Identification of genes associated with asexual reproduction in Phyllosticta citricarpa mutants obtained through Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation

Publication date: November 2016 Source:Microbiological Research, Volume 192 Author(s): Eduardo Henrique Goulin, Daiani Cristina Savi, Desirrê Alexia Lourenço Petters, Vanessa Kava, Lygia Galli-Terasawa, Geraldo José Silva, Chirlei Glienke Phyllosticta citricarpa is the epidemiological agent of Citrus Black Spot (CBS) disease, which is responsible for large economic losses worldwide. CBS is characterized by the presence of spores (pycnidiospores) in dark lesions of fruit, which are also responsible for short distance dispersal of the disease. The identification of genes involved in asexual reproduction of P. citricarpa can be an alternative for directional disease control. We analyzed a library of mutants obtained through Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation system, looking for alterations in growth and reproductive structure formation. Two mutant strains were found to have lost the ability to form pycnidia. The flanking T-DNA insertion regions were identified on P. citricarpa genome by using blast analysis and further gene prediction. The predicted genes containing the T-DNA insertions were identified as Spindle Poison Sensitivity Scp3, Ion Transport protein, and Cullin Binding proteins. The Ion Transport and Cullin Binding proteins are known to be correlated with sexual and asexual reproduction in fungi; however, the exact mechanism by which these proteins act on spore formation in P. citricarpa needs to be better characterized. The Scp3 proteins are suggeste...
Source: Microbiological Research - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research