大丽轮枝菌侵染黄栌引起的枯萎病已成为影响黄栌林健康和红叶景观的重要生物灾害；该病原产生的微菌核，作为病害的主要侵染源具有很强的抗逆能力，是控制枯萎病的难点，亦是揭示病害发生机制的重要科学问题。基于青年基金对黄栌枯萎病菌微菌核形成过程特异表达基因筛选及转录组学的研究，已明确了该过程的基因表达谱，获得了1个显著上调表达的转录因子bZIP1。本项目拟通过遗传转化方法研究bZIP1在黄栌枯萎病菌微菌核形成和致病过程中的生物学功能；然后采用RNA-Seq技术建立bZIP1突变体转录组数据库，鉴定其调控的下游靶标基因；通过开展重要下游基因的功能及启动子序列的分析，阐明bZIP1的调控机制和顺式作用元件。研究结果将有助于进一步揭示黄栌枯萎病菌微菌核形成的分子机制，为寻找微菌核形成的特异性分子靶标，开发新型杀菌剂，设计新的黄栌枯萎病控制策略提供理论指导；并且对其他植物轮枝菌枯萎病的控制亦有极高的参考价值。

Verticillium dahliae is a ubiquitous soil-borne fungus and the causal agent of smoke-tree vascular wilt, which presents a major threat to the health of smoke-trees and the “red-leaf” scenery of the Fragrant Hills Park in Beijing, China. V. dahliae produces microsclerotia, which function as primary inoculum of wilt disease and are long-term survival structures. Microsclerotia represent a significant and pivotal conundrum for the control of Verticillium wilt and a key and academic issue to reveal the mechanism of Verticillium disease. In previous NSFC project (31000302), we have studied the gene expression profiles and transcriptomes of microsclerotia formation of smoke-tree wilt fungus, screened the genes differentially expressed during microsclerotia formation of the fungus, and obtained a significantly expressed transcription factor bZIP1. Based on these results, in this proposal, we will delete bZIP1 using homologous recombination mediated by PEG genetic transformation method and characterizes the biological function in microsclerotia formation and pathogenesis in detail. Moreover, the transcriptome and differential expression profiles of genes regulated by bZIP1 will be established using RNA-Seq technology. Finally, in order to elucidate the cis-acting elements and regulatory networks of transcription factor bZIP1, the promoter sequences of bZIP1-regulated genes are to be identified and compared, and numbers of important genes regulated by bZIP1 are to be disrupted and characterized as well. The data will not only further shed light on elucidating molecular mechanism of microsclerotia formation in V. dahliae, helping to find specific target to microsclerotia development to develop and produce novel fungicides, providing new views and theoretic direction to design integrated control strategy and practice to Verticillium wilt of smoke-tree Cotinus coggygria; but also suggest highly valuable references to control Verticillium wilt on other host plants.