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

Abstract

Protein phosphatases (PPs) 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 Cgppz1 mutant was hypersensitive to osmotic stresses, cell wall stressors, and oxidative stressors. Taken together, our results indicated that CgPpz1 plays important role in fungal development and virulence of C. gloeosporioides and multiple stress responses.