Different histone deacetylase inhibitors reduce growth, virulence as well as changes in the morphology of the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid.

Fungal phytopathogens require different skills to infect plants and complete their lifecycle. Some proteins in fungi are essential for pathogenesis and their expression is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms via chromatin-remodeling. Macrophomina phaseolina is an important phytopathogenic fungus that leads to considerable losses of different crops, especially during drought conditions. Some biological features of the fungus have been described. However, the epigenetics mechanisms involved in the development and virulence of M. phaseolina have not been fully studied. In this work, chemical inhibition was used to evaluate the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the biology of M. phaseolina. The effect of two histone deacetylase inhibitors (iHDAC), valproic acid (VPA) and sodium butyrate (SBT), was analyzed. The results showed that the treated fungus presented a decrease in microsclerotia diameter, aerial mycelia production, vegetative growth, and cell pigmentation. In addition, VPA and SBT also affected the ability of the fungus to grow on complex carbon sources and virulence in the bean variety, BAT 477. Thus, it can be concluded that the alteration of histone deacetylation by VPA and SBT affects M. phaseolina growth, morphology, and virulence.