Chitinase modifying proteins from phylogenetically distinct lineages of Brassica pathogens

Chitinase modifying proteins, cmps, are secreted fungal proteases that truncate specific plant class IV chitinases by cleaving peptide bonds in their amino termini. We recently identified a cmp from the Zea mays (maize) pathogen Fusarium verticillioides and found that it is a member of the fungalysin class of proteases. We also found that Alternaria brassicae, a pathogen of the mustard plant family Brassicaceae, secretes a protease with the same activity. To determine which pathogens of Brassicaceae plants secrete fungalysin cmps, we tested protein extracts from twenty fungi that had been isolated from diseased plants. Each fungal isolate was grown saprotrophically on maize and canola seeds. Secreted fungal proteins were extracted from cultures and incubated with three purified plant chitinases: ChitA and ChitB from maize, and AtchitIV3 from Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that fungalysin cmps were secreted by fungal pathogens distributed among five families in three major Ascomycota classes (Dothideomycetes, Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes). Of four fungal species that did not secrete fungalysin cmp activity, three secreted other cmps that truncated maize ChitA and ChitB by cleaving other peptide bonds. AtchitIV3 was only susceptible to truncation by fungalysin cmps. These results show that cmps are commonly secreted by fungal pathogens of Brassicaceae and suggest that interfering with fungalysin cmp activity may improve plant resistance to multiple fungal diseases.

► Brassicaceae pathogens were tested for secretion of chitinase modifying proteins.
► Fungalysin cmps are secreted by six fungal pathogens of Brassicaceae.
► Inhibition of fungalysin cmps may improve Brassicaceae resistance to multiple fungi.