GEOapplication/xmlftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/series/GSE328nnn/GSE328568/primaryOK200TranscriptomicsVerticillium dahliaeExpression profiling by high throughput sequencinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE328568GEOGSEfalseVdGGCT, a GGCT_like super family protein, is required for mycelial growth, conidiation and pathogenicity of Verticillium dahliaeGiven the scarcity of known virulence factors in V. dahliae, which causes severe agricultural losses globally, identification of novel virulence genes is imperative for developing small-molecule inhibitor-based strategies against Verticillium wilt. Although gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase (GGCT) holds promise as a therapeutic target in cancer, its functions and regulatory mechanisms in plant-pathogenic fungi remain largely elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the VdGGCT gene severely attenuates the development and virulence of V. dahliae. Interestingly, despite belonging to the GGCT subfamily of the GGCT superfamily, VdGGCT exhibits no detectable GGCT activity towards GSH, γ-Glu-Met, or γ-Glu-Cys. Further Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that VdGGCT is critically involved in regulating the transcription of genes and the abundance of metabolites closely associated with pathogenicity, particularly those implicated in amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Collectively, our findings revealed the importance of VdGGCT in the development and virulence of V. dahliae, thereby identifying a novel target for the design of innovative fungicides.2026/05/12GSE328568GSM9685459GSM9685458GSM9685457GSM9685462GSM9685461GSM968546036842328568Verticillium dahliae