title: Ss-Rhs1, a secretory Rhs repeat-containing protein, is required for the virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
abstract: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating necrotrophic plant pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Cell wall-degrading enzymes and oxalic acid are important to the virulence of this pathogen. Here, we report a novel secretory protein, Ss-Rhs1, which is essential for the virulence of S. sclerotiorum. Ss-Rhs1 is believed to contain a typical signal peptide at the N-terminal and eight rearrangement hotspot (Rhs) repeats. Ss-Rhs1 exhibited a high level of expression at the initial stage of sclerotial development, as well as during the hyphal infection process. Targeted silencing of Ss-Rhs1 resulted in abnormal colony morphology and reduced virulence on host plants. Microscopic observations indicated that Ss-Rhs1-silenced strains exhibited reduced efficiency in compound appressoria formation.
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Jifen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: College of Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, City, 430023, China.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Yuheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Jiaqin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Chaowei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, City, 400715, China.
authors.forename: Wanzhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D025301:Hyphae / Q000166:cytology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D019815:Oxalic Acid
keywords: Rhs repeat; Sclerotinia sclerotiorum; appressorium; sclerotia; secretory protein; virulence