Two cerato-platanin proteins FocCP1 interact with MaPR1 and contribute to virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense to banana

Abstract

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) causes destructive wilt disease to banana cultivation. However, knowledge of mechanisms in virulence regulation of Foc TR4 is still inadequate. In our previous work, two hypothetical FocCP1 proteins that belong to the cerato-platanin (CP) family were identified in the secretome of Foc TR4. In the present study, knock-out mutants of two FocCP1 were constructed and functions of two proteins were investigated. The results showed that the two FocCP1 play important roles in regulation of full virulence but are not required for vegetative growth or conidiation of the pathogen; besides, there is a functional redundancy between the two FocCP1. Moreover, we found that FocCP1 proteins interact with MaPR1 proteins through yeast two-hybrid and BiFC test. Our results suggest that FocCP1 proteins are important for the virulence of Foc TR4 and might inhibit the antifungal activity of MaPR1 by directly interacting with them.