AUTHOR=Zhang Li , Liu Chunjie , Wang Mingyu , Tao Yilin , Liang Yuancun , Yu Jinfeng 

TITLE=Peroxin FgPEX22-Like Is Involved in FgPEX4 Tethering and Fusarium graminearum Pathogenicity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.756292

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.756292

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Peroxisomes are essential organelles that play important roles in a variety of biological processes in eukaryotic cells. To understand the synthesis of peroxisomes comprehensively, we identified the gene <italic>FgPEX22-like</italic>, encoding FgPEX22-like, a peroxin, in <italic>Fusarium graminearum</italic>. Our results showed that although FgPEX22-like was notably different from other peroxins (PEX) in <italic>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</italic>, it contained a predicted PEX4-binding site and interacted with FgPEX4 as a rivet protein of FgPEX4. To functionally characterize the roles of <italic>FgPEX22-like</italic> in <italic>F. graminearum</italic>, we performed homologous recombination to construct a deletion mutant (Δ<italic>PEX22-like</italic>). Analysis of the mutant showed that <italic>FgPEX22-like</italic> was essential for sexual and asexual reproduction, fatty acid utilization, pathogenicity, and production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol. Deletion of <italic>FgPEX22-like</italic> also led to increased production of lipid droplets and decreased elimination of reactive oxygen species. In addition, FgPEX22-like was required for the biogenesis of Woronin bodies. Taken together, our data demonstrate that FgPEX22-like is a peroxin in <italic>F. graminearum</italic> that interacts with PEX4 by anchoring PEX4 at the peroxisomal membrane and contributes to the peroxisome function in <italic>F. graminearum</italic>.</p>