The Phosphatase VdPtc3 Regulates Virulence in Verticillium dahliae by Interacting with VdAtg1

Type 2C protein phosphatases regulate various biological processes in eukaryotes. However, their functions in Verticillium dahliae have not been characterized. In this study, homologs VdPtc1, VdPtc3, VdPtc5, VdPtc6, and VdPtc7 were identified in V. dahliae on the basis of homologous comparison with those in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. VdPtc2 and VdPtc4 are missing in the genome of the V. dahliae XJ592 strain. VdPtc3 is the homolog of Ptc2, Ptc3, and Ptc4 proteins in S. cerevisiae, implying that VdPtc3 may play versatile functions in V. dahliae. VdPtc3 promoted conidium development, melanin, and microsclerotium formation in V. dahliae. The ΔVdPtc3 strains showed increased sensitivity to NaCl and sorbitol and augmented the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase homolog Hog1 induced by osmotic stress. Besides, the ΔVdPtc3 strains also showed milder Verticillium wilt symptom on cotton. Furthermore, VdPtc3 interacts with VdAtg1, which modulates melanin and microsclerotium formation, as well as pathogenicity.