The intrinsic resistance of Fusarium solani to the Fusarium-specific fungicide phenamacril is attributed to the natural variation of both T218S and K376M in myosin5

Abstract

Fusarium solani is responsible for causing root rot in various crops, resulting in wilting and eventual demise. Phenamacril, a specific inhibitor of myosin5 protein, has gained recognition as an effective fungicide against a broad spectrum of Fusarium species. It has been officially registered for controlling Fusarium diseases through spray application, root irrigation, and seed dipping. In this study, phenamacril was observed to exhibit negligible inhibitory effects on F. solani causing crop root rot, despite the absence of prior exposure to phenamacril. Considering the high selectivity of phenamacril, this phenomenon was attributed to intrinsic resistance and further investigated for its underlying mechanism. Sequence alignment analysis of myosin5 proteins across different Fusarium species revealed significant differences at positions 218 and 376. Subsequent homology modeling and molecular docking results indicated that substitutions T218S, K376M, and T218S&K376M impaired the binding affinity between phenamacril and myosin5 in F. solani. Mutants carrying these substitutions were generated via site-directed mutagenesis. A phenamacril-sensitivity test showed that the EC50 values of mutants carrying T218S, K376M, and T218S&K376M were reduced by at least 6.13-fold, 9.66-fold, and 761.90-fold respectively compared to the wild-type strain. Fitness testing indicated that mutants carrying K376M or T218S&K376M had reduced sporulation compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, mutants carrying T218S exhibited an enhanced virulence compared to the wild-type strain. However, there were no significant differences observed in mycelial growth rates between the mutants and the wild-type strain. Thus, the intrinsic differences observed at positions 218 and 376 in myosin5 between F. solani and other Fusarium species are specifically associated with phenamacril resistance. The identification of these resistance-associated positions in myosin5 of F. solani has significantly contributed to the understanding of phenamacril resistance mechanisms, thereby discouraging the use of phenamacril for controlling F. solani.