Zinc finger transcription factor ZFP1 is associated with growth, conidiation, osmoregulation, and virulence in the Polygonatum kingianum pathogen Fusarium oxysporum

Abstract

Abstract Rhizome rot is a destructive soil-borne disease of Polygonatum kingianum and adversely affects the yield and sustenance of the plant. Understanding how the causal fungus Fusarium oxysporum infects P. kingianum may suggest effective control measures against rhizome rot. In germinating conidia of infectious F. oxysporum, expression of the zinc finger transcription factor gene Zfp1, consisting of two C2H2 motifs, was up-regulated. To characterize the critical role of ZFP1, we generated independent deletion mutants (zfp1) and complemented one mutant with a transgenic copy of ZFP1 (zfp1 tZFP1). Mycelial growth and conidial production of zfp1 were slower than those of wild type (ZFP1) and zfp1 tZFP1. Additionally, a reduced inhibition of growth suggested zfp1 was less sensitive to conditions promoting cell wall and osmotic stresses than ZFP1 and zfp1 tZFP1. Furthermore pathogenicity tests suggested a critical role for growth of zfp1 in infected leaves and rhizomes of P. kingianum. Thus ZFP1 is important for mycelial growth, conidiation, osmoregulation, and pathogenicity in P. kingianum.