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Article

Pex8, a Fungal Specific Peroxin, Regulates Peroxisome Biogenesis and Pathogenicity in the Cucumber Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare

by
Xinhe Wang
1,†,
Jing Wang
2,†,
Shendan Yu
2,
Yingying Cai
2,
Yanxi Lin
2,
Zhen Zhang
2,
Muhammad Noman
3,
Haiping Qiu
2,
Zhongna Hao
2,
Rongyao Chai
2,
Yanli Wang
2,
Lin Li
2,
Ling Li
1 and
Jiaoyu Wang
2,*
1
Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Biology and Ecological Regulation of Crop Pathogens and Insects, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
2
State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome (MARA), Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiome of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
3
College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
J. Fungi 2026, 12(4), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040248
Submission received: 5 February 2026 / Revised: 25 March 2026 / Accepted: 26 March 2026 / Published: 30 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Fungal Cell Biology, Metabolism and Physiology)
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Abstract

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous eukaryotic organelles that play critical roles in the infection processes of many plant pathogenic fungi. Peroxisome biogenesis depends on peroxins encoded by PEX genes. Pex8 is a fungus-specific peroxin present only in yeasts and filamentous fungi. In this study, we investigated the function of CoPEX8 in the cucumber anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare using targeted gene deletion. Fluorescence microscopy using red fluorescent protein fused to peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (PTS1) showed that matrix protein import was abolished in the ΔCopex8 mutant. Compared with the wild-type strain, the ΔCopex8 mutant lacked detectable peroxisomes and exhibited severe defects in melanin production, fatty acid utilization, cell wall integrity, osmotic stress tolerance, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. Deletion of CoPEX8 also reduced conidiation and impaired appressorium formation. Pathogenicity assays on cucumber leaves revealed that lesions produced by the ΔCopex8 mutant were significantly smaller than those caused by the wild-type strain. These results demonstrate that CoPEX8 is indispensable for peroxisome biogenesis and is essential for both development and virulence of C. orbiculare.
Keywords: Colletotrichum orbiculare; peroxisome; appressorium; CoPEX8; pathogenicity Colletotrichum orbiculare; peroxisome; appressorium; CoPEX8; pathogenicity

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, X.; Wang, J.; Yu, S.; Cai, Y.; Lin, Y.; Zhang, Z.; Noman, M.; Qiu, H.; Hao, Z.; Chai, R.; et al. Pex8, a Fungal Specific Peroxin, Regulates Peroxisome Biogenesis and Pathogenicity in the Cucumber Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare. J. Fungi 2026, 12, 248. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040248

AMA Style

Wang X, Wang J, Yu S, Cai Y, Lin Y, Zhang Z, Noman M, Qiu H, Hao Z, Chai R, et al. Pex8, a Fungal Specific Peroxin, Regulates Peroxisome Biogenesis and Pathogenicity in the Cucumber Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare. Journal of Fungi. 2026; 12(4):248. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040248

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Xinhe, Jing Wang, Shendan Yu, Yingying Cai, Yanxi Lin, Zhen Zhang, Muhammad Noman, Haiping Qiu, Zhongna Hao, Rongyao Chai, and et al. 2026. "Pex8, a Fungal Specific Peroxin, Regulates Peroxisome Biogenesis and Pathogenicity in the Cucumber Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare" Journal of Fungi 12, no. 4: 248. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040248

APA Style

Wang, X., Wang, J., Yu, S., Cai, Y., Lin, Y., Zhang, Z., Noman, M., Qiu, H., Hao, Z., Chai, R., Wang, Y., Li, L., Li, L., & Wang, J. (2026). Pex8, a Fungal Specific Peroxin, Regulates Peroxisome Biogenesis and Pathogenicity in the Cucumber Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare. Journal of Fungi, 12(4), 248. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040248

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