CLR3 — Fusarium graminearum PH-1

Summary

FgCLR3 (FGRAMPH1_01G15009) on chromosome 2 of Fusarium graminearum PH-1 encodes a protein with a histone deacetylase domain and an Arb2 domain, and has histone deacetylase activity toward multiple histone H3 and H4 lysine residues, including H3-K9, H3-K14, H4-K12, H4-K16, and H4-K5/K8. FgCLR3 is associated with the HDA1, Rpd3S, SET3C, and SHREC complexes. It is linked to chromatin silencing, heterochromatin island and rDNA heterochromatin assembly, centromeric silencing, and epigenetic downregulation of gene expression. It is also associated with pigmentation, melanin anabolism, filamentous growth in response to pH, starvation, and biotic stimuli, as well as phenotypic switching. Associations with increased sporulation rate, altered mating-type switching, abnormal pheromone production, increased carbon source utilization, and increased fermentative growth have been reported. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence and fusarium ear blight.