Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense
Abstract Glucosylceramides are a class of membrane lipids that serve as vital structural and signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In this study, we explored the function of FocGCS, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) that causes Fusarium wil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Phytopathology Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42483-022-00136-y |
| _version_ | 1828434642686967808 |
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| author | Jian Wang Kun Zhang Li-Qun Huang He-Nan Bao Na Hai Yu-Bing Yang Si-Wen Liu Chun-Yu Li Nan Yao |
| author_facet | Jian Wang Kun Zhang Li-Qun Huang He-Nan Bao Na Hai Yu-Bing Yang Si-Wen Liu Chun-Yu Li Nan Yao |
| author_sort | Jian Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Glucosylceramides are a class of membrane lipids that serve as vital structural and signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In this study, we explored the function of FocGCS, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) that causes Fusarium wilt in banana plants. FocGCS is highly expressed in germinating conidia and during early infection stage of Foc TR4. Disruption of FocGCS resulted in severely retarded vegetative growth, reduced conidiation, and production of morphologically abnormal conidia. Sphingolipid profiling revealed that the FocGCS null mutant lacks glucosylceramide. Pathogenicity assays on banana plants revealed substantial loss of virulence in the FocGCS null mutant. Moreover, biochemical analyses indicated that FocGCS is involved in cell wall integrity but is not required for oxidative and osmotic stress tolerance in Foc TR4. Transcriptome analysis suggested that disruption of FocGCS strongly affects transmembrane transport in Foc TR4. Our findings show that GCS is essential for normal fungal growth and pathogenesis in Foc TR4. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:53:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eb5ff88f97dd438eb50b034357e5463b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2524-4167 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T18:53:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Phytopathology Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-eb5ff88f97dd438eb50b034357e5463b2022-12-22T01:37:15ZengBMCPhytopathology Research2524-41672022-08-014111510.1186/s42483-022-00136-yLoss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubenseJian Wang0Kun Zhang1Li-Qun Huang2He-Nan Bao3Na Hai4Yu-Bing Yang5Si-Wen Liu6Chun-Yu Li7Nan Yao8State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityKey Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research of Guangdong Province, Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research of Guangdong Province, Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural SciencesState Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Sun Yat-sen UniversityAbstract Glucosylceramides are a class of membrane lipids that serve as vital structural and signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In this study, we explored the function of FocGCS, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) that causes Fusarium wilt in banana plants. FocGCS is highly expressed in germinating conidia and during early infection stage of Foc TR4. Disruption of FocGCS resulted in severely retarded vegetative growth, reduced conidiation, and production of morphologically abnormal conidia. Sphingolipid profiling revealed that the FocGCS null mutant lacks glucosylceramide. Pathogenicity assays on banana plants revealed substantial loss of virulence in the FocGCS null mutant. Moreover, biochemical analyses indicated that FocGCS is involved in cell wall integrity but is not required for oxidative and osmotic stress tolerance in Foc TR4. Transcriptome analysis suggested that disruption of FocGCS strongly affects transmembrane transport in Foc TR4. Our findings show that GCS is essential for normal fungal growth and pathogenesis in Foc TR4.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42483-022-00136-yFusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4GlucosylceramideSphingolipidVirulenceConidiationCell wall integrity |
| spellingShingle | Jian Wang Kun Zhang Li-Qun Huang He-Nan Bao Na Hai Yu-Bing Yang Si-Wen Liu Chun-Yu Li Nan Yao Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Phytopathology Research Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 Glucosylceramide Sphingolipid Virulence Conidiation Cell wall integrity |
| title | Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense |
| title_full | Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense |
| title_fullStr | Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense |
| title_full_unstemmed | Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense |
| title_short | Loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense |
| title_sort | loss of glucosylceramide synthase impairs the growth and virulence of fusarium oxysporum f sp cubense |
| topic | Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 Glucosylceramide Sphingolipid Virulence Conidiation Cell wall integrity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42483-022-00136-y |
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