Alternaria alternata uses two siderophore systems for iron acquisition

Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 27;10(1):3587. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-60468-7.

Abstract

Iron is one of the most abundant elements on earth and essential for life. However, Fe3+ ions are rather insoluble and microorganisms such as fungi may use siderophores as strong chelators for uptake. In addition, free cytoplasmic iron is rather toxic and intracellular siderophores are used to control the toxicity. Siderophores are also important for iron storage. We studied two siderophore systems in the plant necrotrophic fungus Alternaria alternata and show that the non-ribosomal peptide synthase, Nps2, is required for the biosynthesis of intracellular ferricrocin, whereas Nps6 is needed for the formation of extracellular coprogen and coprogen B. Whereas nps2 was dispensable for growth on iron-depleted medium, nps6 was essential under those conditions. nps2 deletion caused an increase in spore formation and reduced pathogenicity on tomato. Our results suggest that A. alternata employs an external and an internal siderophore system to adapt to low iron conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alternaria / enzymology
  • Alternaria / genetics
  • Alternaria / metabolism*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Peptide Synthases / genetics
  • Peptide Synthases / metabolism
  • Siderophores / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Siderophores
  • Iron
  • Peptide Synthases
  • non-ribosomal peptide synthase