Maize Diterpenoid Sensing via the Ste3 A-Pheromone Receptor Guide Oval Conidia of Colletotrichum graminicola to Host Roots.

ABSTRACT: Colletotrichum graminicola, the maize anthracnose fungus, is known for its ability to invade above-ground tissues. This fungus forms two distinct asexual spore types in its life cycle, falcate conidia in acervuli on infected leaves and oval conidia in parenchyma cells in leaf and stem lesions. Our study reveals a previously unknown role for oval conidia in the infection of roots. We investigated whether root exudate from maize could redirect the growth of germlings generated by C. graminicola. Our results showed that only germlings derived from oval conidia were able to respond to root exudates, whereas those from falcate conidia did not. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analyses combined with biological assays and genetic studies identified diterpenoids f

SUBMITTER: Rudolph AY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12445352 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature