Genetic elements of host colonization and pathogenicity Most transcriptomics studies involving F. oxysporum have focused on the interactions that occur in the xylem, and these studies suggest that the main resis tance selleckbio responses occur within or along the vessels. In this context, genes Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries that are expressed solely in planta and not in artificial culture are the most interesting because they are likely virulence factors. We identified 195 genes that were expressed in planta, 72 of which were not expressed under artificial culture conditions and there fore represent putative virulence factors. Interestingly, only 11 out of 218 genes in cotton plants infected with F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum were expressed specifi cally in planta.

Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries The group of putative virulence fac tors identified in our analysis included plant cell wall degrading enzymes, represented by five tran scripts encoding pectate lyases, endo 1,4 beta xylanases and endo 1,4 beta glucanases, possibly activated by interaction with the host. Among these transcripts, an endo 1,4 beta xylanase 2 precursor is the only sequence peculiar to race 1, induced in the incompatible interac tion, while the other four TDFs are specific Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries to the race 1,2 strains. Like most fungi, F. oxysporum secretes CWDEs during either penetration or colonization. Although the inactivation of individual CWDE or pro tease encoding genes might not have a detectable impact on virulence, possibly because of functional redundancy, their activity is crucial in the process of fungal colonization.

Active fungal growth is also documented by the specific in planta expression of several genes related to carbohydrate and lipid metabo lism, among them a squalene synthase involved in sterol biosynthesis. Sterols facilitate normal membrane func tion Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries by controlling their fluidity, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries but they have also been implicated as ligands for nuclear receptors directly affecting transcription and signal transduction pathways. Other examples include genes for cytoskeleton components and a chitin synthase gene. Class V chitin synthase is a pathogenicity determinant in F. oxysporum and a mediator of protection against plant defense compounds. Three other in planta specific TDFs seem particularly important in terms of virulence. These represent genes encoding homologs of an avenacinase, a fumonisin 16p, and a siderophore iron transporter.

There is increasing evidence that mycotoxin production may enhance pathogen virulence, especially fumonisins and some trichothecenes. Fumonisin enhances the abil ity of F. graminearum to cause wheat head blight, one of the most important wheat selleck screening library diseases in the world. It has been reported that mycotoxin production can be induced in fungi following the perception of the oxida tive burst produced by the plant in response to infec tion, and could enhance pathogenicity by reducing the oxidative status of the fungal cell.