Identification and characterization of a mating signalling gene from an oil palm pathogen, Ganoderma boninense

Abstract

Basal stem rot (BSR) disease is a devastating threat to Malaysia oil palm plantation, which is caused by Ganoderma boninense fungi. Dikaryon is the dominant stage of G. boninense and the pathogenic form of the fungus as compared to the monokaryon. Mating signalling response lead by mitogen-activated pathway (MAPK) responsible in the transformation of sterile monokaryon to pathogenic dikaryon. Expression of the STE3 gene involved in the autocrine activation of mating pathway. Mutations of STE3 gene in some pathogenic yeast resulted in inhibition of pheromone responses and blocked the signalling in the cell fusion. Identification of pheromone receptor, STE3 gene involved in mating signalling pathway is important to understand the mating response towards pathogenesis of G. boninense. Genome walking and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were carried out to amplify isolate the full length of STE3 gene. Several in silico sequence analysis were conducted to characterise the STE3 gene. The full-length gene sequence including the upstream and downstream regions obtained could be used in future studies to understand pathogenesis of G. boninense.