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The Hydrophobin-Like OmSSP1 May Be an Effector in the Ericoid Mycorrhizal Symbiosis

Salvatore Casarrubia1, Stefania Daghino1, Annegret Kohler2

  • 1Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Frontiers in Plant Science
|May 17, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Small secreted proteins (SSPs) are fungal effectors. In ericoid mycorrhiza, OmSSP1, a novel hydrophobin-like SSP from Oidiodendron maius, is secreted and crucial for symbiosis with Vaccinium myrtillus.

Area of Science:

  • Plant-fungal interactions
  • Mycology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Fungal small secreted proteins (SSPs) act as effectors, manipulating host metabolism for invasion in mutualistic and pathogenic associations.
  • The role of SSPs as effectors in ericoid mycorrhiza, a symbiosis between Leotiomycetes fungi and Ericaceae plants, remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of symbiosis-upregulated small secreted proteins (SSPs) in the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Oidiodendron maius.
  • To characterize OmSSP1, a highly upregulated SSP, and determine its function in the Oidiodendron maius - Vaccinium myrtillus symbiosis.

Main Methods:

  • Genomic and RNASeq data analysis to identify symbiosis-upregulated genes in Oidiodendron maius.
  • Sequence alignment to analyze OmSSP1's relationship with known hydrophobins.
  • Signal peptide prediction and yeast-based signal sequence trap assay to confirm OmSSP1 secretion.
  • Generation and analysis of OmSSP1 null-mutants to assess their mycorrhization capacity.

Main Results:

  • Several symbiosis-upregulated SSP-encoding genes were identified in Oidiodendron maius.
  • OmSSP1, the most upregulated SSP, shares features with Class I hydrophobins but lacks a canonical domain, suggesting a distinct type.
  • OmSSP1 is confirmed to be secreted via a signal peptide.
  • OmSSP1 null-mutants exhibited significantly reduced ability to form ericoid mycorrhiza with Vaccinium myrtillus roots.

Conclusions:

  • OmSSP1 functions as a secreted effector in the ericoid mycorrhizal interaction.
  • This finding highlights the potential role of SSPs, including novel hydrophobin-like proteins, as key players in plant-fungal symbiosis.
  • Further research into OmSSP1 and related proteins could reveal new mechanisms of symbiotic interactions.
Keywords:
Oidiodendron maiusericoid mycorrhizahomologous recombinationhydrophobinssmall secreted proteins

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