A fungal effector suppresses plant immunity by manipulating DAHPS-mediated metabolic flux in chloroplasts.

Plant secondary metabolism represents an important and ancient form of defense against pathogens. Phytopathogens secrete effectors to suppress plant defenses and promote infection. However, it is largely unknown, how fungal effectors directly manipulate plant secondary metabolism.

Dual-RNA-sequencing to elucidate the interactions between sorghum and .

In warm and humid regions, the productivity of sorghum is significantly limited by the fungal hemibiotrophic pathogen , the causal agent of anthracnose, a problematic disease of sorghum ( (L.) Moench) that can result in grain and biomass yield losses of up to 50%. Despite available genomic resources of both the host and fungal pathogen, the molecular basis of sorghum- interactions are poorly understood.

Characterizing the Palm Pathogenic Species from Florida.

sensu lato is a soilborne fungal pathogen that causes Thielaviopsis trunk rot and heart rot in palms. The loss of structural integrity resulting from trunk rot can cause the palm trunk to collapse suddenly and poses a serious threat to life and property. Even though rudimentary knowledge about the infection process in palms is available, nothing is known about the species complex in the US.

Genome comparisons reveal accessory genes crucial for the evolution of apple Glomerella leaf spot pathogenicity in Colletotrichum fungi.

Apple Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) is an emerging fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola and other Colletotrichum species. These species are polyphyletic and it is currently unknown how these pathogens convergently evolved to infect apple. We generated chromosome-level genome assemblies of a GLS-adapted isolate and a non-adapted isolate in C.

Two Putative Pheromone Receptors, but Not Their Cognate Pheromones, Regulate Female Fertility in the Atypical Mating Fungus .

fungi are a group of damaging phytopathogens with atypical mating type loci (harboring only but not ) and complex sexual behaviors. Sex pheromones and their cognate G-protein-coupled receptors are conserved regulators of fungal mating. These genes, however, lose function frequently among species, indicating a possibility that pheromone signaling is dispensable for sexual reproduction.

Cross-Talk and Multiple Control of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that cross-talks with its hosts for control of cell-death pathways for colonization. Target of rapamycin (TOR) is a central regulator that controls cell growth, intracellular metabolism, and stress responses in a variety of eukaryotes, but little is known about TOR signaling in . In this study, we identified a conserved TOR signaling pathway and characterized SsTOR as a critical component of this pathway.

Discerning the global phylogeographic distribution of Phyllosticta citricarpa by means of whole genome sequencing.

Phyllosticta citricarpa is a fungal pathogen causing citrus black spot (CBS). As a regulated pest in some countries, the presence of the pathogen limits the export of fruit and is therefore of agricultural and economic importance. In this study, we used high throughput sequencing data to infer the global phylogeographic distribution of this pathogen, including 71 isolates from eight countries, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Eswatini, South Africa and the United States of America.

The C2H2 Transcription Factor SsZFH1 Regulates the Size, Number, and Development of Apothecia in .

is a notorious phytopathogenic Ascomycota fungus with a host range of >600 plant species worldwide. This homothallic species reproduces sexually through a multicellular apothecium that produces and releases ascospores. These ascospores serve as the primary inoculum source for disease initiation in the majority of disease cycles.

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A pathway perturbs autophagy and plays important roles in development and virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Previous research has demonstrated that sclerotia production is suppressed by exogenous cyclic AMP (cAMP) in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and enhanced upon deletion of the adenylate cyclase gene. This study focuses on further functionally characterizing the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway in S. sclerotiorum.

Efficient genome editing using endogenous U6 snRNA promoter-driven CRISPR/Cas9 sgRNA in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

We previously reported on a CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system for the necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This system (the TrpC-sgRNA system), based on an RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) promoter (TrpC) to drive sgRNA transcription in vivo, was successful in creating gene insertion mutants. However, relatively low efficiency targeted gene editing hampered the application of this method for functional genomic research in S.

Transcriptional profile of oil palm pathogen, Ganoderma boninense, reveals activation of lignin degradation machinery and possible evasion of host immune response.

Background: The white-rot fungi in the genus Ganoderma interact with both living and dead angiosperm tree hosts. Two Ganoderma species, a North American taxon, G. zonatum and an Asian taxon, G.

Molecular Dissection of Perithecial Mating Line Development in , a Species with a Nontypical Mating System Featuring Plus-to-Minus Switch and Plus-Minus-Mediated Sexual Enhancement.

The genetic regulation of () sexual reproduction does not strictly adhere to the Ascomycota paradigm and remains poorly understood. Morphologically different but sexually compatible strain types, termed plus and minus, have been recognized, but the biological and molecular distinctions between these strain types remain elusive. In this study, we characterized the sexual behaviors of a pair of plus and minus strains of with the aid of live-cell nucleus-localized fluorescent protein labeling, gene expression, and gene mutation analyses.

Genome sequence of Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi sheds light on mummy berry disease infection of blueberry and mating type.

Mummy berry disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi (Mvc), is one of the most economically important diseases of blueberries in North America. Mvc is capable of inducing two separate blighting stages during its life cycle. Infected fruits are rendered mummified and unmarketable.

Visitors' Self-Reported Knowledge and Attitudes about an Animal-Free Exhibit on Animal Welfare.

Public events such as state fairs provide valuable opportunities to provide informal animal welfare education, possibly changing people's decisions regarding animal welfare. This study evaluated whether an interactive animal-free exhibit increased visitors' self-reported knowledge and stated behavioral intentions related to animal welfare. The exhibit featured information about the behavior and welfare of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, poultry, horses, cats and dogs.

The infection cushion of Botrytis cinerea: a fungal 'weapon' of plant-biomass destruction.

The necrotrophic plant-pathogen fungus Botrytis cinerea produces multicellular appressoria dedicated to plant penetration, named infection cushions (IC). A microarray analysis was performed to identify genes upregulated in mature IC. The expression data were validated by RT-qPCR analysis performed in vitro and in planta, proteomic analysis of the IC secretome and biochemical assays.

Genomic and transcriptomic insights into Raffaelea lauricola pathogenesis.

Background: Laurel wilt caused by Raffaelea lauricola is a lethal vascular disease of North American members of the Lauraceae plant family. This fungus and its primary ambrosia beetle vector Xyleborus glabratus originated from Asia; however, there is no report of laurel wilt causing widespread mortality on native Lauraceae trees in Asia. To gain insight into why R.

Highly Contiguous Genome Resource of Generated Using Long-Read Sequencing.

is a plant-pathogenic fungus with a broad host range. It causes significant losses to important crops, including apple, pear, strawberry, and other Rosaceae and non-Rosaceae species. To date, two short read-based genomes are publicly available, but both are fragmented.

The Formaldehyde Dehydrogenase SsFdh1 Is Regulated by and Functionally Cooperates with the GATA Transcription Factor SsNsd1 in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

GATA transcription factors (TFs) are common eukaryotic regulators, and glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenases (GD-FDH) are ubiquitous enzymes with formaldehyde detoxification activity. In this study, the formaldehyde dehydrogenase Fdh1 (SsFdh1) was first characterized as an interacting partner of a GATA TF, SsNsd1, in Genetic analysis reveals that SsFdh1 functions in formaldehyde detoxification, nitrogen metabolism, sclerotium development, and pathogenicity. Both SsNsd1 and SsFdh1 harbor typical zinc finger motifs with conserved cysteine residues.

Mechanisms of Broad Host Range Necrotrophic Pathogenesis in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Among necrotrophic fungi, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is remarkable for its extremely broad host range and for its aggressive host tissue colonization. With full genome sequencing, transcriptomic analyses and the increasing pace of functional gene characterization, the factors underlying the basis of this broad host range necrotrophic pathogenesis are now being elucidated at a greater pace. Among these, genes have been characterized that are required for infection via compound appressoria in addition to genes associated with colonization that regulate oxalic acid (OA) production and OA catabolism.

Introduction of Large Sequence Inserts by CRISPR-Cas9 To Create Pathogenicity Mutants in the Multinucleate Filamentous Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen is responsible for substantial global crop losses annually resulting in localized food insecurity and loss of livelihood. Understanding the basis of this broad-host-range and aggressive pathogenicity is hampered by the quantitative nature of both host resistance and pathogen virulence. To improve this understanding, methods for efficient functional gene characterization that build upon the existing complete genome sequence are needed.

Pathogenic adaptations of Colletotrichum fungi revealed by genome wide gene family evolutionary analyses.

The fungal genus Colletotrichum contains hemibiotrophic phytopathogens being highly variable in host and tissue specificities. We sequenced a C. fructicola genome (1104-7) derived from an isolate of apple in China and compared it with the reference genome (Nara_gc5) derived from an isolate of strawberry in Japan.

The GATA-type IVb zinc-finger transcription factor SsNsd1 regulates asexual-sexual development and appressoria formation in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The sclerotium, a multicellular structure composed of the compact aggregation of vegetative hyphae, is critical for the long-term survival and sexual reproduction of the plant-pathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The development and carpogenic germination of sclerotia are regulated by integrating signals from both environmental and endogenous processes. Here, we report the regulatory functions of the S.

Sexual Reproduction in the Citrus Black Spot Pathogen, Phyllosticta citricarpa.

Citrus black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) causes fruit blemishes and premature fruit drop, resulting in significant economic losses in citrus growing areas with summer rainfall across the globe. The mating type locus of P. citricarpa has recently been characterized, revealing the heterothallic nature of this pathogen.

The complete genome sequence of the phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum reveals insights into the genome architecture of broad host range pathogens.

is a phytopathogenic fungus with over 400 hosts including numerous economically important cultivated species. This contrasts many economically destructive pathogens that only exhibit a single or very few hosts. Many plant pathogens exhibit a “two-speed” genome.