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A novel antisense long non‐coding RNA participates in asexual and sexual reproduction by regulating the expression of GzmetE in Fusarium graminearum
Author(s) -
Wang Jie,
Zeng Wenping,
Xie Jiatao,
Fu Yanping,
Jiang Daohong,
Lin Yang,
Chen Weidong,
Cheng Jiasen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.15399
Subject(s) - biology , conidiation , sexual reproduction , antisense rna , rna interference , gene , transcription (linguistics) , mutant , rna , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
Summary Fusarium graminearum is an important worldwide pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight in wheat, barley, maize and other grains. LncRNAs play important roles in many biological processes, but little is known about their functions and mechanisms in filamentous fungi. Here, we report that a natural antisense RNA, GzmetE‐AS , is transcribed from the opposite strand of GzmetE . GzmetE encodes a homoserine O ‐acetyltransferase, which is important for sexual development and plant infection. The expression of GzmetE‐AS was increased significantly during the conidiation stage, while GzmetE was upregulated in the late stage of sexual reproduction. Overexpression of GzmetE‐AS inhibited the transcription of GzmetE . In contrast, the expression of GzmetE was significantly increased in GzmetE‐AS transcription termination strain GzmetE‐AS ‐T. Furthermore, GzmetE‐AS ‐T produced more perithecia and facilitated the ascospore discharge, resembling the phenotype of GzmetE overexpressing strains. However, overexpression of GzmetE‐AS in ∆dcl1/2 strain cannot inhibit the expression of GzmetE , and the GzmetE nat‐siRNA is also significantly reduced in ∆dcl1/2 mutant. Taken together, we have identified a novel antisense lncRNA GzmetE‐AS , which is involved in asexual and sexual reproduction by regulating its antisense gene GzmetE through RNAi pathway. Our findings reveal that the lncRNA plays critical roles in the development of F . graminearum .