Study of the programmed cell death mechanism involved in pathogenicity of plant fungal pathogens

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K14895
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 39040:Plant protection science-related
• Research Institution: The University of Shiga Prefecture
• Principal Investigator: SUMITA Takuya 滋賀県立大学, 環境科学部, 講師 (90881136)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 植物病原菌 / 付着器 / プログラム細胞死 / ユビキチン・プロテアソーム系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In our previous study, we have found that disruptants of the F-box gene CoGRR1 in Colletotrichum orbiculare caused a programmed cell death not only in conidia after appressorial formation but also in appressoria. In this study, we performed RNA-Seq analysis using mycelia and conidial germlings that developed appressoria of the wild-type and the disruptant. We identified a group of genes that were specifically expressed in the conidial germlings of the disruptant that developed appressoria. It is possible these include novel genes involved in the machinery of the PCD. In addition, the complementation analysis using CoGRR1 lacking F-box domain suggested that selective protein degradation via CoGRR1 regulate a process of the PCD.

Free Research Field

植物病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ウリ類炭疽病菌・イネいもち病菌などの植物病原菌において、感染過程で起きる胞子のプログラム細胞死は感染の成立に重要と考えられているが、その機構には未解明な点が多い。本研究において得られたPCDへの関与が推測される遺伝子群の機能解析を進めることで、これらの重要病原菌の防除法や殺菌剤の開発に寄与することが期待できる。また真菌におけるPCDメカニズムに関する知見は哺乳動物と比較して未だ不十分であり、本研究の成果はその基礎的な理解の進展にも貢献できる可能性がある。