The MADS ‐box transcription factor FgMcm1 regulates cell identity and fungal development in F usarium graminearum

Summary In eukaryotic cells, MADS ‐box genes are known to play major regulatory roles in various biological processes by combinatorial interactions with other transcription factors. In this study, we functionally characterized the FgMCM1 MADS ‐box gene in F usarium graminearum , the causal agent of wheat and barley head blight. Deletion of FgMCM1 resulted in the loss of perithecium production and phialide formation. The F gmcm1 mutant was significantly reduced in virulence, deoxynivalenol biosynthesis and conidiation. In yeast two‐hybrid assays, FgMcm1 interacted with M at1‐1‐1 and F st12, two transcription factors important for sexual reproduction. Whereas F gmcm1 mutants were unstable and produced stunted subcultures, F gmcm1 mat1‐1‐1 but not F gmcm1 fst12 double mutants were stable. Furthermore, spontaneous suppressor mutations occurred frequently in stunted subcultures to recover growth rate. Ribonucleic acid sequencing analysis indicated that a number of sexual reproduction‐related genes were upregulated in stunted subcultures compared with the F gmcm1 mutant, which was downregulated in the expression of genes involved in pathogenesis, secondary metabolism and conidiation. We also showed that culture instability was not observed in the F vmcm1 mutants of the heterothallic F usarium verticillioides . Overall, our data indicate that FgMcm1 plays a critical role in the regulation of cell identity, sexual and asexual reproduction, secondary metabolism and pathogenesis in F . graminearum .