BcCFEM1, a CFEM Domain-Containing Protein with Putative GPI-Anchored Site, Is Involved in Pathogenicity, Conidial Production, and Stress Tolerance in .

We experimentally isolated and characterized a CFEM protein with putative GPI-anchored site BcCFEM1 in . BcCFEM1 contains a CFEM (common in several fungal extracellular membrane proteins) domain with the characteristic eight cysteine residues at N terminus, and a predicted GPI modification site at C terminus. was significantly up-regulated during early stage of infection on bean leaves and induced chlorosis in leaves using infiltration method. Targeted deletion of in affected virulence, conidial production and stress tolerance, but not growth rate, conidial germination, colony morphology, and sclerotial formation. However, over expression of did not make any observable phenotype change. Therefore, our data suggested that BcCFEM1 contributes to virulence, conidial production, and stress tolerance. These findings further enhance our understanding on the sophisticated pathogenicity of beyond necrotrophic stage, highlighting the importance of CFEM protein to and other broad-host-range necrotrophic pathogens.