The secondary metabolites profiling of the phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum

Abstract

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic plant pathogen causing more than 60 different disease symptoms in approximately 400 plants globally. Hence, due to this distinctive characteristic, S. sclerotiorum has been the subject of various research to comprehend its pathogenicity mechanism, including virulent genes, proteins, and metabolites. Likewise, the genomic annotation of S. sclerotiorum uncovered its remarkable potential for producing secondary metabolites, of which genome mining has additionally prompted the disclosure of these uncharacterized metabolic pathways, which might aid the pathogenicity process. To comprehend the secondary metabolites secreted by S. sclerotiorum that might be involved in its pathogenicity, a secondary metabolite-level investigation of this plant pathogen was performed. Profiling and characterizing these secondary metabolites produced during in vitro germination would increase the current knowledge of this pathogen. In this study, S. sclerotiorum secondary metabolites profile examination was conducted, utilizing the Ultra-High Resolution Qq-Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometer (UHR-QqTOF). Proficient data analysis and verification with the genomic pathways of S. sclerotiorum gave an unequivocal metabolome profile of this pathogen. Two hundred and thirty secondary metabolites were identified in all three biological replicates, and their bodily functions were identified.