Novel cellular functions of Cys2-His2 zinc finger proteins in anthracnose development and dissemination on pepper fruits by Colletotrichum scovillei

초록

Colletotrichum species are notorious for causing anthracnose on many fruits, leading to significant economic losses worldwide. As a model, we functionally characterized cys2-his2 (C2H2) zinc finger proteins (CsCZFs) in Colletotrichum scovillei, a major causal agent of pepper fruit anthracnose in many countries. In all, 62 CsCZFs were identified by in silico genomic analysis. Twelve were selected based on their expression profiles to generate targeted deletion mutants for functional investigation. Delta Csczf1 markedly reduced conidiation and constitutive expression of CsCZF1 partially recovered conidiation in an asexual reproduction-defective mutant, Delta Cshox2. Deletion of CsCZF12, orthologous to the calcineurin-responsive transcription factor Crz1, impaired autophagy in C. scovillei. Delta Csczf9 was defective in surface recognition, appressorium formation, and suppression of host defenses. CsCZF9 was identified as an essential and novel regulator under the control of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (CsPMK1) in an early step of appressorium development in C. scovillei. This study provides novel insights into CsCZF-mediated regulation of differentiation and pathogenicity in C. scovillei, contributing to understanding the regulatory mechanisms governing fruit anthracnose epidemics.

키워드