A Novel Secreted Cysteine-Rich Anionic (Sca) Protein from the Citrus Postharvest Pathogen Enhances Virulence and Modulates the Activity of the Antifungal Protein B (AfpB).

Antifungal proteins (AFPs) from ascomycete fungi could help the development of antimycotics. However, little is known about their biological role or functional interactions with other fungal biomolecules. We previously reported that AfpB from the postharvest pathogen cannot be detected in the parental fungus yet is abundantly produced biotechnologically. While aiming to detect AfpB, we identified a conserved and novel small Secreted Cysteine-rich Anionic (Sca) protein, encoded by the gene PDIG_23520 from CECT 20796. The gene is expressed during culture and early during citrus fruit infection. Both null mutant (Δ) and Sca overproducer (Sca) strains show no phenotypic differences from the wild type. Sca is not antimicrobial but potentiates growth when added in high amounts and enhances the in vitro antifungal activity of AfpB. The Sca strain shows increased incidence of infection in citrus fruit, similar to the addition of purified Sca to the wild-type inoculum. Sca compensates and overcomes the protective effect of AfpB and the antifungal protein PeAfpA from the apple pathogen in fruit inoculations. Our study shows that Sca is a novel protein that enhances the growth and virulence of its parental fungus and modulates the activity of AFPs.