| Title: | Fungal pathogen uses sex pheromone receptor for chemotropic sensing of host plant signals |
| Author(s): | Turra D; El Ghalid M; Rossi F; Di Pietro A; |
| Address: | "Departamento de Genetica, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1476-4687 (Electronic) 0028-0836 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "For more than a century, fungal pathogens and symbionts have been known to orient hyphal growth towards chemical stimuli from the host plant. However, the nature of the plant signals as well as the mechanisms underlying the chemotropic response have remained elusive. Here we show that directed growth of the soil-inhabiting plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum towards the roots of the host tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is triggered by the catalytic activity of secreted class III peroxidases, a family of haem-containing enzymes present in all land plants. The chemotropic response requires conserved elements of the fungal cell integrity mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and the seven-pass transmembrane protein Ste2, a functional homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae sex pheromone alpha receptor. We further show that directed hyphal growth of F. oxysporum towards nutrient sources such as sugars and amino acids is governed by a functionally distinct MAPK cascade. These results reveal a potentially conserved chemotropic mechanism in root-colonizing fungi, and suggest a new function for the fungal pheromone-sensing machinery in locating plant hosts in a complex environment such as the soil" |
| Keywords: | Catalysis Fusarium/growth & development/*metabolism *Host-Pathogen Interactions Hyphae/growth & development/metabolism Solanum lycopersicum/enzymology/*metabolism/*microbiology MAP Kinase Signaling System Mating Factor Peptides/metabolism Peroxidases/*met; |
| Notes: | "MedlineTurra, David El Ghalid, Mennat Rossi, Federico Di Pietro, Antonio eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2015/10/28 Nature. 2015 Nov 26; 527(7579):521-4. doi: 10.1038/nature15516. Epub 2015 Oct 26" |
