Maeda Kazuya, Sumita Takuya, Nishi Oumi, Sushida Hirotoshi, Higashi Yumiko, Nakagawa Hiroyuki, Suzuki Tomoko, Iwao Eishin, Fanani Much Zaenal, Nishiya Yoshiaki, Iida Yuichiro
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan.
Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Setsunan University, Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan.
mBio. 2025 Apr 9;16(4):e0400724. doi: 10.1128/mbio.04007-24. Epub 2025 Mar 20.
Leaf mold caused by the ascomycete fungus is a devastating disease of tomato plants. The mycoparasitic fungus is an effective biocontrol agent that parasitizes hyphae on leaves and secretes 13-deoxyphomenone, an eremophilane-type sesquiterpene, which was also identified as a sporulation-inducing factor in . Here, we identified deoxyphomenone biosynthesis () gene clusters conserved in both and section , including and . Functional disruption of orthologous genes encoding sesquiterpene cyclase in , , and its close relative revealed that deoxyphomenone in had exogenic antifungal activity against and controlled endogenic sporulation in species. Complete clusters, highly similar to those in , were exclusive to section , while species in other sections contained fragmented clusters. A comparative genomics analysis revealed that these gene clusters share a common origin and are horizontally transferred from an ancestor of to . Our results suggest that after horizontal transfer, maintained the cluster as the inhibitory effect of deoxyphomenone on spore germination and mycelial growth contributed to its mycoparasitism on the host fungus .
Tomato leaf mold disease caused by poses a significant economic threat to tomato production globally. Breeders have developed tomato cultivars with resistance genes. frequently evolves new races that overcome these genetic defenses, complicating control efforts. Additionally, the pathogen has developed resistance to chemical fungicides, prompting the need for sustainable alternatives like biocontrol agents. The mycoparasitic fungus is crucial as an effective agent against . Clarifying the mechanism of mycoparasitism is significant, as it enhances its application as a biocontrol agent against plant pathogens. This study revealed how produces deoxyphomenone, an antifungal compound, through horizontal gene transfer from species. It is hypothesized that mycoparasitism could be one of the mechanisms that facilitated horizontal gene transfer between fungi. These insights facilitate the development of eco-friendly, sustainable agricultural practices by reducing dependence on chemical fungicides and promoting natural pathogen control methods.
子囊菌引起的叶霉病是番茄植株的一种毁灭性病害。真菌寄生菌是一种有效的生物防治剂，它寄生于叶片上的菌丝，并分泌13 - 脱氧腐殖酮，一种苦艾烷型倍半萜烯，它也被鉴定为[某菌]中的孢子形成诱导因子。在此，我们鉴定了在[某属真菌]和[某属真菌]的[某组真菌]中保守的脱氧腐殖酮生物合成（[相关基因簇名称]）基因簇，包括[具体基因簇名称1]和[具体基因簇名称2]。对[某菌]、[某菌]及其近缘种中编码倍半萜环化酶的直系同源基因的功能破坏表明，[某菌]中的脱氧腐殖酮对[某菌]具有外源抗真菌活性，并控制[某菌]物种中的内源孢子形成。与[某菌]中高度相似完整的[相关基因簇名称]基因簇，是[某组真菌]所特有的，而其他[某属真菌]组中的物种含有碎片化的[相关基因簇名称]基因簇。比较基因组学分析表明，这些[相关基因簇名称]基因簇有共同的起源，并从[某菌]的一个祖先水平转移到[另一菌]。我们的结果表明，在水平转移后，[某菌]保留了[相关基因簇名称]基因簇，因为脱氧腐殖酮对孢子萌发和菌丝生长的抑制作用有助于其对寄主真菌[某菌]的真菌寄生作用。
由[某菌]引起的番茄叶霉病对全球番茄生产构成重大经济威胁。育种者已培育出具有[抗病基因名称]抗性基因的番茄品种。[某菌]经常进化出新的小种，克服这些遗传防御，使防治工作复杂化。此外，该病原菌已对化学杀菌剂产生抗性，促使需要像生物防治剂这样的可持续替代方法。真菌寄生菌[某菌]作为对抗[某菌]的有效制剂至关重要。阐明真菌寄生机制具有重要意义，因为这增强了其作为对抗植物病原菌的生物防治剂的应用。本研究揭示了[某菌]如何通过从[某菌]物种水平基因转移产生脱氧腐殖酮，一种抗真菌化合物。据推测，真菌寄生可能是促进真菌间水平基因转移的机制之一。这些见解通过减少对化学杀菌剂依赖和推广天然病原菌控制方法，促进了生态友好型、可持续农业实践的发展。
