1. Mol Plant Pathol. 2014 Aug 7. do

1. Mol Plant Pathol. 2014 Aug 7. doi: 10.1111/mpp.12179. [Epub ahead of print]

Identification and functional analysis of Penicillium digitatum genes putatively
involved in virulence towards citrus fruit.

López-Pérez M(1), Ballester AR, González-Candelas L.

Author information:
(1)Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC). Calle Catedrático
Agustín Escardino 7, Paterna, 46980-Valencia Spain.

The fungus Penicillium digitatum, the causal agent of the green mould rot, is the
most destructive postharvest pathogen of citrus fruit in Mediterranean regions.
In order to identify P. digitatum genes up-regulated during the infection of
oranges that may constitute putative virulence factors, we have followed a
PCR-based suppression subtractive hybridization and cDNA macroarray hybridization
approach. The origin of ESTs was determined by comparison against the available
genome sequences of both organisms. Genes coding for fungal proteases and plant
cell wall degrading enzymes represent the largest categories in the subtracted
cDNA library. Northern blot analysis of a selection of P. digitatum genes,
including those coding for proteases, cell wall related enzymes, redox
homoeostasis and detoxification processes, confirmed their up-regulation at
varying time points during the infection process. Agrobacterium
tumefaciens-mediated transformation was used to generate knockout mutants for two
genes encoding a pectin lyase (Pnl1) and a naphthalene dioxygenase (Ndo1). Two
independent P. digitatum Δndo1 mutants were as virulent as the wild type.
However, the two Δpnl1 mutants analysed were less virulent than the parental
strain or an ectopic transformant. Together, these results provide a significant
advance in our understanding on the putative determinants of the virulence
mechanisms of P. digitatum.

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PMID: 25099378 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]