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FgCDC 14 regulates cytokinesis, morphogenesis, and pathogenesis in F usarium graminearum
Author(s) -
Li Chaohui,
Melesse Michael,
Zhang Shijie,
Hao ChaoFeng,
Wang Chenfang,
Zhang Hongchang,
Hall Mark C.,
Xu JinRong
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.13157
Subject(s) - cytokinesis , biology , conidiation , morphogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , septin , cell division , mutant , hypha , protonema , phosphatase , cyclin dependent kinase , phosphorylation , cell cycle , genetics , botany , cell , gene , moss
Summary Members of C dc14 phosphatases are common in animals and fungi, but absent in plants. Although its orthologs are conserved in plant pathogenic fungi, their functions during infection are not clear. In this study, we showed that the CDC 14 ortholog is important for pathogenesis and morphogenesis in F usarium graminearum . FgCDC 14 is required for normal cell division and septum formation and FgC dc14 possesses phosphatase activity with specificity for a subset of C dk‐type phosphorylation sites. The F gcdc14 mutant was reduced in growth, conidiation, and ascospore formation. It was defective in ascosporogenesis and pathogenesis. Septation in F gcdc14 was reduced and hyphal compartments contained multiple nuclei, indicating defects in the coordination between nuclear division and cytokinesis. Interestingly, foot cells of mutant conidia often differentiated into conidiogenous cells, resulting in the production of inter‐connected conidia. In the interphase, FgC dc14‐ GFP localized to the nucleus and spindle‐pole‐body. Taken together, our results indicate that C dc14 phosphatase functions in cell division and septum formation in F . graminearum , likely by counteracting C dk phosphorylation, and is required for plant infection.