In fungi, heterotrimeric guanine-nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) are key elements of signal transduction pathways, which control growth, asexual and sexual development, as well as virulence. In this study, we have identified two genes encoding heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits, named Gvm2 and Gvm3, from Valsa mali, the causal agent of apple Valsa canker. Characterization of Gvm2 and Gvm3 mutants indicates that Gvm3 may be a crucial regulator of vegetative growth. Deletion of the corresponding gene results in a 20% reduction in growth rate. Besides, Gvm2 and Gvm3 seem to be involved in asexual reproduction, and mutants are hypersensitive to oxidative and cell membrane stresses. Interestingly, both G protein alpha subunits were most probably involved in V. mali virulence. In infection assays using Malus domestica cv. ‘Fuji’ leaves and twigs, the size of lesions caused by deletion mutants △Gvm2, or △Gvm3 are significantly reduced. Furthermore, many genes encoding hydrolytic enzymes—important virulence factors in V. mali—are expressed at a lower level in these deletion mutants. Our results suggest that Gvm2 and Gvm3 play an important role in virulence probably by regulation of expression of cell wall degrading enzymes. △Gvm2, and △Gvm3 mutants were further analyzed with respect to their impact on the transcript levels of genes in the cAMP/PKA pathway. The expression of the genes encoding adenylate cyclase VmAC, protein kinase A (PKA) regulatory subunit VmPKR, and PKA catalytic subunit VmPKA1 are down-regulated in both mutants. Further analyses indicated that intracellular cAMP level and PKA activity are down-regulated in the △Gvm3 mutant, but are basically unchanged in the △Gvm2 mutant. Overall, our findings indicate that both Gvm2 and Gvm3 play diverse roles in the modulation of vegetative growth, asexual development, and virulence in V. mali.
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) often has strong benefits for fungi. In a study of samples from apple canker in Shaanxi Province, China, diverse microbes, along with the necrotrophic pathogen Valsa mali, were found to colonize the apple bark, thus providing ample opportunity for HGT to occur. In the present study, we identified 32 HGT events in V. mali by combining phyletic distribution-based methods with phylogenetic analyses. Most of these HGTs were from bacteria, whereas several others were from eukaryotes. Three HGTs putatively functioned in competition with actinomycetes, some of which showed a significant inhibitory effect on V. mali. Three HGTs that were probably involved in nitrogen uptake were also identified. Ten HGTs were thought to be involved in pathogenicity because they were related to known virulence factors, including cell wall-degrading enzymes and candidate effector proteins. HGT14, together with HGT32, was shown to contribute to bleomycin resistance of V. mali.These results suggest that HGT drives the adaptive evolution of V. mali. The HGTs identified here provide new clues for unveiling the adaptation mechanisms and virulence determinants of V. mali.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a distributed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm control method to ensure safety and obstacle avoidance during swarm flight and realize effective guidance. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a distributed UAV swarm control framework with limited interaction. UAVs in the swarm realize the selection of limited interactive neighbors according to the random line of sight and limited field of view. The designed interaction force and obstacle avoidance mechanism are combined to ensure the safety of UAVs and avoid collisions and obstacles. Informed UAVs are deployed to guide the swarm to move in the desired direction. Findings The proposed distributed swarm control framework achieves high safety of swarm motion and the participation of informed UAVs is conducive to the guidance of the UAV swarm. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach. Practical implications The UAV swarm control method developed in this paper can be applied to the practice of UAV swarm control. Originality/value A distributed UAV swarm control method is proposed to ensure the effective control of the consistency and safety of swarm motion.
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