The FpPPR1 gene encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat protein that is essential for asexual development, sporulation, and pathogenesis in Fusarium pseudograminearum

Fusarium crown rot (FCR) and Fusarium head blast (FHB) are caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum and are newly emerging diseases of wheat in China. In this study, we characterized FpPPR1, a gene that encodes a protein with 12 pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motifs. The radial growth rate of the Fpppr1 deletion mutant was significantly slower than the wild type strain WZ-8A on potato dextrose agar and exhibited significantly smaller colonies with sector mutations. The aerial mycelium of the mutant was almost absent in culture tubes. FpPPR1-GFP signals in spores and mycelia predominantly overlapped with Mito-tracker signals, which substantiated the mitochondria targeting signal prediction of FpPpr1. RNAseq revealed significant transcriptional changes in the Fpppr1 mutant with 1367 genes down-regulated and 1333 genes up-regulated.