Correction: Deng et al. Distinct Roles of Ena ATP Family Proteins in Sodium Accumulation, Invasive Growth, and Full Virulence in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. J. Fungi 2023, 9, 566.

In the original publication [...].

Distinct Roles of Ena ATP Family Proteins in Sodium Accumulation, Invasive Growth, and Full Virulence in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a significant fungal pathogen of crops and trees, causes large economic losses worldwide. However, its pathogenic mechanism remains totally unclear. In this study, four Ena ATPases (Exitus natru-type adenosine triphosphatases), homology of yeast Ena proteins, were identified in C. gloeosporioides. Gene deletion mutants of ΔCgena1, ΔCgena2, ΔCgena3, and ΔCgena4 were obtained through the method of gene replacement. First, a subcellular localization pattern indicated that CgEna1 and CgEna4 were localized in the plasma membrane, while the CgEna2 and CgEna3 were distributed in the endoparasitic reticulum. Next, it was found that CgEna1 and CgEna4 were required for sodium accumulation in C. gloeosporioides. CgEna3 was required for extracellular ion stress of sodium and potassium. CgEna1 and CgEna3 were involved in conidial germination, appressorium formation, invasive hyphal development, and full virulence. The mutant of ΔCgena4 was more sensitive to the conditions of high concentrations of ion and the alkaline. Together, these results indicated that CgEna ATPase proteins have distinct roles in sodium accumulation, stress resistance, and full virulence in C. gloeosporioides.

Involvement of Protein Kinase CgSat4 in Potassium Uptake, Cation Tolerance, and Full Virulence in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

The ascomycete Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a causal agent of anthracnose on crops and trees and causes enormous economic losses in the world. Protein kinases have been implicated in the regulation of growth and development, and responses to extracellular stimuli. However, the mechanism of the protein kinases regulating phytopathogenic fungal-specific processes is largely unclear. In the study, a serine/threonine CgSat4 was identified in C. gloeosporioides. The CgSat4 was localized in the cytoplasm. Targeted gene deletion showed that CgSat4 was essential for vegetative growth, sporulation, and full virulence. CgSat4 is involved in K+ uptake by regulating the localization and expression of the potassium transporter CgTrk1. CgSat4 is required for the cation stress resistance by altering the phosphorylation of CgHog1. Our study provides insights into potassium acquisition and the pathogenesis of C. gloeosporioides.

Protein Phosphatase CgPpz1 Regulates Potassium Uptake, Stress Responses, and Plant Infection in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

Protein phosphatases play important roles in the regulation of various cellular processes in eukaryotes. The ascomycete Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a causal agent of anthracnose disease on some important crops and trees. In this study, CgPPZ1, a protein phosphate gene and a homolog of yeast PPZ1, was identified in C. gloeosporioides. Targeted gene deletion showed that CgPpz1 was important for vegetative growth and asexual development, conidial germination, and plant infection. Cytological examinations revealed that CgPpz1 was localized to the cytoplasm. The ΔCgppz1 mutant was hypersensitive to osmotic stresses, cell wall stressors, and oxidative stressors. Taken together, our results indicated that CgPpz1 plays an important role in the fungal development and virulence of C. gloeosporioides and the multiple stress responses generated.

Calcineurin-Responsive Transcription Factor CgCrzA Is Required for Cell Wall Integrity and Infection-Related Morphogenesis in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

The ascomycete fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides infects a wide range of plant hosts and causes enormous economic losses in the world. The transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in development and pathogenicity of many organisms. In this study, we found that the C2H2 TF CgCrzA is localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus under standard condition, and it translocated from cytoplasm to nucleus in a calcineurin-dependent manner. Moreover, the ΔCgCrzA was hypersensitive to cell wall perturbing agents and showed severe cell wall integrity defects. Deletion of the CgCRZA inhibited the development of invasive structures and lost pathogenicity to plant hosts. Our results suggested that calcineurin-responsive TF CgCrzA was not only involved in regulating cell wall integrity, but also in morphogenesis and virulence in C. gloeosporioides.