A polyketide synthase from Verticillium dahliae modulates melanin biosynthesis and hyphal growth to promote virulence

• DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01330-2
• Publication Date: 2022-05-30T14:03:08Z
• Authors: Huan Li; Dan Wang; Dan-Dan Zhang; Qi Geng; Jun-Jiao Li; Ruo-Cheng Sheng; Hui-Shan Xue; He Zhu; Zhi-Qiang Kong; Xiao-Feng Dai; Steven J. Klosterman; Krishna V. Subbarao; Feng-Mao Chen; Jie-Yin Chen
• Keywords: Verticillium dahliae; Conidiation; Secondary metabolism; Wild type

Abstract Background During the disease cycle, plant pathogenic fungi exhibit a morphological transition between hyphal growth (the phase of active infection) and production long-term survival structures that remain dormant during “overwintering.” Verticillium dahliae is major pathogen produces heavily melanized microsclerotia (MS) survive in soil for 14 or more years. These MS are multicellular produced necrotrophic cycle. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) responsible catalyzing many secondary metabolites including melanin. While contribute to survival, key infection virulence, but signaling mechanisms by which maintains unclear. Results We analyzed VdPKSs contain at least one conserved domain potentially involved metabolism (SM), screened effect VdPKS deletions virulent strain AT13. Among five whose deletion affected virulence on cotton, we found VdPKS9 acted epistatically VdPKS1 -associated melanin pathway promote growth. The decreased mutants was accompanied up-regulation biosynthesis formation. Overexpression transformed hyphal-type (MH-type) into albinistic hyaline (AH-type), upregulated AH-type population, also exhibited higher than MH-type. Conclusions show powerful negative regulator both formation V. . findings provide insight mechanism how pathogens their maintenance vegetative colonization hosts, may novel targets control melanin-producing filamentous fungi.