Abstract
SummaryFusarium head blight of wheat is one of the most serious and hazardous crop diseases worldwide. Here, a transcriptomic investigation of Fusarium graminearum reveals a new model for symptomless and symptomatic wheat infection. The predicted metabolic state and secretome of F. graminearum were distinct within symptomless and symptomatic wheat tissues. Transcripts for genes involved in the biosynthesis of the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol, plus other characterized and putative secondary metabolite clusters increased in abundance in symptomless tissue. Transcripts encoding for genes of distinct groups of putative secreted effectors increased within either symptomless or symptomatic tissue. Numerous pathogenicity‐associated gene transcripts and transcripts representing PHI‐base mutations that impacted on virulence increased in symptomless tissue. In contrast, hydrolytic carbohydrate‐active enzyme (CAZyme) and lipase gene transcripts exhibited a different pattern of expression, resulting in elevated transcript abundance during the development of disease symptoms. Genome‐wide comparisons with existing datasets confirmed that, within the wheat floral tissue, at a single time point, different phases of infection co‐exist, which are spatially separated and reminiscent of both early and late infection. This study provides novel insights into the combined spatial temporal coordination of functionally characterized and hypothesized virulence strategies.
Highlights
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused mainly by the ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most serious and hazardous crop diseases worldwide
A transcriptomic investigation of Fusarium graminearum reveals a new model for symptomless and symptomatic wheat infection
The predicted metabolic state and secretome of F. graminearum were distinct within symptomless and symptomatic wheat tissues
Summary
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused mainly by the ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most serious and hazardous crop diseases worldwide (http://scabusa.org/). In planta conditions (Gueldener et al, 2006; Lysoe et al, 2011; Stephens et al, 2008) These studies documented the transcription profile of F. graminearum during barley head, wheat head and wheat crown (stem-based) infection, plus wheat stems during the development of perithecia, in addition to providing an in vitro nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor comparison. These timedependent studies did not isolate the distinct phases of fungal infection, and obscured transcriptional modulations significant to the recently identified symptomless and symptomatic wheat head infection process. The LCM study revealed the involvement of the glyoxylate cycle, fungal mechanisms to scavenge reactive oxygen species and the secretion of plant cell walldegrading CAZymes during infection
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