A myosin passenger protein gene (FaSmy1) is an essential regulator of cell development, pathogenicity, DON biosynthesis, and resistance to the fungicide phenamacril in Fusarium asiaticum

Kinesins, of which there are 650 members in 15 classes, have two main functions: cell separation and protein transport. In S. cerevisiae, the kinesin-like myosin passenger-protein Smy1(belonging to the TRAFAC class myosin-kinesin ATPase superfamily), which is transported by myosin-5,is part of a negative feedback mechanism that controls actin cable length and prevents overgrowth. The current study determined that defect deletion mutants of FaSmy1 had reduced development of hyphal growth, asexual spore production, pathogenicity, DON biosynthesis, and resistance to phenamacril. These results indicated that FaSmy1 is essential for the growth, development, reproduction and pathogenicity of F. asiaticum. FaSmy1 could be a useful target gene for development of new fungicides for control of Fusarium head blight.