A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i>
<i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> is an important hemibiotrophic plant pathogen that causes crucifer anthracnose worldwide. To date, some hexose transporters have been identified in fungi. However, the functions of hexose transporters in virulence are not clear in hemibiotrophic phytopa...
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/11/5963 |
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| author | Qinfeng Yuan Yaqin Yan Muhammad Aamir Sohail Hao Liu Junbin Huang Tom Hsiang Lu Zheng |
| author_facet | Qinfeng Yuan Yaqin Yan Muhammad Aamir Sohail Hao Liu Junbin Huang Tom Hsiang Lu Zheng |
| author_sort | Qinfeng Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> is an important hemibiotrophic plant pathogen that causes crucifer anthracnose worldwide. To date, some hexose transporters have been identified in fungi. However, the functions of hexose transporters in virulence are not clear in hemibiotrophic phytopathogens. In this study, we identified and characterized a new hexose transporter gene named <i>ChHxt6</i> from a T-DNA insertion pathogenicity-deficient mutant G256 in <i>C. higginsianum</i>. Expression profiling analysis revealed that six <i>ChHxt</i> genes, <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i>, exhibited specific expression patterns in different infection phases of <i>C. higginsianum.</i> The <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i> were separately deleted using the principle of homologous recombination. <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i> deletion mutants grew normally on PDA plates, but only the virulence of <i>ChHxt4</i> and <i>ChHxt6</i> deletion mutants was reduced. <i>ChHxt4</i> was required for fungal infection in both biotrophic and necrotrophic stages, while <i>ChHxt6</i> was important for formation of necrotrophic hyphae during infection. In addition, ChHxts were functional in uptake of different hexoses, but only <i>ChHxt6</i>-expressing cells could grow on all five hexoses, indicating that the ChHxt6 was a central hexose transporter and crucial for hexose uptake. Site-directed mutation of T169S and P221L positions revealed that these two positions were necessary for hexose transport, whereas only the mutation Thr169 caused reduced virulence and defect in formation of necrotrophic hyphae. Taken together, <i>ChHxt6</i> might regulate fungal virulence by modulating the utilization of hexose. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:49:22Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-0019b81115fe4e138a1b28942fb1660e2023-11-21T22:20:05ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-05-012211596310.3390/ijms22115963A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i>Qinfeng Yuan0Yaqin Yan1Muhammad Aamir Sohail2Hao Liu3Junbin Huang4Tom Hsiang5Lu Zheng6Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaHubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China<i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> is an important hemibiotrophic plant pathogen that causes crucifer anthracnose worldwide. To date, some hexose transporters have been identified in fungi. However, the functions of hexose transporters in virulence are not clear in hemibiotrophic phytopathogens. In this study, we identified and characterized a new hexose transporter gene named <i>ChHxt6</i> from a T-DNA insertion pathogenicity-deficient mutant G256 in <i>C. higginsianum</i>. Expression profiling analysis revealed that six <i>ChHxt</i> genes, <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i>, exhibited specific expression patterns in different infection phases of <i>C. higginsianum.</i> The <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i> were separately deleted using the principle of homologous recombination. <i>ChHxt1</i> to <i>ChHxt6</i> deletion mutants grew normally on PDA plates, but only the virulence of <i>ChHxt4</i> and <i>ChHxt6</i> deletion mutants was reduced. <i>ChHxt4</i> was required for fungal infection in both biotrophic and necrotrophic stages, while <i>ChHxt6</i> was important for formation of necrotrophic hyphae during infection. In addition, ChHxts were functional in uptake of different hexoses, but only <i>ChHxt6</i>-expressing cells could grow on all five hexoses, indicating that the ChHxt6 was a central hexose transporter and crucial for hexose uptake. Site-directed mutation of T169S and P221L positions revealed that these two positions were necessary for hexose transport, whereas only the mutation Thr169 caused reduced virulence and defect in formation of necrotrophic hyphae. Taken together, <i>ChHxt6</i> might regulate fungal virulence by modulating the utilization of hexose.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/11/5963<i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i>hexose transporterhexose uptakevirulence |
| spellingShingle | Qinfeng Yuan Yaqin Yan Muhammad Aamir Sohail Hao Liu Junbin Huang Tom Hsiang Lu Zheng A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> International Journal of Molecular Sciences <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> hexose transporter hexose uptake virulence |
| title | A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> |
| title_full | A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> |
| title_fullStr | A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> |
| title_short | A Novel Hexose Transporter ChHxt6 Is Required for Hexose Uptake and Virulence in <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> |
| title_sort | novel hexose transporter chhxt6 is required for hexose uptake and virulence in i colletotrichum higginsianum i |
| topic | <i>Colletotrichum higginsianum</i> hexose transporter hexose uptake virulence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/11/5963 |
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