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Population genomics demystifies the defoliation phenotype in the plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae
Author(s) -
Zhang DanDan,
Wang Jie,
Wang Dan,
Kong ZhiQiang,
Zhou Lei,
Zhang GengYun,
Gui YueJing,
Li JunJiao,
Huang JinQun,
Wang BaoLi,
Liu Chun,
Yin ChunMei,
Li RuiXing,
Li TingGang,
Wang JinLong,
Short Dylan P. G.,
Klosterman Steven J.,
Bostock Richard M.,
Subbarao Krishna V.,
Chen JieYin,
Dai XiaoFeng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.15672
Subject(s) - verticillium dahliae , biology , genomics , phenotype , population , pathogen , botany , functional genomics , fungal pathogen , genetics , genome , gene , medicine , environmental health
SummaryVerticillium dahliae is a broad host‐range pathogen that causes vascular wilts in plants. Interactions between three hosts and specific V. dahliae genotypes result in severe defoliation. The underlying mechanisms of defoliation are unresolved. Genome resequencing, gene deletion and complementation, gene expression analysis, sequence divergence, defoliating phenotype identification, virulence analysis, and quantification of V. dahliae secondary metabolites were performed. Population genomics previously revealed that G‐ LSR 2 was horizontally transferred from the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum to V. dahliae and is exclusively found in the genomes of defoliating (D) strains. Deletion of seven genes within G‐LSR2, designated as VdDf genes, produced the nondefoliation phenotype on cotton, olive, and okra but complementation of two genes restored the defoliation phenotype. Genes VdDf5 and VdDf6 associated with defoliation shared homology with polyketide synthases involved in secondary metabolism, whereas VdDf7 shared homology with proteins involved in the biosynthesis of N ‐lauroylethanolamine ( N ‐acylethanolamine ( NAE ) 12:0), a compound that induces defoliation. NAE overbiosynthesis by D strains also appears to disrupt NAE metabolism in cotton by inducing overexpression of fatty acid amide hydrolase. The VdDf s modulate the synthesis and overproduction of secondary metabolites, such as NAE 12:0, that cause defoliation either by altering abscisic acid sensitivity, hormone disruption, or sensitivity to the pathogen.