Mitochondrial dynamics caused by QoIs and SDHIs fungicides depended on FgDnm1 in Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum is a devastating fungal disease on small grain cereal crops, because it reduces yield and quality and causes the mycotoxin contamination to the grain. Dynamins and dynamin-related proteins (DRPs) are large GTPase superfamily members, which are typically involved in the budding and division of vesicles in eukaryotic cells, but their roles in Fusarium spp. remain unexplored. Here, we found that FgDnm1, a DRP and homolog to Dnm1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, contributes to the normal fungal growth, sexual reproduction and sensitivity to fungicides. In addition, we found FgDnm1 co-localizes with mitochondria and is involved in toxisome formation and deoxynivalenol (DON) production. Several quinone outside inhibitors (QoIs) and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) cause fragmentated morphology of mitochondria. Importantly, the deletion of FgDnm1 displays filamentous mitochondria and blocks the mitochondrial fragmentation induced by QoIs and SDHIs. Taken together, our studies uncover the effect of mitochondrial dynamics in fungal normal growth and how such events link to fungicides sensitivity and toxisome formation. Thus, we concluded that altered mitochondrial morphology induced by QoIs and SDHIs depends on FgDnm1.

Automated summary

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating fungal disease that affects small grain cereal crops and leads to reduced yield and quality due to mycotoxin contamination. In this study, researchers found that FgDnm1, a dynamin-related protein, is involved in fungal growth, sexual reproduction, and sensitivity to fungicides. FgDnm1 co-localizes with mitochondria and is associated with toxisome formation and the production of the mycotoxin DON. The deletion of FgDnm1 leads to filamentous mitochondria and blocks mitochondrial fragmentation induced by fungicides. Therefore, they concluded that FgDnm1 plays a crucial role in mitochondrial dynamics and fungicide sensitivity.