BcMtg2 is required for multiple stress tolerance, vegetative development and virulence in Botrytis cinerea

Area of Science:

• Molecular biology
• Mycology
• Plant pathology

Background:

• The Mtg2 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the Obg protein, essential for ribosomal subunit assembly.
• The function of Obg GTPase in filamentous fungi remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of the Mtg2 ortholog, BcMtg2, in the filamentous fungus B. cinerea.
• To determine BcMtg2's involvement in fungal development, stress response, and pathogenicity.

Main Methods:

• Identification and deletion of the BcMtg2 gene in B. cinerea.
• Phenotypic analysis of the BcMtg2 deletion mutant under various stress conditions.
• Yeast complementation assay to assess functional conservation.

Main Results:

• The BcMtg2 deletion mutant exhibited defects in spore production, conidial germination, and sclerotial formation.
• Mutants showed increased sensitivity to osmotic, oxidative, and cell wall stresses (Congo red).
• Reduced virulence was observed in the BcMtg2 mutant on host plant tissues, with partial restoration in yeast complementation assays.

Conclusions:

• BcMtg2 plays a vital role in asexual development, environmental stress tolerance, and pathogenicity in B. cinerea.
• Functional conservation of BcMtg2 was demonstrated through yeast complementation assays.
• The study highlights BcMtg2 as a key factor in B. cinerea's life cycle and interaction with host plants.