A copper-transporting ATPase BcCCC2 is necessary for pathogenicity of Botrytis cinerea

Mol Genet Genomics. 2010 Jul;284(1):33-43. doi: 10.1007/s00438-010-0545-4. Epub 2010 Jun 5.

Abstract

Copper is an essential trace element that serves as a cofactor for numerous enzymes. In eukaryotes, copper-transporting ATPases deliver copper to various copper-containing proteins in the trans-golgi network. This study identified a copper-transporting ATPase gene BcCcc2 in a fungus pathogenic to plants, Botrytis cinerea. We investigated the biological roles of BcCCC2 by generating null mutants for BcCcc2. Melanization, conidiation and the formation of sclerotia were severely affected in DeltaBcCcc2 mutants. Moreover, a pathogenicity assay using tomato leaves and carnation petals revealed the mutants to be nonpathogenic. Further analysis indicated that they formed fewer appressoria and infection cushions than the wild-type. These structures were aberrant in morphology and in many cases had a significantly reduced ability to penetrate the plant epidermis. An assay also indicated that DeltaBcCcc2 mutants were defective in infection through wounds. BcCCC2 is necessary not only for penetrating a host but also for fungal growth within plant tissues. Our results also imply that B. cinerea requires copper-containing proteins for infection that are inactive in the absence of the copper-transporting ATPase BcCCC2.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / isolation & purification
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism*
  • Botrytis / enzymology*
  • Botrytis / genetics
  • Botrytis / growth & development
  • Botrytis / pathogenicity*
  • Cation Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Cation Transport Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Cation Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Copper-Transporting ATPases
  • Dianthus / microbiology
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Genes, Fungal / genetics
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Melanins / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Solanum lycopersicum / cytology
  • Solanum lycopersicum / microbiology
  • Spores, Fungal / cytology
  • Spores, Fungal / enzymology
  • Spores, Fungal / pathogenicity

Substances

  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Melanins
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Copper-Transporting ATPases