title: A Puf RNA-binding protein encoding gene PlM90 regulates the sexual and asexual life stages of the litchi downy blight pathogen Peronophythora litchii.
abstract: Sexual and asexual reproduction are two key processes in the pathogenic cycle of many filamentous pathogens. However in Peronophythora litchii, the causal pathogen for the litchi downy blight disease, critical regulator(s) of sexual or asexual differentiation has not been elucidated. In this study, we cloned a gene named PlM90 from P. litchii, which encodes a putative Puf RNA-binding protein. We found that PlM90 was highly expressed during asexual development, and much higher than that during sexual development, while relatively lower during cyst germination and plant infection. By polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation, we generated three PlM90-silenced transformants and found a severely impaired ability in sexual spore production and a delay in stages of zoospore release and encystment. However, the pathogenicity of P. litchii was not affected by PlM90-silencing. Therefore we conclude that PlM90 specifically regulates the sexual and asexual differentiation of P. litchii.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: 526508682@qq.com.
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: yeww@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wenwu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: jjsitu@foxmail.com.
authors.forename: Junjian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Situ
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: 234326160@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yubin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: yangxy@syau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: 543398692@qq.com.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: 1296090030@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yaya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: tina123run@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Runyanga J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tinashe
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: xpg@scau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Pinggen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: ycwang@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yuanchao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: zdjiang@scau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zide
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D020868:Gene Silencing; D032125:Litchi / Q000382:microbiology; D010838:Phytophthora / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual / Q000235:genetics*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012313:RNA
keywords: Oomycete; Oospores; Peronophythora litchii; Sexual and asexual reproduction; Zoospores