Botrytis cinerea endopolygalacturonase genes are differentially expressed in various plant tissues

TEN HAVE A, OUDE-BREUIL W, WUBBEN JP, VISSER J AND VAN KAN JAL

FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY

Año: 2001 vol. 33 p. 97 - 105

1087-1845

                Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent ofblight, rot, and gray mold on many plant species, se-cretes various endopolygalacturonases during allstages of infection. The expression pattern of the en-coding genes (Bcpg 1– 6) was studied on four hosts:tomato, broad bean, apple, and courgette (also knownas zucchini). All gene family members are differentiallyexpressed, depending on the stage of infection and thehost. Bcpg1 is expressed in all tissues tested althoughdifferences in transcript levels occur. Bcpg2 expres-sion is detected early in the infection of three of fourplant tissues tested. Bcpg3 and Bcpg5 are expressedin apple fruit tissue, although probably as a result ofdifferent regulatory mechanisms. The expression pat-terns of Bcpg4 and 6 are in agreement with theirinducibility by monogalacturonic acid. The pattern ofBcpg gene expression indicates that B. cinerea isequipped with a flexible enzymatic pectate degrada-tion machinery. The studies pinpoint new targets forgene disruption studies.