Homeobox transcription factors are required for conidiation and appressorium development in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

ABSTRACT: The appropriate development of conidia and appressoria is critical in the disease cycle of many fungal pathogens, including Magnaporthe oryzae. A total of eight genes (MoHOX1 to MoHOX8) encoding putative homeobox transcription factors (TFs) were identified from the M. oryzae genome. Knockout mutants for each MoHOX gene were obtained via homology-dependent gene replacement. Two mutants, DeltaMohox3 and DeltaMohox5, exhibited no difference to wild-type in growth, conidiation, conidium size, conidial germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity. However, the DeltaMohox1 showed a dramatic reduction in hyphal growth and increase in melanin pigmentation, compared to those in wild-type. DeltaMohox4 and DeltaMohox6 showed significantly reduced conidium size and hyphal growth, respectivel

SUBMITTER: Kim S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2779367 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature