Deletion of BcBCK1, BcMKK1 or BcBMP3 led to reduced mycelial growth, conidiation and melanin production in B. cinerea.

(A) Colony morphology of 38B1, ΔBcBck1, ΔBcMkk1, ΔBcBmp3, ΔBcBck1-C, ΔBcMkk1-C and ΔBcBmp3-C on PDA after 3 and 10 days of incubation at 25°C. (B) Hyphae of ΔBcMkk1, but not ΔBcBck1 and ΔBcBmp3, were wavy. Bar = 100 μm. (C) Comparisons of the transcript levels of three melanin biosynthesis related genes CMR1, SCD1 and PKS13 among the above strains. The expression level of each gene in 38B1 was referred to 1. Values on the bars followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05. (D) Comparisons in conidiation among the above strains on PDA plates after 10 days of incubation. Values on the bars followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P = 0.05.