Study on the role of patulin on pathogenicity and virulence of Penicillium expansum

Although the antibacterial activity and toxicity to humans and animals of the mycotoxin patulin are well known, its role in the postharvest decay of apples by Penicillium expansum has never been investigated. In the present study the gene disruption technique was used to alter the sequence of 6-methyl-salicylic acid synthase, an enzyme involved in the first committed step of patulin biosynthesis. Thirty-nine mutants were obtained, however only two of them (M5 and M21) passed the sub-cultural and molecular confirmation tests. They proved to produce 33-41% less patulin than their wild-type (WT) strain, although no difference in the growth and morphology of the colony was observed. Moreover, the mutants showed a significantly reduced pathogenicity and virulence on artificially inoculated apples. In particular, a 33-34% and 47-54% reduction of disease incidence and severity were recorded for M5 and M21, respectively. As confirmation, when the biomass of the mutants was quantified in vivo by Real-time PCR, a significant difference was recorded as compared to the WT and even between mutants. Moreover, when patulin production potential of mutants was restored by exogenous application of the mycotoxin, their ability to cause the disease was not significantly different from that of WT. Finally, mutants showed an increased susceptibility to the application of the antioxidant quercetin, their pathogenicity and virulence being significantly reduced at only 1/100 of the concentration needed for the WT. Based on these findings, patulin seems to have a role in the development of blue mold decay on apples.