A major facilitator superfamily transporter in <i>Colletotrichum fructicola</i> (CfMfs1) is required for sugar transport, appressorial turgor pressure, conidiation and pathogenicity

Abstract

Abstract The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is one of the largest membrane‐protein families. To investigate the role of MFS proteins in the fungal plant anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum fructicola , the CfMFS1 gene was deleted. This resulted in reduced mycelial growth, conidial yield and decreased virulence on tea oil camellia leaves. In addition, ∆ Cfmfs1 showed increased sensitivity to osmotic stress and to a cell‐wall stressor. Further analysis revealed that CfMfs1 is required for conidial penetration and appressorial turgor pressure, both important for fungal pathogen invasion. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that CfMfs1 is localized to membranes of both hyphae and conidia, suggesting that it may be a membrane transporter. Our study provides evidence that CfMfs1 has a role in conidiation, sugar transport, stress response, conidial penetration, appressorial turgor pressure and virulence against tea oil camellia.