The Transcription Factor SsZNC1 Mediates Virulence, Sclerotial Development, and Osmotic Stress Response in .

is a fungal pathogen with a broad range of hosts, which can cause diseases and pose a great threat to many crops. Fungal-specific ZnCys transcription factors (TFs) constitute a large family prevalent among plant pathogens. However, the function of ZnCys TFs remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized SsZNC1, a ZnCys TF in , which is involved in virulence, sclerotial development, and osmotic stress response. The expression of was significantly up-regulated in the early stages of infection on leaves. The target deletion of resulted in reduced virulence on and oilseed rape. In addition, sclerotial development ability and growth ability under hyperosmotic conditions of knockout transformants were reduced. A transcriptomic analysis unveiled its regulatory role in key cellular functions, including cellulose catabolic process, methyltransferase activity, and virulence, etc. Together, our results indicated that SsZNC1, a core regulatory gene involved in virulence, sclerotial development and stress response, provides new insight into the transcription regulation and pathogenesis of .