The FUS3/KSS1-type MAP kinase gene FPK1 is involved in hyphal growth, conidiation and plant infection of Fusarium proliferatum.

Fusarium proliferatum is an important pathogen of maize that is responsible for ear rots, stalk rots and seeding blight worldwide. During the past decade, F. proliferatum has caused several severe epidemics of maize seedling blight in many areas of China, which led to significant losses in maize. To understand the molecular mechanisms in the fungal developmental regulation and pathogenicity, we isolated and characterized the FPK1 gene (GenBank accession No. HQ844224) encoding a MAP kinase homolog of FUS3/KSS1 in yeast. The gene includes a 1,242-bp DNA sequence from ATG to TAA, with a coding region of 1,068 bp, 3 introns (58 bp, 56 bp and 60 bp) and a predicted protein of 355 aa.The mutant ΔFPK1, which has a disruption of the FPK1 gene, showed reduced vegetative growth, fewer and shorter aerial mycelia, strongly impaired conidiation and spore germination, as well as deviant germ tube outgrowth. When the strain was inoculated in susceptible maize varieties, the infection of the mutant ΔFPK1 was delayed, and the infection efficiency was reduced compared to the wild-type strain. Complementation of the disruptions within the FPK1 open reading frame restored wild-type levels of conidiation, growth rate and virulence to maize seedlings. Our results indicated that the FPK1 gene functioned in hyphal growth, conidiation, spore germination and virulence in F. proliferatum.