The transcription cofactor FgSwi6 plays a role in growth and development, carbendazim sensitivity, cellulose utilization, lithium tolerance, deoxynivalenol production and virulence in the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum

• FgSWI6 is required for mycelial growth and asexual and sexual development.
• FgSWI6 is required for cellulose utilization and lithium tolerance.
• FgSWI6 is required for deoxynivalenol (DON) production.
• Deletion of FgSWI6 attenuates the virulence of F. graminearum on wheat.
• Deletion of FgSWI6 renders F. graminearum cells sensitive to MBC.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a worldwide devastating disease of wheat, barley and other small grain cereals and caused primarily by Fusarium graminearum. Carbendazim (MBC) is one of the fungicides widely used to control FHB in China. In the present study, we have identified the F. graminearum locus FGSG_04220 as the sequence homolog for Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScSWI6, named FgSWI6 hereafter. Deletion of FgSWI6 causes mycelium of F. graminearum become sensitive to MBC in liquid medium. In addition, deletion of FgSWI6 reduces mycelial growth as well as production and development of conidia. F. graminearum cells lacking FgSWI6 show reduced production efficiency and sizes of perithecia as well as a defect in the production of ascus and ascospore. FgSWI6 is required for the cellulose utilization, lithium tolerance and deoxynivalenol (DON) production of this pathogen. Furthermore, deletion of FgSWI6 significantly attenuates the virulence of F. graminearum on wheat. Therefore, FgSwi6p plays an important role in growth and development of the economically important fungal pathogen F. graminearum as well as its resistance to MBC.