Carbon source-induced changes in the physiology of the cacao pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa (Basidiomycetes) affect mycelial morphology and secretion of necrosis-inducing proteins

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Quantitative and qualitative relationships were found between secreted proteins and their activity, and the hyphal morphology of Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease in Theobroma cacao. This fungus was grown on fermentable and non-fermentable carbon sources; significant differences in mycelial morphology were observed and correlated with the carbon source. A biological assay performed with Nicotiana tabacum leaves revealed that the necrosis-related activity of extracellular fungal proteins also differed with carbon source. There were clear differences in the type and quantity of the secreted proteins. In addition, the expression of the cacao molecular chaperone BiP increased after treatment with secreted proteins, suggesting a physiological response to the fungus secretome. We suggest that the carbon source-dependent energy metabolism of M. perniciosa results in physiological alterations in protein expression and secretion; these may affect not only M. perniciosa growth, but also its ability to express pathogenicity proteins.

Saprotrophic proteomes of biotypes of the witches' broom pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa

“…The other isolates showed intermediate hyphal densities and propensities to aerial growth, with the geographically diverse C-biotypes RNBP1, Cast1 and GC-A5 forming relatively abundant aerial hyphae. The distinctive mycelia exemplified by SCFT and YB2 were similar to the phenotypes described respectively as 'flocculent' and 'compact' by Alvim et al (2009), who observed either in the genomesequenced M. perniciosa isolate FA553, depending on carbon source. Further details of colony morphologies are in Supplementary Table 2.…”

High-Resolution Transcript Profiling of the Atypical Biotrophic Interaction betweenTheobroma cacaoand the Fungal PathogenMoniliophthora perniciosa

“…For instance, it will be important to determine how biotrophy is maintained for so long in M. perniciosa and how cacao senescence signals the end of this fungal stage. Given that nutrient availability and stress conditions seem to be tightly associated with M. perniciosa virulence and development (Alvim et al, 2009;Pungartnik et al, 2009;Thomazella et al, 2012;Argôlo Santos Carvalho et al, 2013), cacao nutritional status (e.g., carbon starvation) and/or specific plant molecules (e.g., ROS) possibly orchestrate WBD infection. It will be relevant to establish to what extent and how the alterations identified in cacao metabolism/physiology correlate with direct fungal action.…”

Effect of mycelial morphology on ergothioneine production during liquid fermentation of Lentinula edodes

“…Investigating the morphological and rheological properties in submerged culture of three different species of the basidiomycete Phellinus (P. baumii, P. gilvus, and P. linteus), Hwang et al (2004) reported that morphological change in the pellets of the three species of Phellinus was a good indicator for identifying cell activity for pharmacologically important exopolysaccharide production. Alvim et al (2009) also demonstrated a relationship between mycelial morphology and secretion of necrosis-inducing proteins in Moniliophthora perniciosa (Basidiomycetes) in carbon source-induced media. Results shown in Fig.…”

“…Previous studies on image analyses of Paecilomyces japonicus have reported that mycelial morphology markedly affects mycelial growth and biopolymer production (Sinha et al 2001). However, extensive studies on the relationship between morphological parameters and productivity of fermentation products are still scarce (Zorn et al 2005;Alvim et al 2009;Rühl 2009). …”