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Mitochondrial plasmid-like elements in some hypovirulent strains of Cryphonectria parasitica

Dipnath Baidyaroy1, Georg Hausner, Dennis W Fulbright

  • 1Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312, USA.

Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B
|May 31, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A novel mitochondrial DNA element, plME-C9, was found in chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). This element, though impacting fungal growth, does not cause hypovirulence in C. parasitica.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Plant Pathology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Hypovirulence in Cryphonectria parasitica is linked to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations.
  • Previous research identified the InC9 mitochondrial DNA element in hypovirulent strains.
  • The role of other mitochondrial elements in C. parasitica pathogenesis remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize novel mitochondrial DNA elements in hypovirulent Cryphonectria parasitica strains.
  • To investigate the association of these elements with the hypovirulence phenotype.
  • To determine the prevalence and impact of plME-C9 in C. parasitica populations.

Main Methods:

  • DNA extraction and sequencing from C. parasitica isolates.
  • Molecular characterization of mitochondrial DNA elements, including plME-C9.
  • Growth assays on synthetic media to assess fungal fitness.
  • Correlation analysis between element presence and hypovirulence phenotype.

Main Results:

  • A 1.4-kb plasmid-like mitochondrial element C9 (plME-C9) was identified in C. parasitica mitochondria.
  • plME-C9 exists as circular monomeric and multimeric forms and contains a partial reverse transcriptase-like gene sequence.
  • Accumulation of plME-C9 negatively impacted fungal growth on synthetic media.
  • plME-C9 presence did not correlate with the hypovirulence phenotype in C. parasitica.

Conclusions:

  • plME-C9 is a novel mitochondrial element in C. parasitica.
  • plME-C9 negatively affects fungal growth but is not the primary cause of hypovirulence.
  • The prevalence of attenuated C. parasitica strains in Kellogg Forest is not solely due to plME-C9.

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