The Polyketide Synthase-Encoding Gene Crpks is Involved in Clonostachys Rosea Chlamydospore Formation
Abstract Clonostachys rosea is an excellent agent for biocontrol of numerous plant fungal diseases. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) are widely distributed in plants and microorganisms and synthesize various types of polyketides. In this study, a type I PKS-encoding gene, crpks, was cloned and identified from the C. rosea 67-1 genome, and the biological function was investigated through gene knockout. The results showed that crpks deletion did not affect C. rosea morphology, ability for parasitism of sclerotia and the capacity for biocontrol of soybean Sclerotinia white mold, but had a marked influence on the chlamydospore formation ability of C. rosea. After cultivation for 48 and 72 h, chlamydospore production by ∆crpks was increased by 70.1% and 47.6%, respectively, compared to that of the wild-type strain. These data indicate that crpks is involved in C. rosea chlamydospore formation and provide useful insights into the molecular mechanisms of chlamydospore formation in C. rosea.