Abstract
Botrytis cinerea is a filamentous plant pathogen, which infects hundreds of plant species; within its lifestyle, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a balanced redox homeostasis are essential parameters. The pathogen is capable of coping with the plant’s oxidative burst and even produces its own ROS to enhance the plant’s oxidative burst. Highly conserved NADPH oxidase (Nox) complexes produce the reactive molecules. The membrane-associated complexes regulate a large variety of vegetative and pathogenic processes. Besides their commonly accepted function at the plasma membrane, recent studies reveal that Nox complexes are also active at the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. In this study, we identified the essential ER protein BcPdi1 as new interaction partner of the NoxA complex in B. cinerea. Mutants that lack this ER chaperone display overlapping phenotypes to mutants of the NoxA signaling pathway. The protein appears to be involved in all major developmental processes, such as the formation of sclerotia, conidial anastomosis tubes and infection cushions (IC’s) and is needed for full virulence. Moreover, expression analyses and reporter gene studies indicate that BcPdi1 affects the redox homeostasis and unfolded protein response (UPR)-related genes. Besides the close association between BcPdi1 and BcNoxA, interaction studies provide evidence that the ER protein might likewise be involved in Ca2+ regulated processes. Finally, we were able to show that the potential key functions of the protein BcPdi1 might be affected by its phosphorylation state.
Highlights
Plant pathogenic fungi threaten harvest yields of important economic crops in an increasing manner (Elad et al, 2016)
An essential endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein, which in mammalian systems is associated with subunits of the NADPH oxidase (Nox) complex (Janiszewski et al, 2005; Laurindo et al, 2008; Fernandes et al, 2009; de A Paes et al, 2011) is the protein disulfide isomerase (PDI)
Bioinformatic analyses revealed that the protein (BcPdi1) probably contains two transmembrane domains with a small cytosolic loop (Supplementary Figure S1A), with both ends located inside the ER
Summary
Plant pathogenic fungi threaten harvest yields of important economic crops in an increasing manner (Elad et al, 2016). As well as during infection of plant material, various signaling molecules and cascades contribute to the developmental processes. Besides abiotic factors such as light and temperature Central molecules within pathogenic processes are reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are present in all cells that depend on molecular oxygen: they are known to work as signaling molecules at appropriate concentrations, but harmful to macromolecules when present at high concentrations (Beckman and Ames, 1998)
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