A MADS-box transcription factor regulates a central step in sporulation of the oomycete Phytophthora infestans

MADS-box transcription factors play significant roles in eukaryotes, but have not yet been characterized in oomycetes. Here, we describe a MADS-box protein from Phytophthora infestans, which causes late blight of potato. P. infestans and most other oomycetes express a single MADS-box gene. PiMADS is not transcribed during vegetative growth, but is induced early during asexual sporulation. Its mRNA levels oscillate in response to light, which suppresses sporulation. The protein was not detected in nonsporulating mycelia, but was found in sporulating mycelia and spores. Both mRNA and protein levels decline upon spore germination. A similar expression pattern as well as nuclear localization was observed when the protein was expressed with a fluorescent tag from the native promoter. Gene silencing triggered by a construct expressing 478 nt of MADS sequences indicated that PiMADS is required for sporulation but not hyphal growth or plant colonization. A comparison of wild type to a silenced strain by RNA-seq indicated that PiMADS regulates about 3000 sporulation-associated genes, and acts before other genes previously shown to regulate sporulation. Analysis of the silenced strain also indicated that the native gene was not transcribed while the transgene was still expressed, which contradicts current models for homology-dependent silencing in oomycetes.