背景:植物病原真菌黄萎病菌的种群表现出复杂而丰富的遗传多样性,然而,真菌中有性生殖的存在仍然存在争议。作为关键基因,MAT基因在调节细胞分化中起着至关重要的作用,形态发育,和相容细胞的交配。然而,大丽花弧菌的两个交配型基因的功能,VdMAT1-1-1和VdMAT1-2-1仍然知之甚少。
结果:在这项研究中,我们证实大丽花弧菌的MAT位点是高度保守的,包括VdMAT1-1-1和VdMAT1-2-1,它们具有高度共线性。由两个MAT基因座编码的保守核心转录因子可以通过直接结合到信息素前体和信息素受体基因的启动子区域来促进信息素前体和信息素受体基因的调节。此外,肽活性测定表明信息素VdPpg1的信号肽具有分泌活性,而VdPpg2缺乏预测的信号肽。趋化生长试验表明,大丽花弧菌感知并向尖孢镰刀菌的信息素FO-a和FO-α生长,以及大丽花的VdPpg2,但不响应VdPpg1。本文的发现还揭示了VdMAT1-1-1和VdMAT1-2-1调节营养生长,碳源利用,和对压力源的抵抗力,同时负向调节毒力。
结论:这些发现强调了VdMAT1-1-1和VdMAT1-2-1在有性生殖中的潜在作用,并证实了它们参与大丽花弧菌的各种无性过程,为该物种交配型基因的功能提供了新的见解。
BACKGROUND: Populations of the plant pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae display a complex and rich genetic diversity, yet the existence of sexual reproduction in the fungus remains contested. As pivotal genes, MAT genes play a crucial role in regulating cell differentiation, morphological development, and mating of compatible cells. However, the functions of the two mating type genes in V. dahliae, VdMAT1-1-1, and VdMAT1-2-1, remain poorly understood.
RESULTS: In this study, we confirmed that the MAT loci in V. dahliae are highly conserved, including both VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 which share high collinearity. The conserved core transcription factor encoded by the two MAT loci may facilitate the regulation of pheromone precursor and pheromone receptor genes by directly binding to their promoter regions. Additionally, peptide activity assays demonstrated that the signal peptide of the pheromone VdPpg1 possessed secretory activity, while VdPpg2, lacked a predicted signal peptide. Chemotactic growth assays revealed that V. dahliae senses and grows towards the pheromones FO-a and FO-α of Fusarium oxysporum, as well as towards VdPpg2 of V. dahliae, but not in response to VdPpg1. The findings herein also revealed that VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 regulate vegetative growth, carbon source utilization, and resistance to stressors in V. dahliae, while negatively regulating virulence.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the potential roles of VdMAT1-1-1 and VdMAT1-2-1 in sexual reproduction and confirm their involvement in various asexual processes of V. dahliae, offering novel insights into the functions of mating type genes in this species.