title: A Fungal Effector With Host Nuclear Localization and DNA-Binding Properties Is Required for Maize Anthracnose Development.
abstract: Plant pathogens have the capacity to manipulate the host immune system through the secretion of effectors. We identified 27 putative effector proteins encoded in the genome of the maize anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola that are likely to target the host's nucleus, as they simultaneously contain sequence signatures for secretion and nuclear localization. We functionally characterized one protein, identified as CgEP1. This protein is synthesized during the early stages of disease development and is necessary for anthracnose development in maize leaves, stems, and roots. Genetic, molecular, and biochemical studies confirmed that this effector targets the host's nucleus and defines a novel class of double-stranded DNA-binding protein. We show that CgEP1 arose from a gene duplication in an ancestor of a lineage of monocot-infecting Colletotrichum spp. and has undergone an intense evolution process, with evidence for episodes of positive selection. We detected CgEP1 homologs in several species of a grass-infecting lineage of Colletotrichum spp., suggesting that its function may be conserved across a large number of anthracnose pathogens. Our results demonstrate that effectors targeted to the host nucleus may be key elements for disease development and aid in the understanding of the genetic basis of anthracnose development in maize plants.
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sanz-Martín
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Gabriel E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rech
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Vinicio D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Armijos-Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Lina P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: 2 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - C.C. 276 (7620) Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Echeverria
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Díaz-Mínguez
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thon
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Hispano-Luso de Investigaciones Agrarias (CIALE), Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain;
authors.forename: Serenella A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sukno
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000502:physiology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000502:physiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018745:Genome, Plant; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000382:microbiology; D011485:Protein Binding; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D018744:DNA, Plant; D005656:Fungal Proteins