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A Novel Partitivirus Conferring Hypovirulence by Affecting Vesicle Transport in the Fungus Colletotrichum

Summary

This research discovered a new virus that can weaken harmful plant fungi that cause crop diseases. The virus works by disrupting the internal transport system of the fungi, making them less able to infect plants. This discovery is important for developing environmentally friendly ways to protect crops from fungal diseases. Key impacts on everyday life: • Could lead to reduced use of chemical fungicides in agriculture • May help protect important food crops from fungal diseases • Offers a natural, environmentally friendly approach to crop protection • Could help reduce crop losses and improve food security • May lead to lower food production costs for farmers

Background

Colletotrichum species are economically important plant pathogenic fungi that cause anthracnose disease worldwide, ranked as the eighth most important plant pathogenic fungus globally. Hypovirulence-associated mycoviruses offer potential new options for biological control of plant fungal diseases. While some mycoviruses have been identified in Colletotrichum species, their biological traits and control mechanisms are not well understood.

Objective

To identify and characterize a novel mycovirus (CaPV1) from Colletotrichum alienum and elucidate its impact and mechanisms in conferring hypovirulence to host fungi. The study aimed to establish a theoretical foundation for using mycoviruses to biocontrol Colletotrichum anthracnose disease.

Results

CaPV1 was identified as a novel member of the Gammapartitivirus genus containing two dsRNA segments encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and capsid protein. The virus significantly decreased host virulence, mycelial growth, and appressorial development while increasing abnormal conidial production. CaPV1 could be successfully transfected into other Colletotrichum species and cause hypovirulence. Transcriptome analysis revealed CaPV1 caused significant transcriptional rewiring of the host fungus, particularly affecting genes involved in vesicle transport. Endocytosis was impaired in infected strains, and knockout of the vesicle transport-related CaRab7 gene reduced fungal virulence.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that CaPV1 has potential as a biological control agent for anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum species. The mechanism of hypovirulence induction was shown to operate through disruption of the host fungal vesicle transport system, particularly affecting endocytosis pathways. This provides new insights into mycovirus-fungus interactions and establishes a theoretical basis for developing mycovirus-based biocontrol strategies.
  • Published in:mBio,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1128/mbio.02530-23
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