Tandem DNA repeats contain cis-regulatory sequences that activate biotrophy-specific expression of Magnaporthe effector gene PWL2.

ABSTRACT: During plant infection, fungi secrete effector proteins in coordination with distinct infection stages. Thus, the success of plant infection is determined by precise control of effector gene expression. We analysed the PWL2 effector gene of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae to understand how effector genes are activated specifically during the early biotrophic stages of rice infection. Here, we used confocal live-cell imaging of M. oryzae transformants with various PWL2 promoter fragments fused to sensitive green fluorescent protein reporter genes to determine the expression patterns of PWL2 at the cellular level, together with quantitative reverse transcription PCR analyses at the tissue level. We found PWL2 expression was coupled with sequential biotrophic invasion of rice cells.

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8035637 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature