SNX4 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VdSNX4 (VDAG_01042) in Verticillium dahliae encodes a protein with a PX domain that binds phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate and phosphoinositides. The gene is associated with protein localization to endosomes, endocytic recycling, and multiple autophagy-related processes including mitophagy, ER-phagy, and piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus. It is linked to melanin biosynthesis, sporulation, hyphal growth, and protein secretion. The encoded protein localizes to endosome membranes, mitochondria, the pre-autophagosomal structure, and the cytosol. Associations with abnormal sporulation efficiency, decreased autophagy and pexophagy rates, delayed vacuolar transport, and altered adhesion have been reported. Studies of related sorting nexin genes in other species connect the family to reduced virulence and pathogenicity, though this has not been established for VdSNX4 itself.