The Wor1-like Protein Fgp1 Regulates Pathogenicity, Toxin Synthesis and Reproduction in the Phytopathogenic Fungus Fusarium graminearum

WOR1 is a gene for a conserved fungal regulatory protein controlling the dimorphic switch and pathogenicity determents in Candida albicans and its ortholog in the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, called SGE1, is required for pathogenicity and expression of key plant effector proteins. F. graminearum, an important pathogen of cereals, is not known to employ switching and no effector proteins from F. graminearum have been found to date that are required for infection. In this study, the potential role of the WOR1-like gene in pathogenesis was tested in this toxigenic fungus. Deletion of the WOR1 ortholog (called FGP1) in F. graminearum results in greatly reduced pathogenicity and loss of trichothecene toxin accumulation in infected wheat plants and in vitro. The loss of toxin accumulation alone may be sufficient to explain the loss of pathogenicity to wheat. Under toxin-inducing conditions, expression of genes for trichothecene biosynthesis and many other genes are not detected or detected at lower levels in Δfgp1 strains. FGP1 is also involved in the developmental processes of conidium formation and sexual reproduction and modulates a morphological change that accompanies mycotoxin production in vitro. The Wor1-like proteins in Fusarium species have highly conserved N-terminal regions and remarkably divergent C-termini. Interchanging the N- and C- terminal portions of proteins from F. oxysporum and F. graminearum resulted in partial to complete loss of function. Wor1-like proteins are conserved but have evolved to regulate pathogenicity in a range of fungi, likely by adaptations to the C-terminal portion of the protein

The Predicted Secretome of the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Fusarium graminearum: A Refined Comparative Analysis

The fungus Fusarium graminearum forms an intimate association with the host species wheat whilst infecting the floral tissues at anthesis. During the prolonged latent period of infection, extracellular communication between live pathogen and host cells must occur, implying a role for secreted fungal proteins. The wheat cells in contact with fungal hyphae subsequently die and intracellular hyphal colonisation results in the development of visible disease symptoms. Since the original genome annotation analysis was done in 2007, which predicted the secretome using TargetP, the F. graminearum gene call has changed considerably through the combined efforts of the BROAD and MIPS institutes. As a result of the modifications to the genome and the recent findings that suggested a role for secreted proteins in virulence, the F. graminearum secretome was revisited. In the current study, a refined F. graminearum secretome was predicted by combining several bioinformatic approaches. This strategy increased the probability of identifying truly secreted proteins. A secretome of 574 proteins was predicted of which 99% was supported by transcriptional evidence. The function of the annotated and unannotated secreted proteins was explored. The potential role(s) of the annotated proteins including, putative enzymes, phytotoxins and antifungals are discussed. Characterisation of the unannotated proteins included the analysis of Pfam domains and features associated with known fungal effectors, for example, small size, cysteine-rich and containing internal amino acid repeats. A comprehensive comparative genomic analysis involving 57 fungal and oomycete genomes revealed that only a small number of the predicted F. graminearum secreted proteins can be considered to be either species or sequenced strain specific

Les Po\ue8mes antiques et modernes d'Alfred de Vigny

Fond\ue9s en 1984 sur une id\ue9e de Ruggero Campagnoli, professeur \ue0 l'Universit\ue9 de Bologne, les s\ue9minaires \uabpasquali\ubb r\ue9unissent chaque ann\ue9e, durant deux ou trois jours, un groupe de chercheurs autour d'une oeuvre repr\ue9sentative de la litt\ue9rature fran\ue7aise du XVIe au XXe si\ue8cle. Quatre ou cinq sp\ue9cialistes de r\ue9putation internationale pr\ue9sentent une communication d'une heure, suivie d'une discussion d'autant plus riche et anim\ue9e que tous les participants -sp\ue9cialistes de l'auteur ou du si\ue8cle concern\ue9s, th\ue9oriciens de l'analyse textuelle, doctorants...- s'engagent \ue0 relire l'ouvrage \uabmis au programme\ubb dans les semaines pr\ue9c\ue9dant le colloque. Parmi les textes pr\ue9c\ue9demment abord\ue9s, on peut citer: Les Joues en feu (sans publication des actes, 1984), La Duchesse de Langeais (1986), Nadja (1987), Les Troph\ue9es (1988), Madame Putiphar (1995) ou Les Caves du Vatican et Les Jardins (sans publication des actes, 1997 et 1998). Les s\ue9minaires sont n\ue9s dans la Villa Clarke de Bagni di Lucca, o\uf9 ils sont rest\ue9s jusqu\u2019\ue0 1996, sauf un passage \ue0 Capri en 1989. En 1997 ils se sont transf\ue9r\ue9s \ue0 Calci et en 1998 \ue0 San Miniato, o\uf9 la premi\ue8re s\ue9rie s\u2019est termin\ue9e. Informazioni dettagliate sui seminari Pasquali, sui programmi delle giornate seminariali e sulle pubblicazioni come quella in oggetto sono reperibili all'indirizzo internet www.seminaripasquali.or

"Didon se sacrifiant" d'Etienne Jodelle

In questo volume cinque critici letterari di diversa formazione e specializzazione propongono la loro lettura e interpretazione della "Didon se sacrifiant" di Etienne Jodelle (1574) e rispondono alle domande alle quali le loro riflessioni hanno dato luogo

One fungus, one name: defining the genus Fusarium in a scientifically robust way that preserves longstanding use

In this letter, we advocate recognizing the genus Fusarium as the sole name for a group that includes virtually all Fusarium species of importance in plant pathology, mycotoxicology, medicine, and basic research. This phylogenetically guided circumscription will free scientists from any obligation to use other genus names, including teleomorphs, for species nested within this clade, and preserve the application of the name Fusarium in the way it has been used for almost a century. Due to recent changes in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this is an urgent matter that requires community attention. The alternative is to break the longstanding concept of Fusarium into nine or more genera, and remove important taxa such as those in the F. solani species complex from the genus, a move we believe is unnecessary. Here we present taxonomic and nomenclatural proposals that will preserve established research connections and facilitate communication within and between research communities, and at the same time support strong scientific principles and good taxonomic practice

Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1-kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium that includes the Fusarium solani species complex.

Scientific communication is facilitated by a data-driven, scientifically sound taxonomy that considers the end-user's needs and established successful practice. In 2013, the Fusarium community voiced near unanimous support for a concept of Fusarium that represented a clade comprising all agriculturally and clinically important Fusarium species, including the F. solani species complex (FSSC). Subsequently, this concept was challenged in 2015 by one research group who proposed dividing the genus Fusarium into seven genera, including the FSSC described as members of the genus Neocosmospora, with subsequent justification in 2018 based on claims that the 2013 concept of Fusarium is polyphyletic. Here, we test this claim and provide a phylogeny based on exonic nucleotide sequences of 19 orthologous protein-coding genes that strongly support the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC. We reassert the practical and scientific argument in support of a genus Fusarium that includes the FSSC and several other basal lineages, consistent with the longstanding use of this name among plant pathologists, medical mycologists, quarantine officials, regulatory agencies, students, and researchers with a stake in its taxonomy. In recognition of this monophyly, 40 species described as genus Neocosmospora were recombined in genus Fusarium, and nine others were renamed Fusarium. Here the global Fusarium community voices strong support for the inclusion of the FSSC in Fusarium, as it remains the best scientific, nomenclatural, and practical taxonomic option available