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Transcriptomic changes in the PacC transcription factor deletion mutant of the plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea under acidic and neutral conditions

Summary

Gray mold is a common fungal disease affecting many plants, and it survives by adjusting to different pH levels in plant tissues. Scientists studied a specific protein called PacC that acts like a switch controlling which genes turn on or off based on acidity levels. By comparing normal fungi to mutants without this protein, researchers identified hundreds of genes that help the fungus adapt and cause disease, offering insights into how to potentially combat this agricultural problem.

Background

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that causes gray mold and modulates environmental pH through secretion of organic acids or ammonia during infection. The PacC transcription factor is a critical pH-responsive regulator in fungi that activates genes under alkaline conditions and represses genes under acidic conditions. Previous studies demonstrated that PacC deletion mutants show virulence defects in neutral plant tissues but not acidic tissues.

Objective

This study aimed to identify genes controlled by the PacC transcription factor in Botrytis cinerea when cultured under acidic and neutral pH conditions. The research compared gene expression profiles between wild-type and PacC deletion mutant strains to understand how this transcription factor regulates the fungus’s adaptation to different pH environments.

Results

For the wild-type strain, 1,196 genes were differentially expressed between pH conditions (689 up-regulated at pH 5.0, 507 at pH 7.0), while the ΔpacC mutant showed 910 differentially expressed genes. At pH 7.0, 980 genes were down-regulated in the PacC deletion mutant compared to wild-type, while 934 genes were up-regulated.

Conclusion

The transcriptomic analysis identified genes controlled by PacC under different pH conditions, providing insights into the pH-responsive regulatory mechanisms of this fungal pathogen. These findings contribute to understanding how Botrytis cinerea adapts to different pH environments during plant infection, particularly regarding secretion of organic acids, reactive oxygen species, and cell wall degrading enzymes.
  • Published in:BMC Genomic Data,
  • Study Type:Genomic Data Study,
  • Source: 10.1186/s12863-024-01257-3, PMID: 39385086
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