Non-canonical fungal G-protein coupled receptors promote Fusarium head blight on wheat

Tess Dilks, Kirstie Halsey, Rebecca P. De Vos, Kim E. Hammond-Kosack, Neil Andrew Brown

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is the number one floral disease of cereals and poses a serious health hazard by contaminating grain with the harmful mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). Fungi adapt to fluctuations in their environment, coordinating development and metabolism accordingly. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) communicate changes in the environment to intracellular G-proteins that direct the appropriate biological response, suggesting that fungal GPCR signalling may be key to virulence. Here we describe the expansion of non-classical GPCRs in the FHB causing pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, and show that class X receptors are highly expressed during wheat infection. We identify class X receptors that are required for FHB disease on wheat, and show that the absence of a GPCR can cause an enhanced host response that restricts the progression of infection. Specific receptor sub-domains are required for virulence. These non-classical receptors physically interact with intracellular G-proteins and are therefore bona fide GPCRs. Disrupting a class X receptor is shown to dysregulate the transcriptional coordination of virulence traits during infection. This amounts to enhanced wheat defensive responses, including chitinase and plant cell wall biosynthesis, resulting in apoplastic and vascular occlusions that impede infection. Our results show that GPCR signalling is important to FHB disease establishment.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere1007666
Pages (from-to)1-26
Number of pages26
JournalPLoS Pathogens
Volume15
Issue number4
Early online date1 Apr 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Apr 2019

Keywords

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Wall/metabolism
  • Disease Resistance/immunology
  • Fusarium/pathogenicity
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Plant Diseases/immunology
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/chemistry
  • Sequence Homology
  • Triticum/microbiology
  • Virulence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

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