The pmk1-like mitogen-activated protein kinase from Lecanicillium (Verticillium) fungicola is not required for virulence on Agaricus bisporus

In plant-pathogenic fungi, the pmk1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway plays an essential role in regulating the development of penetration structures and the sensing of host-derived cues, but its role in other pathosystems such as fungal-fungal interactions is less clear. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 2010-05, Vol.156 (Pt 5), p.1439-1447
Main Authors: Collopy, Patrick D, Amey, Richard C, Sergeant, Martin J, Challen, Michael P, Mills, Peter R, Foster, Gary D, Bailey, Andy M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agaricus - physiology
Agaricus bisporus
Blotting, Southern
Fungal Proteins - genetics
Fungal Proteins - isolation & purification
Fungal Proteins - physiology
Genes, Fungal
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - isolation & purification
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - physiology
Phenotype
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Transformation, Genetic
Verticillium - enzymology
Verticillium - genetics
Verticillium - pathogenicity
Verticillium fungicola
Virulence
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Summary:In plant-pathogenic fungi, the pmk1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway plays an essential role in regulating the development of penetration structures and the sensing of host-derived cues, but its role in other pathosystems such as fungal-fungal interactions is less clear. We report the use of a gene disruption strategy to investigate the pmk1-like MAPK, Lf pmk1 in the development of Lecanicillium fungicola (formerly Verticillium fungicola) infection on the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus. Lf pmk1 was isolated using a degenerate PCR-based approach and was shown to be present in a single copy by Southern blot analysis. Quantitative RT-PCR showed the transcript to be fivefold upregulated in cap lesions compared with pure culture. Agrobacterium-mediated targeted disruption was used to delete a central portion of the Lf pmk1 gene. The resulting mutants showed normal symptom development as assessed by A. bisporus mushroom cap assays, sporulation patterns were normal and there were no apparent changes in overall growth rates. Our results indicate that, unlike the situation in fungal-plant pathogens, the pmk1-like MAPK pathway is not required for virulence in the fungal-fungal interaction between the L. fungicola pathogen and A. bisporus host. This observation may be of wider significance in other fungal-fungal and/or fungal-invertebrate interactions.
ISSN:1350-0872
1465-2080
DOI:10.1099/mic.0.034439-0