Screening of a Botrytis cinerea one-hybrid library reveals a Cys2His2 transcription factor involved in the regulation of secondary metabolism gene clusters

Botrytis cinerea, the grey mould fungus, secretes non-host-specific phytotoxins that kill the cells of many plant species. Phytotoxic assays performed about ten years ago, have highlighted the role in the infection mechanism of one of these secondary metabolites, the sesquiterpene botrydial. We recently showed that BcBOT1 to BcBOT5 genes, which are required for botrydial biosynthesis, are organised into a physical cluster. However, this cluster includes no gene encoding a transcription factor (TF) that might specifically coregulate the expression of BcBOT genes. To identify which TF(s) are implicated in the regulation of this cluster and thereby to decipher DNA-protein interactions in the phytopathogenic fungus B. cinerea, we developed a strategy based on the yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) method. In this study, a Y1H library was generated with the TFs predicted from complete genome sequencing. The screening of this library revealed an interaction between a promoter of the botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster and a new Cys2His2 zinc finger TF, that we called BcYOH1. Inactivation of the BcYOH1 gene and expression analyses demonstrated the involvement of this TF in regulating expression of the botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster. Furthermore, whole-transcriptome analysis suggested that BcYOH1 might act as a global transcriptional regulator of phytotoxin and other secondary metabolism gene clusters, and of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, transport, virulence and detoxification mechanisms.

► A one-hybrid library with 393 Botrytis cinerea transcription factor domains was built.
► BcYOH1, a Cys2His2 transcription factor, was identified in a one-hybrid screen.
► BcYOH1 binds a promoter of the botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster.
► BcYOH1 regulates expression of the entire botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster.
► BcYOH1 is a global regulator of secondary metabolism and necrotrophic processes.