title: The potential protein kinase A (Pka) phosphorylation site is required for the function of FgSge1 in Fusarium graminearum.
abstract: The new transcription factor Sge1 has garnered much attention in filamentous fungi recently, which highlights its role in pathogenicity, conidiation, and the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, we demonstrated that FgSge1 is localized in the nucleus in Fusarium graminearum using fluorescent protein GFP. Mutants containing a T67A mutation within the potential protein kinase A (Pka) phosphorylation site of FgSge1 exhibited a significant decrease in conidiation and dramatically impaired virulence on both wheat head and non-host tomato. These results indicated that the Pka phosphorylation site is required for the function of FgSge1 in F. graminearum. In addition, we characterized the FgSGE1 deletion mutants and found that the mutants showed increased sensitivity to osmotic stress mediated by NaCl or KCl, and to cell wall damaging agent congo red (CR). Real-time PCR assays revealed increased transcription levels of FgSGE1 with the treatment of NaCl or CR, and decreased FgSGE1 transcription in the FgOS-2 deletion mutant ΔFgOs-2. Based on the transcription levels, it can be concluded that FgSge1 is a downstream target of the mitogen-activated protein kinase FgOs-2.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China, yfwhope@126.com.
authors.forename: Fang-Wei
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Meng-Hao
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yan-Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005670:Fusarium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases