title: Functional characterization of the gene FoOCH1 encoding a putative α-1,6-mannosyltransferase in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense.
abstract: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC) is the causal agent of banana Fusarium wilt and has become one of the most destructive pathogens threatening the banana production worldwide. However, few genes related to morphogenesis and pathogenicity of this fungal pathogen have been functionally characterized. In this study, we identified and characterized the disrupted gene in a T-DNA insertional mutant (L953) of FOC with significantly reduced virulence on banana plants. The gene disrupted by T-DNA insertion in L953 harbors an open reading frame, which encodes a protein with homology to α-1,6-mannosyltransferase (OCH1) in fungi. The deletion mutants (ΔFoOCH1) of the OCH1 orthologue (FoOCH1) in FOC were impaired in fungal growth, exhibited brighter staining with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Concanavalin A, had less cell wall proteins and secreted more proteins into liquid media than the wild type. Furthermore, the mutation or deletion of FoOCH1 led to loss of ability to penetrate cellophane membrane and decline in hyphal attachment and colonization as well as virulence to the banana host. The mutant phenotypes were fully restored by complementation with the wild type FoOCH1 gene. Our data provide a first evidence for the critical role of FoOCH1 in maintenance of cell wall integrity and virulence of F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense.
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Min-Hui
authors: MH
authors: Li
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Xiao-Ling
authors: XL
authors: Xie
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Xian-Feng
authors: XF
authors: Lin
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Jin-Xiu
authors: JX
authors: Shi
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Zhao-Jian
authors: ZJ
authors: Ding
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors: Jin-Feng
authors: JF
authors: Ling
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Ping-Gen
authors: PG
authors: Xi
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors: Jia-Nuan
authors: JN
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA.
authors: Yueqiang
authors: Y
authors: Leng
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA. Electronic address: shaobin.zhong@ndsu.edu.
authors: Shaobin
authors: S
authors: Zhong
authors: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: zdjiang@scau.edu.cn.
authors: Zi-De
authors: ZD
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002476:Cellophane / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005670:Fusarium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D025301:Hyphae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008364:Mannosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D028521:Musa / Q000382:microbiology; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C036483:T-DNA; D002476:Cellophane; D008364:Mannosyltransferases
keywords: Cell wall integrity; FoOCH1; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense; Virulence