A Putative Effector LtCSEP1 from Inhibits BAX-Triggered Cell Death and Suppresses Immunity Responses in .

is a causal agent of grapevine trunk disease, and it poses a significant threat to the grape industry worldwide. Fungal effectors play an essential role in the interaction between plants and pathogens. However, few studies have been conducted to understand the functions of individual effectors in . In this study, we identified and characterized a candidate secreted effector protein, LtCSEP1, in . Gene expression analysis suggested that transcription of in was induced at the early infection stages in the grapevine. Yeast secretion assay revealed that LtCSEP1 contains a functional signal peptide. Transient expression of in suppresses BAX-trigged cell death and significantly inhibits the flg22-induced PTI-associated gene expression. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of in enhanced disease susceptibility to by downregulating the defense-related genes. These results demonstrated that LtCSEP1 is a potential effector of , which contributes to suppressing the plant's defenses.