Fig. 2: BCG1 is required for F. graminearum virulence.
a Domain architecture of F. graminearum BCG1. b In vitro assays for the xylanase activity of indicated recombinant proteins. c The extracellular xylanase activities are determined on the total proteins from the supernatants of PH-1, ΔBCG1, and the complementary strains (ΔBCG1::BCG1, ΔBCG1::BCG1ΔSP, ΔBCG1::BCG1ΔGQ, ΔBCG1::BCG1E118A, and ΔBCG1::BCG1E209A) cultured in 1.1% CMC medium. In (b) and (c), the values are the means ± standard deviation (n = 3, biologically independent experiments). Statistical significance was assessed using a one-way ANOVA with Fisher’s LSD test (p value < 0.01). d Virulence of PH-1 (WT), ΔBCG1, and the complementary strains were evaluated on wheat heads. Representative images of infected wheat heads were photographed at 14 days post-inoculation (dpi). Quantification was estimated with data obtained from 20 biologically independent samples. For the box plot, the center line indicates the median; the upper and lower bounds indicate the 75th and 25th percentiles, respectively; and the whiskers indicate the minimum and maximum. Statistical significance was assessed using a one-way ANOVA with Fisher’s LSD test (p-value < 0.01). e Cross-sections of inoculated and adjacent wheat spikelets that were inoculated with PH-1, the mutants, and the complementary strains bearing FgActin-RFP. The samples were taken at 7 dpi. BF, bright field; RFP, red fluorescent protein. f Phylogeny of GH10 and GH11 members from F. graminearum. The plus (+) and minus (−) symbols indicate the presence and absence of the G/Q-rich motif, respectively. Bootstrap percentage for each branch is indicated. The scale bar represents 20% weighted sequence divergence. Blue and red colors represent relatively low xylanase and virulence activities, respectively. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
