HEX1 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_04484, designated HEX1 or VdHEX1 in Verticillium dahliae, encodes a beta-hexosaminidase enzyme (EC 3.2.1.52) with beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities. The protein contains a eukaryotic hexosaminidase N-terminal domain and a glycosyl hydrolase family 20 catalytic domain. This extracellular, membrane-associated enzyme is linked to chitobiose catabolic processes, glycosaminoglycan metabolism, polysaccharide breakdown, and broader carbohydrate metabolism. The gene has also been associated with asexual reproduction, morphogenesis, and homeostasis. Studies of related genes in other species associate the family with reduced virulence.