Chitin synthase gene FgCHS8 affects virulence and fungal cell wall sensitivity to environmental stress in Fusarium graminearum.
Fusarium graminearum is the major causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and barley and is considered to be one of the most devastating plant diseases worldwide. Chitin is a critical component of the fungal cell wall and is polymerized from UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosamine by chitin synthase. We characterized FgCHS8, a new class of the chitin synthase gene in F. graminearum. Disruption of FgCHS8 resulted in reduced accumulation of chitin, decreased chitin synthase activity, and had no effect on conidia growth when compared with the wild-type isolate. ΔFgCHS8 had a growth rate comparable to that of the wild-type isolate in vitro. However, ΔFgCHS8 had reduced growth when grown on agar supplemented with either 0.025% SDS or 0.9 mM salicylic acid. ΔFgCHS8 produced significantly less deoxynivalenol and exhibited reduced pathogenicity in wheat spikes. Re-introduction of a functional FgCHS8 gene into the ΔFgCHS8 mutant strain restored the wild-type phenotypes. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that FgCHS8 protein was initially expressed in the septa zone, and then gradually distributed over the entire cellular membrane, indicating that FgCHS8 was required for cell wall development. Our results demonstrated that FgCHS8 is important for cell wall sensitivity to environmental stress factors and deoxynivalenol production in F. graminearum.
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: asia2010090@foxmail.com.
Ya-Zhou
YZ
Zhang
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: qingchen72@hotmail.com.
Qing
Q
Chen
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: 18280184730@163.com.
Cai-Hong
CH
Liu
Agricultural Science Research Institute, Xichang, Sichuan 615000, China. Electronic address: lyb19791@163.com.
Yu-Bin
YB
Liu
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: yipanjie@sohu.com.
Pan
P
Yi
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: 18408212846@163.com.
Ke-Xin
KX
Niu
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: 835325311@qq.com.
Yan-Qing
YQ
Wang
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: anqi_wang@foxmail.com.
An-Qi
AQ
Wang
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: 1079736299@qq.com.
Hai-Yue
HY
Yu
Agronomy College, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: puzhien@gmail.com.
Zhi-En
ZE
Pu
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: qiantaojiang@sicau.edu.cn.
Qian-Tao
QT
Jiang
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: ymwei@sicau.edu.cn.
Yu-Ming
YM
Wei
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: pengfeiqi@hotmail.com.
Peng-Fei
PF
Qi
Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China. Electronic address: ylzheng@sicau.edu.cn.
You-Liang
YL
Zheng
D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002687:Chitin Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000378:metabolism; D014908:Triticum / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D014255:Trichothecenes; D037521:Virulence Factors; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D002687:Chitin Synthase; C007262:deoxynivalenol; D020156:Salicylic Acid
Fusarium head blight; Mycotoxin; Pathogenicity; Salicylic acid; Wheat