OS-5 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_02783 (VdOS-5) encodes a dual-specificity protein kinase with MAP kinase scaffold activity and MAPKK activity (EC 2.7.12.2), and also exhibits Nalpha-acetyltransferase activity. In Verticillium dahliae, VdOS-5 is associated with multiple MAPK cascades, including the cell integrity, pheromone response, and osmosensory signaling pathways via Sho1, as well as the p38 cascade and cellular HOG response. It is linked to positive regulation of appressorium formation, ascospore formation, and cell wall organization, along with filamentous growth, invasive growth under glucose limitation, and actin filament organization. The gene is associated with phenotypes including increased sporulation, altered cell cycle progression, increased adhesion, and absent mating efficiency and hyperosmotic stress resistance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to loss of pathogenicity and reduced virulence.