Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System

The vascular wilt fungus Verticillium dahliae produces persistent resting structures known as microsclerotia, which enable long-term survival of this plant pathogen in soil. The completed genome sequence of V. dahliae has facilitated large-scale investigations of individual gene functions using gene...

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Main Authors: Chengjian Xie, Qiaoling Li, Xingyong Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The American Phytopathological Society 2017-06-01
Series:Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Online Access:https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/MPMI-01-17-0007-R
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author Chengjian Xie
Qiaoling Li
Xingyong Yang
author_facet Chengjian Xie
Qiaoling Li
Xingyong Yang
author_sort Chengjian Xie
collection DOAJ
description The vascular wilt fungus Verticillium dahliae produces persistent resting structures known as microsclerotia, which enable long-term survival of this plant pathogen in soil. The completed genome sequence of V. dahliae has facilitated large-scale investigations of individual gene functions using gene-disruption strategies based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. However, the construction of gene-deletion vectors and screening of deletion mutants have remained challenging in V. dahliae. In this study, we developed a fast and easy gene knockout system for V. dahliae using ligation-independent cloning and fluorescent screening. We identified secretory factor VdASP F2 in a T-DNA insertion library of V. dahliae and deleted the VdASP F2 gene using the developed knockout system. Phenotypic analysis suggests that VdASP F2 is not necessary for V. dahliae growth on potato dextrose agar under various stress conditions. However, on semisynthetic medium or under limited nutrient conditions at lower temperatures, the VdASP F2 deletion mutant exhibited vigorous mycelium growth, less branching, and a significant delay in melanized microsclerotial formation. Further assessment revealed that VdASP F2 was required for the expression of VDH1 and VMK1, two genes involved in microsclerotial formation. Cotton inoculated with the VdASP F2 deletion mutant wilted, demonstrating that VdASP F2 is not associated with pathogenicity under normal conditions. However, after inducing microsclerotial formation and incubation at low temperatures, cotton infected with the VdASP F2 deletion mutant did not exhibit wilt symptoms. In conclusion, our results show that VdASP F2 plays an important role in the response of V. dahliae to adverse environmental conditions and is involved in a transition to a dormant form for prolonged survival.
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spelling doaj.art-887ac8c9f2f545069971a3e4896228fa2022-12-22T03:10:31ZengThe American Phytopathological SocietyMolecular Plant-Microbe Interactions0894-02821943-77062017-06-0130644445410.1094/MPMI-01-17-0007-RCharacterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout SystemChengjian Xie0Qiaoling Li1Xingyong Yang2School of Life Sciences and;Chongqing Institute of Medicinal Plant Cultivation, Chongqing 408435, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences and;The vascular wilt fungus Verticillium dahliae produces persistent resting structures known as microsclerotia, which enable long-term survival of this plant pathogen in soil. The completed genome sequence of V. dahliae has facilitated large-scale investigations of individual gene functions using gene-disruption strategies based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. However, the construction of gene-deletion vectors and screening of deletion mutants have remained challenging in V. dahliae. In this study, we developed a fast and easy gene knockout system for V. dahliae using ligation-independent cloning and fluorescent screening. We identified secretory factor VdASP F2 in a T-DNA insertion library of V. dahliae and deleted the VdASP F2 gene using the developed knockout system. Phenotypic analysis suggests that VdASP F2 is not necessary for V. dahliae growth on potato dextrose agar under various stress conditions. However, on semisynthetic medium or under limited nutrient conditions at lower temperatures, the VdASP F2 deletion mutant exhibited vigorous mycelium growth, less branching, and a significant delay in melanized microsclerotial formation. Further assessment revealed that VdASP F2 was required for the expression of VDH1 and VMK1, two genes involved in microsclerotial formation. Cotton inoculated with the VdASP F2 deletion mutant wilted, demonstrating that VdASP F2 is not associated with pathogenicity under normal conditions. However, after inducing microsclerotial formation and incubation at low temperatures, cotton infected with the VdASP F2 deletion mutant did not exhibit wilt symptoms. In conclusion, our results show that VdASP F2 plays an important role in the response of V. dahliae to adverse environmental conditions and is involved in a transition to a dormant form for prolonged survival.https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/MPMI-01-17-0007-R
spellingShingle Chengjian Xie
Qiaoling Li
Xingyong Yang
Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
title Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
title_full Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
title_fullStr Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
title_short Characterization of VdASP F2 Secretory Factor from Verticillium dahliae by a Fast and Easy Gene Knockout System
title_sort characterization of vdasp f2 secretory factor from verticillium dahliae by a fast and easy gene knockout system
url https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/MPMI-01-17-0007-R
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