BcMettl4-Mediated DNA Adenine N⁶-Methylation Is Critical for Virulence of Botrytis cinerea.

ABSTRACT: DNA adenine N⁶-methylation (6mA) plays a critical role in various biological functions, but its occurrence and functions in filamentous plant pathogens are largely unexplored. Botrytis cinerea is an important pathogenic fungus worldwide. A systematic analysis of 6mA in B. cinerea was performed in this study, revealing that 6mA is widely distributed in the genome of this fungus. The 2 kb regions flanking many genes, particularly the upstream promoter regions, were susceptible to methylation. The role of BcMettl4, a 6mA methyltransferase, in the virulence of B. cinerea was investigated. BcMETTL4 disruption and point mutations of its catalytic motif "DPPW" both resulted in significant 6mA reduction in the genomic DNA and in reduced virulence of B. cin

SUBMITTER: Miao Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9279130 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature