Impairment of the cellulose degradation machinery enhances Fusarium oxysporum virulence but limits its reproductive fitness.

ABSTRACT: Fungal pathogens grow in the apoplastic space, in constant contact with the plant cell wall (CW) that hinders microbe progression while representing a source of nutrients. Although numerous fungal CW modifying proteins have been identified, their role during host colonization remains underexplored. Here, we show that the root-infecting plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) does not require its complete arsenal of cellulases to infect the host plant. Quite the opposite: Fo mutants impaired in cellulose degradation become hypervirulent by enhancing the secretion of virulence factors. On the other hand, the reduction in cellulase activity had a severe negative effect on saprophytic growth and microconidia production during the final stages of the Fo infection cycle. These findings enh

SUBMITTER: Gamez-Arjona FM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9020665 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature