071677:Histidine Kinase; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D009997:Osmotic Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071677:Histidine Kinase; D005990:Glycerol