AUTHOR=Yu Yang , Xiao Jifen , Du Jiao , Yang Yuheng , Bi Chaowei , Qing Ling 

TITLE=Disruption of the Gene Encoding Endo-β-1, 4-Xylanase Affects the Growth and Virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01787

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2016.01787

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</italic> (Lib.) de Bary is a devastating fungal pathogen with worldwide distribution. <italic>S. sclerotiorum</italic> is a necrotrophic fungus that secretes many cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) that destroy plant’s cell-wall components. Functional analyses of the genes that encode CWDEs will help explain the mechanisms of growth and pathogenicity of <italic>S. sclerotiorum</italic>. Here, we isolated and characterized a gene <italic>SsXyl1</italic> that encoded an endo-β-1, 4-xylanase in <italic>S. sclerotiorum</italic>. The <italic>SsXyl1</italic> expression showed a slight increase during the development and germination stages of sclerotia and a dramatic increase during infection. The expression of <italic>SsXyl1</italic> was induced by xylan. The <italic>SsXyl1</italic> deletion strains produce aberrant sclerotia that could not germinate to form apothecia. The <italic>SsXyl1</italic> deletion strains also lost virulence to the hosts. This study demonstrates the important roles of endo-β-1, 4-xylanase in the growth and virulence of <italic>S. sclerotiorum.</italic></p>