FoHsf1 reprograms central metabolism via caffeine and vitamin D2 to modulate development and virulence of Fusarium oxysporum on Polygonatum kingianum
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ABSTRACT: Root rot has severely affected the yield and quality of Polygonatum kingianum, and Fusarium oxysporum has been identified as the primary causal agent. To explore the virulence mechanisms of this pathogen, we performed a functional characterization of FoHsf1, a gene encoding a heat shock transcription factor in F. oxysporum. Using targeted gene knockout and complementation, phenotypic assays, and virulence tests, we found that the FoHsf1 deletion mutant (DEL) exhibited significant defects in mycelial growth, conidiation, and virulence relative to the wild-type (WT) and complemented (COM) isolates. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling demonstrated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were predominantly enriched in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism pathways. More importantly, the metabolite abundance of caffeine and vitamin D2 was significantly reduced in DEL; exogenous application of these two metabolites partially restored fungal growth. These findings suggest that FoHsf1 regulates fungal development by modulating core metabolic pathways. Our results advance the current understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying FoHsf1-mediated virulence of F. oxysporum and offer potential targets for managing this disease.
INSTRUMENT(S): Liquid Chromatography MS - negative - reverse-phase, Liquid Chromatography MS - positive - reverse-phase
PROVIDER: MTBLS14221 | MetaboLights | 2026-04-11
REPOSITORIES: MetaboLights
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