Small secreted proteins from the necrotrophic conifer pathogen Heterobasidion annosum s.l. (HaSSPs) induce cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana.

ABSTRACT: The basidiomycete Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato (s.l.) is considered to be one of the most destructive conifer pathogens in the temperate forests of the northern hemisphere. H. annosum is characterized by a dual fungal lifestyle. The fungus grows necrotrophically on living plant cells and saprotrophically on dead wood material. In this study, we screened the H. annosum genome for small secreted proteins (HaSSPs) that could potentially be involved in promoting necrotrophic growth during the fungal infection process. The final list included 58 HaSSPs that lacked predictable protein domains. The transient expression of HaSSP encoding genes revealed the ability of 8 HaSSPs to induce cell chlorosis and cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana. In particular, one protein (HaSSP30) could induce a

SUBMITTER: Raffaello T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5554239 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature