Biosynthesis of Fusapyrone Depends on the H3K9 Methyltransferase, FmKmt1, in Fusarium mangiferae

The phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium mangiferae belongs to the fujikuroi species complex (FFSC). Members of this group cause a wide spectrum devastating diseases on diverse agricultural crops. F. is causal agent mango malformation disease (MMD) and as such detrimental for agriculture in southern hemisphere. During plant infection, produces plethora bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs), which most often lead severe adverse defects plants health. Changes chromatin structure achieved by posttranslational modifications (PTM) histones play key role regulation fungal SM biosynthesis. Posttranslational tri-methylation histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9me3) considered hallmark heterochromatin established SET-domain protein Kmt1. Here, we show that FmKmt1 involved H3K9me3 . Loss only slightly though significantly affected hyphal growth stress response required wild type-like conidiation. While largely dispensable biosynthesis known SMs, removal FmKMT1 resulted an almost complete loss fusapyrone deoxyfusapyrone, γ-pyrones previously from semitectum identified polyketide synthase (PKS) FmPKS40 be biosynthesis, delineate putative cluster borders co-expression studies provide insights into its regulation.