| Title: | Physical-chemical plant-derived signals induce differentiation in Ustilago maydis |
| Author(s): | Mendoza-Mendoza A; Berndt P; Djamei A; Weise C; Linne U; Marahiel M; Vranes M; Kamper J; Kahmann R; |
| Address: | "Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Organismic Interactions, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, D-35043 Marburg, Germany" |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2008.06567.x |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1365-2958 (Electronic) 0950-382X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Ustilago maydis is able to initiate pathogenic development after fusion of two haploid cells with different mating type. On the maize leaf surface, the resulting dikaryon switches to filamentous growth, differentiates appressoria and penetrates the host. Here, we report on the plant signals required for filament formation and appressorium development in U. maydis. In vitro, hydroxy-fatty acids stimulate filament formation via the induction of pheromone genes and this signal can be bypassed by genetically activating the downstream MAP kinase module. Hydrophobicity also induces filaments and these resemble the dikaryotic filaments formed on the plant surface. With the help of a marker gene that is specifically expressed in the tip cell of those hyphae that have formed an appressorium, hydrophobicity is shown to be essential for appressorium development in vitro. Hydroxy-fatty acids or a cutin monomer mixture isolated from maize leaves have a stimulatory role when a hydrophobic surface is provided. Our results suggest that the early phase of communication between U. maydis and its host plant is governed by two different stimuli" |
| Keywords: | "Fatty Acids/*metabolism Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal *Genes, Mating Type, Fungal Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions Hyphae/genetics/growth & development/pathogenicity MAP Kinase Signaling System/genetics Membrane Lipids/metabolism Pheromones/g;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineMendoza-Mendoza, Artemio Berndt, Patrick Djamei, Armin Weise, Carolin Linne, Uwe Marahiel, Mohamed Vranes, Miroslav Kamper, Jorg Kahmann, Regine eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2009/01/28 Mol Microbiol. 2009 Feb; 71(4):895-911. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2008.06567.x. Epub 2008 Dec 23" |
