N-terminal zinc fingers of MaNCP1 contribute to growth, stress tolerance, and virulence in Metarhizium acridum

Li, Chaochuang; Xia, Yuxian; Jin, Kai

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.012

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Zinc finger proteins are an important class of multifunctional regulators, in which the C2H2 zinc finger proteins have been reported in many fungi and play crucial roles in the regulation of conidiation, such as amdX [38] and nsdC [39] in A. nidulans, StuA in Acremonium chrysogenum [40], PacC [41] and Msn2 [42] in M. acridum. Previous studies have shown that MaNCP1 regulates the conidiation pattern [30] and virulence in M. acridum [31]. MaNCP1 homologous gene MGG_07339 regulates the conidiation and virulence in Magnaporthe oryzae [43].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

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The C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein MaNCP1 Contributes to Conidiation through Governing the Nitrate Assimilation Pathway in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium acridum

Xia

Jin

2022

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Zinc finger proteins are an important class of multifunctional regulators. Here, the roles of a C2H2 zinc finger protein MaNCP1 (Metarhizium acridum nitrate-related conidiation pattern shift regulatory factor 1) in nitrogen utilization and conidiation were explored in the entomopathogenic fungus M. acridum. The results showed that MaNCP1-disruption mutant (ΔMaNCP1) impaired the ability to utilize nitrate, ammonium and glutamine and reduced the expression of nitrate assimilation-related genes, suggesting that MaNCP1 was involved in governing nitrogen utilization. In addition, the conidial yield of the ΔMaNCP1 strain, cultured on the microcycle conidiation medium (SYA), was significantly decreased, which could be restored or even enhanced than that of the WT strain through increasing the nitrate content in SYA medium. Further study showed that MaAreA, a core regulator in the nitrogen catabolism repression (NCR) pathway, was a downstream target gene of MaNCP1. Screening the differential expression genes between WT and ΔMaNCP1 strains revealed that the conidial yield of M. acridum regulated by nitrate might be related to NCR pathway on SYA medium. It could be concluded that MaNCP1 contributes to the nitrate assimilation and conidiation, which will provide further insights into the relationship between the nitrogen utilization and conidiation in fungi.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Recently, MaNCP1 contributes to the conidiation pattern via nitrate assimilation was identified [30] and its N-terminal zinc fingers make contributions to the fungal growth and virulence in M. acridum [31]. However, the roles of MaNCP1 in conidiation need to be further explored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein MaNCP1 Contributes to Conidiation through Governing the Nitrate Assimilation Pathway in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium acridum

Xia

Jin

2022

JoF

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“…Conidial germination assays were conducted as previously described [ 36 ]. In brief, conidial suspensions of fungal strains were prepared with sterile 0.05% Tween-80, followed by filtering the suspension through four layers of sterile lens paper to remove mycelia.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

MaCts1, an Endochitinase, Is Involved in Conidial Germination, Conidial Yield, Stress Tolerances and Microcycle Conidiation in Metarhizium acridum

Zou

Wang

et al. 2022

Biology

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Entomopathogenic fungi are promising biocontrol agents of insect-mediated crop damage. Microcycle conidiation has shown great potential in enhancing the conidial yield and quality of entomopathogenic fungi. Homologs of Cts1, an endochitinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, participate in cell separation in several fungal spp. and may contribute to the morphological differences that occur during the shift to microcycle conidiation. However, the precise functions of Cts1 in entomopathogenic fungi remain unclear. Herein, the endochitinase gene, MaCts1, was characterized in the model entomopathogen, Metarhizium acridum. A loss of function line for MaCts1 led to a delay of 1 h in the median germination time, a 28% reduction in conidial yield and significant defects in fungal resistances to UV-irradiation (18%) and heat-shock (15%), while fungal tolerances to cell wall stressors, oxidative and hyperosmotic stresses and virulence remained unchanged. The MaCts1-disruption strain displayed typical conidiation on the microcycle conidiation induction medium, SYA. In contrast, deletion of key genes in the morphogenesis-related NDR kinase network (MOR pathway)/regulation of Ace2 and morphogenesis (RAM pathway) did not affect the SYA-induction of microcycle conidiation. This indicates that MaCts1 makes contributions to the microcycle conidiation, which may not be dependent on the MOR/RAM pathway in M. acridum.

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MaAzaR Influences Virulence of Metarhizium acridum against Locusta migratoria manilensis by Affecting Cuticle Penetration

Hong,

Wang,

Xia

et al. 2024

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The entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium acridum is a typical filamentous fungus and has been used to control migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria manilensis). This study examines the impact of the Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor, MaAzaR, in the virulence of M. acridum. Disruption of MaAzaR (ΔMaAzaR) diminished the fungus’s ability to penetrate the insect cuticle, thereby decreasing its virulence. The median lethal time (LT50) for the ΔMaAzaR strain increased by approximately 1.5 d compared to the wild-type (WT) strain when topically inoculated, simulating natural infection conditions. ΔMaAzaR compromises the formation, turgor pressure, and secretion of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes in appressoria. However, the growth ability of ΔMaAzaR within the hemolymph is not impaired; in fact, it grows better than the WT strain. Moreover, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of ΔMaAzaR and WT strains grown for 20 h on locust hindwings revealed 87 upregulated and 37 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the mutant strain. Pathogen–host interaction database (PHI) analysis showed that about 40% of the total DEGs were associated with virulence, suggesting that MaAzaR is a crucial transcription factor that directly regulates the expression of downstream genes. This study identifies a new transcription factor involved in EPF cuticle penetration, providing theoretical support and genetic resources for the developing highly virulent strains.

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N-terminal zinc fingers of MaNCP1 contribute to growth, stress tolerance, and virulence in Metarhizium acridum

Cited by 3 publications

References 60 publications

The C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein MaNCP1 Contributes to Conidiation through Governing the Nitrate Assimilation Pathway in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium acridum

The C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein MaNCP1 Contributes to Conidiation through Governing the Nitrate Assimilation Pathway in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium acridum

MaCts1, an Endochitinase, Is Involved in Conidial Germination, Conidial Yield, Stress Tolerances and Microcycle Conidiation in Metarhizium acridum

MaAzaR Influences Virulence of Metarhizium acridum against Locusta migratoria manilensis by Affecting Cuticle Penetration

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