The veA gene of the pine needle pathogen Dothistroma septosporum regulates sporulation and secondary metabolism

► An ortholog of the veA regulatory gene was characterized in Dothistroma septosporum. ►Ds-veA knockout mutants were impaired in sporulation and dothistromin production. ► Expression of other secondary metabolite genes was affected by Ds-veA. ► Expression of a putative stuA regulatory gene was impaired in Ds-veA mutants. ► ΔveA knockout mutants were not impaired in pathogenicity to pine needles.