The Cerato-Platanin protein Epl-1 from Trichoderma harzianum is involved in mycoparasitism, plant resistance induction and self cell wall protection.

Eriston Vieira Gomes,Renato Graciano De Paula,Valdirene Neves Monteiro,Roberto Nascimento Silva,Eliane F Noronha,Rosa Elena Cardoza,Francilene Lopes Da Silva,Cirano José Ulhoa,Mariana Do Nascimento Costa,Santiago Gutiérrez,Rafael Ricci De Azevedo

doi:10.1038/srep17998

Abstract

Trichoderma harzianum species are well known as biocontrol agents against important fungal phytopathogens. Mycoparasitism is one of the strategies used by this fungus in the biocontrol process. In this work, we analyzed the effect of Epl-1 protein, previously described as plant resistance elicitor, in expression modulation of T. harzianum genes involved in mycoparasitism process against phytopathogenic fungi; self cell wall protection and recognition; host hyphae coiling and triggering expression of defense-related genes in beans plants. The results indicated that the absence of Epl-1 protein affects the expression of all mycoparasitism genes analyzed in direct confrontation assays against phytopathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum as well as T. harzianum itself; the host mycoparasitic coiling process and expression modulation of plant defense genes showing different pattern compared with wild type strain. These data indicated the involvement T. harzianum Epl-1 in self and host interaction and also recognition of T. harzianum as a symbiotic fungus by the bean plants.

Highlights

In this study, the role of T. harzianum Epl-1 protein during the interaction with pathogens and plants was analyzed, especially its involvement in the mycoparasitism process
The biochemistry and genetics of the mycoparasitism process has been widely studied in several species of Trichoderma, because of their importance as pest biocontrol agents in agriculture
Proteins of the CP family are involved in fungal growth, development, recognition, adhesion, cell-wall morphogenesis[35], antagonism[36] and parasitism[37]

Summary

Introduction

The role of T. harzianum Epl-1 protein during the interaction with pathogens and plants was analyzed, especially its involvement in the mycoparasitism process. For the confrontation between wild-type and mutant ∆epl-1 Trichoderma strains and S. sclerotiorum, all analyzed genes showed remarkable difference in their expression levels, indicating an altered perception of the host and itself (Supplementary Figures 10 and 11).

Results

Conclusion