Abstract
In the present study, we identified six GATA transcription factors (AaAreA, AaAreB, AaLreA, AaLreB, AaNsdD, and AaSreA) and characterized their functions in response to environmental stress and virulence in the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata. The targeted gene knockout of each of the GATA-coding genes decreased the growth to varying degrees. The mutation of AaAreA, AaAreB, AaLreB, or AaNsdD decreased the conidiation. All the GATA transcription factors were found to be required for tolerance to cumyl hydroperoxide and tert-butyl-hydroperoxide (oxidants) and Congo red (a cell-wall-destructing agent). Pathogenicity assays assessed on detached citrus leaves revealed that mutations of AaAreA, AaLreA, AaLreB, or AaNsdD significantly decreased the fungal virulence. A comparative transcriptome analysis between the ∆AreA mutant and the wild-type strain revealed that the inactivation of AaAreA led to alterations in the expression of genes involved in a number of biological processes, including oxidoreductase activity, amino acid metabolism, and secondary metabolite biogenesis. Taken together, our findings revealed that GATA-coding genes play diverse roles in response to environmental stress and are important regulators involved in fungal development, conidiation, ROS detoxification, as well as pathogenesis. This study, for the first time, systemically underlines the critical role of GATA transcription factors in response to environmental stress and virulence in A. alternata.
Highlights
Transcription factors (TFs) are a group of proteins that bind to specific DNA-regulatory sequences, thereby controlling the transfer of genetic information from DNA to mRNA
Using A. nidulans GATA sequences as a query to carry out a genome-wide search for GATA proteins in the A. alternata genomic database
The results revealed that ∆AaSreA and, to a lesser extent, ∆AaLreA showed increased sensitivity to 1 mM CuSO4; ∆AaAreB and ∆AaLreB enhanced resistance to CuSO4 compared to Z7
Summary
Transcription factors (TFs) are a group of proteins that bind to specific DNA-regulatory sequences, thereby controlling the transfer of genetic information from DNA to mRNA. TFs are grouped into different families based on their DNA-binding domains [1]. The GATA TFs contain one or two highly conserved zinc finger DNA-binding domains, which can bind to the elements with consensus sequence (A/T)GATA(A/G) [2,3]. GATA TFs are broadly distributed in animals, plants, and fungi; their numbers and structures vary greatly within and between different kingdoms [3]. GATA TFs typically possess two adjacent homologous zinc fingers. The carboxyl-terminal finger is involved in DNA binding, whereas the amino-terminal finger interacting with other proteins is a determinant of specificity [4,5]. Animal GATA TFs have long been known to play important roles in the development, differentiation, and proliferation of cells [6,7].
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