Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2021 Mar 11;87(7). doi: 10.1128/AEM.02910-20.
Fungal attacks on stored fruit and vegetables are responsible for losses of products. There is an active research field to develop alternative strategies for postharvest disease management, and the use of biocontrol agents represents a promising approach. Understanding the molecular bases of the biocontrol activity of these agents is crucial to potentiate their effectiveness. The yeast is a biocontrol agent against postharvest pathogens. Phenotypic studies suggest that it exerts its antagonistic activity through competition for nutrients and space, which relies on its resistance to oxidative and other cellular stresses. In this study, we developed tools for genetic manipulation in to perform targeted gene replacement and functional complementation of the transcription factors Yap1 and Rim101. phenotypic analyses revealed a conserved role of Yap1 and Rim101 in broad resistance to oxidative stress and alkaline pH sensing, respectively. analyses revealed that Δ and Δ mutants display decreased ability to colonize wounded fruit compared to that of the parental wild-type (WT) strain; the Δ mutant also displays reduced biocontrol activity against the postharvest pathogens and , indicating an important role for resistance to oxidative stress in timely wound colonization and biocontrol activity of In conclusion, the availability of molecular tools developed in the present study provides a foundation to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying biocontrol activity of , with the goal of enhancing this activity for the practical use of in pest management programs based on biological and integrated control. The use of fungicides represents the most effective and widely used strategy for controlling postharvest diseases. However, their extensive use has raised several concerns, such as the emergence of plant pathogens' resistance as well as the health risks associated with the persistence of chemical residues in fruit, in vegetables, and in the environment. These factors have brought attention to alternative methods for controlling postharvest diseases, such as the utilization of biocontrol agents. In the present study, we developed genetic resources to investigate at the molecular level the mechanisms involved in the biocontrol activity of , a basidiomycete yeast that is an effective biocontrol agent against widespread fungal pathogens, including , the etiological agent of blue mold disease of pome fruits. A deeper understanding of how postharvest biocontrol agents operate is the basic requirement to promote the utilization of biological (and integrated) control for the reduction of chemical fungicides.
真菌对贮藏水果和蔬菜的侵袭是造成产品损失的原因。目前，开发采后病害管理替代策略是一个活跃的研究领域，而使用生物防治剂是一种很有前途的方法。了解这些制剂生物防治活性的分子基础对于提高其效果至关重要。酵母是一种防治采后病原菌的生物防治剂。表型研究表明，它通过与营养物质和空间的竞争来发挥其拮抗作用，这依赖于其对氧化和其他细胞应激的抗性。在这项研究中，我们开发了在酵母中进行遗传操作的工具，以进行靶向基因替换和转录因子 Yap1 和 Rim101 的功能互补。表型分析揭示了 Yap1 和 Rim101 在广泛的氧化应激抗性和碱性 pH 感应中的保守作用。分析表明，与亲本野生型（WT）菌株相比，Δ和Δ突变体在伤口定殖方面的能力降低；Δ突变体对采后病原菌和的生物防治活性也降低，表明氧化应激抗性在酵母及时伤口定殖和生物防治活性中起着重要作用。综上所述，本研究中开发的分子工具的可用性为阐明酵母生物防治活性的遗传机制提供了基础，目的是提高其在基于生物和综合控制的害虫管理计划中生物防治活性。杀菌剂的使用是控制采后病害最有效和广泛使用的策略。然而，它们的广泛使用引起了一些关注，例如植物病原体抗性的出现以及化学残留物在水果、蔬菜和环境中持续存在所带来的健康风险。这些因素引起了人们对替代采后病害控制方法的关注，例如利用生物防治剂。在本研究中，我们开发了遗传资源，以在分子水平上研究参与有效防治广泛真菌病原体，包括引起苹果果实青霉病的病原真菌的担子菌酵母的生物防治活性的机制。深入了解采后生物防治剂的作用机制是促进利用生物（和综合）控制减少化学杀菌剂的基本要求。
