A PR-1-like protein of Fusarium oxysporum functions in virulence on mammalian hosts

J Biol Chem. 2012 Jun 22;287(26):21970-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.364034. Epub 2012 May 2.

Abstract

The pathogenesis-related PR-1-like protein family comprises secreted proteins from the animal, plant, and fungal kingdoms whose biological function remains poorly understood. Here we have characterized a PR-1-like protein, Fpr1, from Fusarium oxysporum, an ubiquitous fungal pathogen that causes vascular wilt disease on a wide range of plant species and can produce life-threatening infections in immunocompromised humans. Fpr1 is secreted and proteolytically processed by the fungus. The fpr1 gene is required for virulence in a disseminated immunodepressed mouse model, and its function depends on the integrity of the proposed active site of PR-1-like proteins. Fpr1 belongs to a gene family that has expanded in plant pathogenic Sordariomycetes. These results suggest that secreted PR-1-like proteins play important roles in fungal pathogenicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fusarium / metabolism*
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Mice
  • Models, Genetic
  • Nucleic Acids / chemistry
  • Phylogeny
  • Pichia / metabolism
  • Plants / microbiology
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Signal Transduction
  • Virulence
  • Virulence Factors / chemistry
  • Virulence Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fpr1 protein, Fusarium oxysporum
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Nucleic Acids
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Virulence Factors
  • Glucose