Prdx2 is a peroxiredoxin (Prx) family protein that protects cells from attack via reactive oxygen species (ROS), and it has an important role in improving the resistance and scavenging capacity of ROS in fungi. Arthrobotrys oligospora is a widespread nematode-trapping fungus that can produce three-dimensional nets to capture and kill nematodes. In this study, AoPrdx2, a homologous protein of Prx5, was investigated in A. oligospora via gene disruption, phenotypic analysis, and metabolomics. The deletion of Aoprdx2 resulted in an increase in the number of mycelial septa and a reduction in the number of nuclei and spore yield. Meanwhile, the absence of Aoprdx2 increased sensitivity to oxidative stresses, whereas the ∆Aoprdx2 mutant strain resulted in higher ROS levels than that of the wild-type (WT) strain. In particular, the inactivation of Aoprdx2 severely influenced trap formation and pathogenicity; the number of traps produced by the ∆Aoprdx2 mutant strain was remarkably reduced and the number of mycelial rings of traps in the ∆Aoprdx2 mutant strain was less than that of the WT strain. In addition, the abundance of metabolites in the ∆Aoprdx2 mutant strain was significantly downregulated compared with the WT strain. These results indicate that AoPrdx2 plays an indispensable role in the scavenging of ROS, trap morphogenesis, and secondary metabolism.
Keywords: gene disruption; pathogenicity; peroxiredoxin; secondary metabolism; stress response.