A uracil-DNA glycosylase functions in spore development and pathogenicity of Verticillium dahliae

•.We identified a new type of gene involved in pathogenicity of fungal pathogen.•.Uracil-DNA glycosylase functions in not only pathogenicity buts spore formation of Verticillium dahliae.•.We suggest that expression of many virulence factors was regulated by VdUDG.

The soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae represents notorious vascular wilt pathogens and has very broad host range. Since the disease caused by V. dahliae relies on its virulence as well as the amount of microsclerotia in the soil, large effort has been taken to screen for genes functional in pathogenicity and microsclerotial formation. So far DNA glycosylase has not been reported for functionality in pathogenesis of any bacteria, fungi or oomycetes. Here, we described for the first time, a uracil-DNA glycosylase VdUDG, which was found to be involved in not only pathogenicity but also microsclerotial formation based on screening of T-DNA insertion library. Transcription analysis of wild type strain and VdUDG gene knock-out mutants suggested that VdUDG regulates transcription of a series of genes involved in microsclerotial formation and pathogenesis of V. dahliae.