A Fusarium pseudograminearum secreted protein Fp00392 is a major virulence factor during infection and is recognized as a PAMP1

Fusarium pseudograminearum secreted protein Fp00392 can activate ROS burst, callose deposition, and upregulation of defense-related genes in N. benthamiana . Fp00392 can induce plant immune response as PAMP. Fp00392 promotes F. pseudograminearum infection as a virulence factor. As a main causal agent of wheat crown rot, Fusarium pseudograminearum secrets numerous proteins to host during the infection process to regulate host immune responses or contribute to virulence of F. pseudograminearum . In this study, a secreted protein Fp00392 from F. pseudograminearum was found to trigger cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana . Purified Fp00392 protein can activate ROS burst, callose deposition, and upregulation of defense-related genes in N. benthamiana . Moreover, VIGS assay in N. benthamiana shows that Fp00392-triggered cell death is independent on BAK1 and SOBIR1. Furthermore, the transcript level of Fp00392 was significantly induced during F. pseudograminearum infection. Knockout of Fp00392 significantly attenuates pathogenicity of F. pseudograminearum on wheat coleoptile. Deletion of Fp00392 affected the sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to H 2 O 2 and Congo Red. Overall, these results indicate that Fp00392 can not only induce plant immune response as PAMP, but promote F. pseudograminearum infection as a virulence factor.