title: PTR2 peptide transporters in Fusarium graminearum influence secondary metabolite production and sexual development.
abstract: Putative proton coupled di-peptide transporters, PTR2s, are found in filamentous fungi in different numbers and their function during fungal development and plant infection is unresolved. In Fusarium graminearum, the cause of head blight in cereals, we identified four putative PTR2 transporters (FgPTR2A-D). The genes did not cluster together in phylogenetic analyses and only FgPTR2A and FgPTR2C were able to complement a PTR2 deficient yeast mutant in uptake of di-peptides. All FgPTR2s are continuously expressed throughout the fungal lifecycle, although at different levels. In silico analyses of existing expression-data show that FgPTR2B is found at higher levels than the others in planta and during sexual development. Deletion mutants of FgPTR2A, FgPTR2C, and FgPTR2D had a higher production of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone and lower production of fusarielin H than the wild type. Perithecium development was reduced in these mutants but unaffected by deletion of FgPTR2B. Conidia production was reduced in the FgPTR2B mutant and unaffected by deletion of the other PTR2 transporters. Sexual development and secondary metabolite production are known to be linked at the regulatory level and the results suggest that PTR2s are active in nitrogen turnover and thereby influence signal processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark; Department of Animal Science - Immunology and Microbiology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Droce
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark; Department of Animal Science - Immunology and Microbiology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark; Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Niels Bohrs Vej 8, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens Laurids
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark; Department of Animal Science - Immunology and Microbiology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Teis Esben
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Sondergaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science - Immunology and Microbiology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Janus Jagd
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Plant Health, NIBIO - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Høgskoleveien 7, 1430 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lysøe
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark. Electronic address: hgiese@bio.aau.dk.
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Giese
mesh_terms: D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D005670:Fusarium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D064210:Secondary Metabolism; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000378:metabolism; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D014255:Trichothecenes; D015025:Zearalenone; C043912:peptide permease; C007262:deoxynivalenol
keywords: Di/tri peptide transporters; Fungal development; Peptide uptake; Regulation; Secondary metabolites