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The expansion of oligopeptide transporters in Melampsora larici-populina may reflect its adaptation to a phytoparasitic lifestyle.
- Source :
-
Gene [Gene] 2024 Aug 20; Vol. 920, pp. 148506. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 24. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- The acquisition of nutrients from host plants by phytopathogenic fungi is critically important for their invasion success. Melampsora larici-populina, an obligate biotrophic pathogenic fungus, causes the poplar leaf rust disease and can severely damage host poplar plants. Previously, we found that oligopeptide transporters (OPTs) have undergone a convergent expansion, which might reflect adaptation to a phytoparasitic lifestyle. Here, we used various methods to evaluate this hypothesis, including conserved motif identification, positive selection signal mining, expression pattern clustering analysis, and neutral selection tests. The motif composition of the five clades in the OPT family differed, and positive selection was observed during clade differentiation. This suggests that OPTs in these five clades may be functionally differentiated, which would increase the range of transported substrates and promote the absorption of more types of nitrogen compounds from the hosts. According to clustering analysis of gene expression patterns, the expression of most genes from the two expanded clades (clade 2 and 4) was up-regulated during the infection of poplar trees, indicating that the expansion of OPTs likely occurred to promote the uptake of oligopeptides from host poplar plants. The MellpOPT4g gene was determined to be under significant balancing selection based on the neutral selection tests, suggesting that it plays a role in the pathogenic process. In conclusion, these three observations provide preliminary evidence supporting our hypothesis, as they indicate that the expansion of OPTs in M. larici-populina has aided the ability of this pathogen to acquire nutrients from host plants.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br /> (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Membrane Transport Proteins genetics
Membrane Transport Proteins metabolism
Phylogeny
Adaptation, Physiological genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Selection, Genetic
Populus genetics
Populus parasitology
Populus microbiology
Oligopeptides metabolism
Oligopeptides genetics
Basidiomycota genetics
Basidiomycota pathogenicity
Basidiomycota metabolism
Plant Diseases parasitology
Plant Diseases microbiology
Plant Diseases genetics
Fungal Proteins genetics
Fungal Proteins metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1879-0038
- Volume :
- 920
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Gene
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38670390
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2024.148506