The influence of Ophiostoma mitovirus-3a (OMV3a) on the respiration and growth of the dollar spot pathogen, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (Bennett)

A. M. Orshinsky, G. J. Boland

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa is the causal agent of dollar spot disease of turfgrass. Although both asymptomatic and hypovirulent isolates of S. homoeocarpa contain the mitochondrial virus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi mitovirus 3a (OMV3a), only asymptomatic isolates display growth rates and virulence levels comparable to that of virus-free isolates. In this study, the respiration and growth of asymptomatic, hypovirulent and virulent isolates of S. homoeocarpa were characterized using antimycin A (AA) as a complex III inhibitor, and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) as an alternative oxidase inhibitor. Results of this study indicate that alternative oxidase contributes substantially to respiration by hypovirulent isolates. All S. homoeocarpa isolates appear to utilize the alternative pathway to some extent; however, hypovirulent isolates demonstrated a substantial increase in AOX transcription relative to asymptomatic and virulent isolates. These results demonstrate that OMV3a infection interferes with the normal function of mitochondria in S. homoeocarpa in hypovirulent isolates.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)431-439
Number of pages9
JournalCanadian Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume32
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. We would also like to thank Dr George vanderMerwe for resources provided during the study.

Keywords

  • alternative oxidase
  • dollar spot
  • hypovirulence
  • mitovirus
  • respiration

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The influence of Ophiostoma mitovirus-3a (OMV3a) on the respiration and growth of the dollar spot pathogen, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (Bennett)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this