FgMob1 is involved in mitotic exit and regulates the development, abiotic stress response, and pathogenicity of...

Fusarium graminearum is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes wheat scab. This pathogen is distributed worldwide and produces deoxynivalenol, which significantly affects humans and animals. Mob1 belongs to the MOB (Mps One Binder) family, whose members are present in a wide variety of eukaryotes, and is a core component of the MEN (mitotic exit network) pathway, regulating the mitotic exit process in yeast. However, the roles of Mob1 in pathogenic fungi remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of FgMob1 in the development and pathogenicity of F. graminearum. Functional analyses showed that FgMob1 is important for vegetative growth, conidiation, ascospore formation, DON production, and pathogenicity. Subcellular localization results revealed that FgMob1 localizes to the spindle pole bodies. Furthermore, the average number of nuclei was significantly increased in the hyphae and conidia of the FgMOB1 deletion mutant, suggesting that FgMob1 is involved in MEN. Additionally, FgMob1 plays a significant role in the response to abiotic stress, deletion of the FgMOB1 gene affected sensitivity to cell wall, plasma membrane and oxidative stresses. In summary, this study demonstrates that FgMob1 is involved in MEN and is required for vegetative growth, asexual and sexual development, abiotic stress response, and pathogenicity in F. graminearum.