The novel Botrytis cinerea Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor BcFTG1

The Zn(II)2Cys6 zinc cluster protein family comprises a subclass of zinc-finger proteins, that serve as transcriptional regulators involved in a diverse array of fugal biological processes. Botrytis cinerea is the causative agent of gray mold on over 1,000 plant species and results in substantial economic losses on a global scale. However, the fungal factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of this organism have not been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that a novel B. cinerea pathogenicity-associated factor BcFTG1 (fungal transcription factor containing the GAL4 domain), identified from the virulence-attenuated M20162 mutant from a B. cinerea T-DNA insertion mutant library, plays an important role in oxalic acid (OA) secretion, carbon source absorption and cell wall integrity. The findings indicate that transcription factor BcFTG1 exerts its influence post-invasion of the host, thus it is anticipated that the RNA-seq results will aid in the identification of potential downstream genes.