4.4 Article

White collar 1-induced photolyase expression contributes to UV-tolerance of Ustilago maydis

Journal

MICROBIOLOGYOPEN
Volume 5, Issue 2, Pages 224-243

Publisher

WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.322

Keywords

DNA-repair; light regulation; photolyase; U; maydis; UV-tolerance; white collar 1

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Funding

  1. DFG grants within Collaborative Research Center 987 'Microbial diversity in environmental signal response'

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Ustilago maydis is a phytopathogenic fungus causing corn smut disease. It also is known for its extreme tolerance to UV- and ionizing radiation. It has not been elucidated whether light-sensing proteins, and in particular photolyases play a role in its UV-tolerance. Based on homology analysis, U. maydis has 10 genes encoding putative light-responsive proteins. Four amongst these belong to the cryptochrome/photolyase family (CPF) and one represents a white collar 1 ortholog (wco1). Deletion mutants in the predicted cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer CPD- and (6-4)-photolyase were impaired in photoreactivation. In line with this, in vitro studies with recombinant CPF proteins demonstrated binding of the catalytic FAD cofactor, its photoreduction to fully reduced FADH(-) and repair activity for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) or (6-4)-photoproducts, respectively. We also investigated the role of Wco1. Strikingly, transcriptional profiling showed 61 genes differentially expressed upon blue light exposure of wild-type, but only eight genes in the wco1 mutant. These results demonstrate that Wco1 is a functional blue light photoreceptor in U. maydis regulating expression of several genes including both photolyases. Finally, we show that the wco1 mutant is less tolerant against UV-B due to its incapability to induce photolyase expression.

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