Differences in Behavior During Early Nectarine Infection Among Main Monilinia spp. Causing Brown Rot

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Mycology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Brown rot, caused by Monilinia fungi, impacts stone and pome fruits globally.
• Three main species (M. fructicola, M. laxa, M. fructigena) exhibit varying infection patterns and host preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate regulatory differences in early infection stages among Monilinia species.
• Determine the role of environmental factors like light in Monilinia pathogenesis.
• Identify key genes and proteins involved in Monilinia spp. infection.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of cell wall-degrading enzyme gene expression.
• Assessment of infection progression under different light conditions (red light vs. darkness).
• Bioinformatic analysis of gene promoter regions and protein structure prediction (AlphaFold).

Main Results:

• Monilinia fructicola infection is accelerated by red light, with earlier symptom development compared to other species or darkness.
• Overexpression of specific cell wall-associated enzymes (CAZymes) and necrosis factor Nep2 correlates with Monilinia etiology.
• M. fructigena's nep2 gene lacks white-collar complex binding sites, suggesting altered photoreception regulation.
• AlphaFold modeling indicates high similarity among NEP1-like proteins across the three Monilinia species.

Conclusions:

• Differential gene regulation, potentially influenced by light, contributes to varied infection strategies and host specificity in Monilinia species.
• The NEP1-like protein family and Nep2 function are important in Monilinia pathogenesis.
• Understanding these regulatory mechanisms can inform strategies to manage brown rot disease.