Ustilaginoidea virens (teleomorph: Villosiclava virens) is an important fungal pathogen that causes a devastating rice disease. It can produce mycotoxins including sorbicillinoids. The biosynthesis and biological functions of sorbicillinoids have not been reported in U. virens. In this study, we identified a sorbicillinoid biosynthetic gene cluster in which two polyketide synthase genes UvSorA and UvSorB were responsible for sorbicillinoid biosynthesis in U. virens. In ∆UvSorA and ∆UvSorB mutants, the mycelial growth, sporulation and hyphal hydrophobicity were increased dramatically, while the resistances to osmotic pressure, metal cations, and fungicides were reduced. Both phytotoxic activity of rice germinated seeds and cell wall integrity were also reduced. Furthermore, mycelia and cell walls of ∆UvSorA and ∆UvSorB mutants showed alterations of microscopic and submicroscopic structures. In addition, feeding experiment showed that sorbicillinoids could restore mycelial growth, sporulation, and cell wall integrity in ∆UvSorA and ∆UvSorB mutants. The results demonstrated that both UvSorA and UvSorB were responsible for sorbicillinoid biosynthesis in U. virens, and contributed to development (mycelial growth, sporulation, and cell wall integrity), stress responses, and phytotoxicity through sorbicillinoid mediation. It provides an insight into further investigation of biological functions and biosynthesis of sorbicillinoids.
Keywords: Ustilaginoidea virens; UvSorA; UvSorB; biological functions; biosynthesis; gene deletion; mycotoxins; phenotypes; rice false smut disease; sorbicillinoids.