Botrytis cinerea Endopolygalacturonase Genes Are Differentially Expressed in Various Plant Tissues

• Published in: Fungal genetics and biology Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 97 - 105
• Main Authors: ten Have, Arjen, Breuil, Wendy Oude, Wubben, Jos P., Visser, Jaap, van Kan, Jan A.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2001
• Subjects: Bcpg1 gene; Bcpg2 gene; Bcpg3 gene; Bcpg4 gene; Bcpg5 gene; Blotting, Northern; Botrytis - enzymology; Botrytis - genetics; Botrytis cinerea; cell wall; Cloning, Molecular; Culture Media; differential gene expression; endopolygalacturonase; EPS; Fruit - microbiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; gray mold; Laboratorium voor Fytopathologie; Laboratorium voor Phytopathologie; Laboratory of Phytopathology; monogalacturonic acid; Multigene Family; pathogenicity; pectin; Pectins - metabolism; Plant Diseases - microbiology; Plant Leaves - microbiology; polygalacturonase; Polygalacturonase - genetics; Polygalacturonase - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA blot analysis; RNA, Fungal - genetics; RNA, Fungal - metabolism; RT-PCR; RNA blot analysis; pathogenicity; differential gene expression; Botrytis cinerea; RT-PCR; pectin; polygalacturonase; cell wall; gray mold
• ISSN: 1087-1845; 1096-0937
• DOI: 10.1006/fgbi.2001.1269

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of blight, rot, and gray mold on many plant species, secretes various endopolygalacturonases during all stages of infection. The expression pattern of the encoding genes (Bcpg 1–6) was studied on four hosts: tomato, broad bean, apple, and courgette (also known as zucchini). All gene family members are differentially expressed, depending on the stage of infection and the host. Bcpg1 is expressed in all tissues tested although differences in transcript levels occur. Bcpg2 expression is detected early in the infection of three of four plant tissues tested. Bcpg3 and Bcpg5 are expressed in apple fruit tissue, although probably as a result of different regulatory mechanisms. The expression patterns of Bcpg4 and 6 are in agreement with their inducibility by monogalacturonic acid. The pattern of Bcpg gene expression indicates that B. cinerea is equipped with a flexible enzymatic pectate degradation machinery. The studies pinpoint new targets for gene disruption studies.