Environmental Microbiology (2015) 17, 2735-2746

Chengqi Zhang, Yun Chen, Yanni Yin, Huan-Hong Ji, Won-Bo Shim, Yiping Hou, Mingguo Zhou, Xiang-Dong Li and Zhonghua Ma (2015)
A small molecule species specifically inhibits Fusarium myosin I
Environmental Microbiology 17 (8), 2735-2746
Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum is a devastating disease of cereal crops worldwide. Recently, a novel fungicide JS399-19 has been launched into the marketplace to manage FHB. It is compelling that JS399-19 shows highly inhibitory activity towards some Fusarium species, but not to other fungi, indicating that it is an environmentally compatible fungicide. To explore the mode of action of this species-specific compound, we conducted a whole-genome transcript profiling together with genetic and biochemical assays, and discovered that JS399-19 targets the myosin I of F. graminearum (FgMyo1). FgMyo1 is essential for F. graminearum growth. A point mutation S217L or E420K in FgMyo1 is responsible for F. graminearum resistance to JS399-19. In addition, transformation of F. graminearum with the myosin I gene of Magnaporthe grisea, the causal agent of rice blast, also led to JS399-19 resistance. JS399-19 strongly inhibits the ATPase activity of the wild-type FgMyo1, but not the mutated FgMyo1^S217L/E420K. These results provide us a new insight into the design of species-specific antifungal compounds. Furthermore, our strategy can be applied to identify novel drug targets in various pathogenic organisms.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ming-Guo Zhou, Xiang-Dong Li, Zhonghua Ma, Yiping Hou

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Fusarium graminearum