Silencing of a phosphopantetheinyl transferase gene Ss-Ppt1 affects multiple developmental pathways and pathogenicity in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Publication date: Available online 3 February 2020Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant PathologyAuthor(s): Xiuli Li, Weiyan Wang, Wenting Wang, Yuemin Pan, Huajian Zhang, Zhimou GaoAbstractIn the genome sequence of the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a phosphopantetheinyl transferase gene homolog Ss-Ppt1 (Accession XM_ 001596461.1) with 1 SCOP and 1 ACPS module was identified. And the transcription of Ss-Ppt1 was increased significantly at the sclerotial maturation stage. Silenced mutant strains of Ss-Ppt1 were generated by RNA interference method. The mutant strains were screened and characterized. Compared to the wild-type strain, the hyphal growth of the mutant strains was significantly decreased and the branching pattern was altered. Aberrant sclerotia were produced by the mutant strains with larger volume but reduced number. Moreover, the virulence of the mutant strains was attenuated, and the mutant strains failed to generate necrotic disease symptoms as the wide-type strain. These results indicated that Ss-Ppt1 protein plays an important role in hyphal growth, sclerotial development and pathogenicity of S. sclerotiorum.
Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research