title: VdMsb regulates virulence and microsclerotia production in the fungal plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae.
abstract: The vascular wilt fungus Verticillium dahliae infects the roots of cotton plants and can seriously diminish the yield and quality of this and other dicotyledons. However, the key genes involved in V. dahliae infection and pathogenesis in cotton remain unclear. Msb encodes a transmembrane mucin that is highly conserved in the MAPK signal pathway. Msb has been implicated previously in pathogenicity in various aerial plant fungi. In this study, V. dahliae Msb (VdMsb) was found to be required for fungal virulence and microsclerotia production. Strains lacking VdMsb exhibited reduced conidiation and microsclerotia formation. Compared with wild-type and gene-complemented strains, the invasive growth and adhesive capacity of VdMsb deletion mutants were significantly decreased. These results suggest that VdMsb plays a role in development and virulence in V. dahliae.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Hybrid Cotton R&D Engineering Research Center, MOE, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Liangliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Hybrid Cotton R&D Engineering Research Center, MOE, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Hybrid Cotton R&D Engineering Research Center, MOE, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement, Hybrid Cotton R&D Engineering Research Center, MOE, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: moelab@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wangzhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D003368:Gossypium / Q000382:microbiology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009077:Mucins / Q000502:physiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020172:Verticillium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009077:Mucins; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Adhesive capacity; Invasive growth; Microsclerotia; VdMsb; Verticillium dahliae; Virulence