A zinc-finger-family transcription factor, AbVf19, is required for the induction of a gene subset important for virulence in Alternaria brassicicola

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2012 Apr;25(4):443-52. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-10-11-0275.

Abstract

Alternaria brassicicola is a successful saprophyte and necrotrophic plant pathogen with a broad host range within the family Brassicaceae. It produces secondary metabolites that marginally affect virulence. Cell wall-degrading enzymes (CDWE) have been considered important for pathogenesis but none of them individually have been identified as significant virulence factors in A. brassicicola. In this study, knockout mutants of a gene, AbVf19, were created and produced considerably smaller lesions than the wild type on inoculated host plants. The presence of tandem zinc-finger domains in the predicted amino acid sequence and nuclear localization of AbVf19-reporter protein suggested that it was a transcription factor. Gene expression comparisons using RNA-seq identified 74 genes being downregulated in the mutant during a late stage of infection. Among the 74 downregulated genes, 28 were putative CWDE genes. These were hydrolytic enzyme genes that composed a small fraction of genes within each family of cellulases, pectinases, cutinases, and proteinases. The mutants grew slower than the wild type on an axenic medium with pectin as a major carbon source. This study demonstrated the existence and the importance of a transcription factor that regulates a suite of genes that are important for decomposing and utilizing plant material during the late stage of plant infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alternaria / genetics
  • Alternaria / metabolism*
  • Alternaria / pathogenicity
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / microbiology
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism
  • Brassica / microbiology
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / physiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Spores, Fungal
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • PAD3 protein, Arabidopsis

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JN835469
  • GEO/GSE33148