MoYvh1 subverts rice defense through functions of ribosomal protein MoMrt4 in Magnaporthe oryzae

The nucleolin MoNsr1 plays pleiotropic roles in the pathogenicity and stress adaptation in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

The rice blast disease, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is a significant agricultural problem that adversely impacts rice production and food security. Understanding the precise molecular pathways involved in the interaction between the pathogen and its host is crucial for developing effective disease management strategies. This study examines the crucial function of the nucleolin MoNsr1 in regulating M. oryzae physiological functions. ΔMoNsr1 deletion mutants showed reduced fungal growth, asexual sporulation, and pathogenicity compared to the wild-type. Mutants exhibited impaired conidial germination and appressoria formation, reducing infection progression. Additionally, ΔMoNsr1 deletion mutant had less turgor pressure, confirming that MoNsr1 is essential for cell wall biogenesis and resistant to external stresses. Furthermore, ΔMoNsr1 deletion mutant showed enhanced sensitivity to oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, and cold tolerance. Our results offer a thorough understanding of the function of MoNsr1 in the virulence and stress-resilient capability in M. oryzae. These findings provide insights into the novel targets and contribute to the emergence of innovative approaches for managing rice blast disease.

Rhodopseudomonas palustris Atp2 Protein Exerts Antifungal Effects by Targeting the Ribosomal Protein MoRpl12 in Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast is one of the most hazardous diseases affecting rice production. Previously, we discovered that the Atp2 protein of Rhodopseudomonas palustris could significantly inhibit the appressorium formation and pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae. However, the molecular mechanism of this fungus has remained unknown. This study revealed that Atp2 can enter the cell and interact with the ribosomal protein MoRpl12 of M. oryzae, directly affecting the expression of the MoRpl12 protein. Silencing the MoRPL12 gene can affect cell wall integrity, growth, conidiogenesis, and fungal pathogenicity. The quantitative reverse transcription PCR results showed significant changes in the expression of conidiation-related genes in the MoRPL12 gene-silenced mutants or in the Atp2 protein-treated plants. We further found that Atp2 treatment can influence the expression of ribosomal-related genes, such as RPL, in M. oryzae. Our study revealed a novel antifungal mechanism by which the Atp2 protein binds to the ribosomal protein MoRpl12 and inhibits the pathogenicity of rice blast fungus, providing a new potential target for rice blast prevention and control.

Recognition of the inducible, secretory small protein OsSSP1 by the membrane receptor OsSSR1 and the co-receptor OsBAK1 confers rice resistance to the blast fungus

The plant apoplast, which serves as the frontline battleground for long-term host-pathogen interactions, harbors a wealth of disease resistance resources. However, the identification of the disease resistance proteins in the apoplast is relatively lacking. In this study, we identified and characterized the rice secretory protein OsSSP1 (Oryza sativa secretory small protein 1). OsSSP1 can be secreted into the plant apoplast, and either in vitro treatment of recombinant OsSSP1 or overexpression of OsSSP1 in rice could trigger plant immune response. The expression of OsSSP1 is suppressed significantly during Magnaporthe oryzae infection in the susceptible rice variety Taibei 309, and OsSSP1-overexpressing lines all show strong resistance to M. oryzae. Combining the knockout and overexpression results, we found that OsSSP1 positively regulates plant immunity in response to fungal infection. Moreover, the recognition and immune response triggered by OsSSP1 depend on an uncharacterized transmembrane OsSSR1 (secretory small protein receptor 1) and the key co-receptor OsBAK1, since most of the induced immune response and resistance are lost in the absence of OsSSR1 or OsBAK1. Intriguingly, the OsSSP1 protein is relatively stable and can still induce plant resistance after 1 week of storage in the open environment, and exogenous OsSSP1 treatment for a 2-week period did not affect rice yield. Collectively, our study reveals that OsSSP1 can be secreted into the apoplast and percepted by OsSSR1 and OsBAK1 during fungal infection, thereby triggering the immune response to enhance plant resistance to M. oryzae. These findings provide novel resources and potential strategies for crop breeding and disease control.

Peroxisome dynamics determines host-derived ROS accumulation and infectious growth of the rice blast fungus

IMPORTANCE

The interplay between plant and pathogen is a dynamic process, with the host's innate defense mechanisms serving a crucial role in preventing infection. In response to many plant pathogen infections, host cells generate the key regulatory molecule, reactive oxygen species (ROS), to limit the spread of the invading organism. In this study, we reveal the effects of fungal peroxisome dynamics on host ROS homeostasis, during the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae infection. The elongation of the peroxisome appears contingent upon ROS and links to the accumulation of ROS within the host and the infectious growth of the pathogen. Importantly, we identify a peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, MoKat2, responsible for the elongation of the peroxisome during the infection. In response to host-derived ROS, the homodimer of MoKat2 undergoes dissociation to bind peroxisome membranes for peroxisome elongation. This process, in turn, inhibits the accumulation of host ROS, which is necessary for successful infection. Overall, our study is the first to highlight the intricate relationship between fungal organelle dynamics and ROS-mediated host immunity, extending the fundamental knowledge of pathogen-host interaction.

Methionine biosynthesis enzyme MoMet2 is required for rice blast fungus pathogenicity by promoting virulence gene expression via reducing 5mC modification

The emergence of fungicide resistance severely threatens crop production by limiting the availability and application of established fungicides. Therefore, it is urgent to identify new fungicidal targets for controlling plant diseases. Here, we characterized the function of a conserved homoserine O-acetyltransferase (HOA) from the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae that could serve as the candidate antifungal target. Deletion of the MoMET2 and MoCYS2 genes encoding HOAs perturbed the biosynthesis of methionine and S-adenyl methionine, a methyl group donor for epigenetic modifications, and severely attenuated the development and virulence of M. oryzae. The ∆Momet2 mutant is significantly increased in 5-methylcytosine (5mC) modification that represses the expression of genes required for pathogenicity, including MoGLIK and MoCDH-CYT. We further showed that host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) targeting MoMET2 and MoCYS2 effectively controls rice blasts. Our studies revealed the importance of HOA in the development and virulence of M. oryzae, which suggests the potential feasibility of HOA as new targets for novel anti-rice blast measurements.

MoErv14 mediates the intracellular transport of cell membrane receptors to govern the appressorial formation and pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blasts posing serious threats to food security worldwide. During infection, M. oryzae utilizes several transmembrane receptor proteins that sense cell surface cues to induce highly specialized infectious structures called appressoria. However, little is known about the mechanisms of intracellular receptor tracking and their function. Here, we described that disrupting the coat protein complex II (COPII) cargo protein MoErv14 severely affects appressorium formation and pathogenicity as the ΔMoerv14 mutant is defective not only in cAMP production but also in the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) MoPmk1. Studies also showed that either externally supplementing cAMP or maintaining MoPmk1 phosphorylation suppresses the observed defects in the ΔMoerv14 strain. Importantly, MoErv14 is found to regulate the transport of MoPth11, a membrane receptor functioning upstream of G-protein/cAMP signaling, and MoWish and MoSho1 function upstream of the Pmk1-MAPK pathway. In summary, our studies elucidate the mechanism by which the COPII protein MoErv14 plays an important function in regulating the transport of receptors involved in the appressorium formation and virulence of the blast fungus.

SUMOylation regulates low-temperature survival and oxidative DNA damage tolerance in Botrytis cinerea

SUMOylation as one of the protein post-translational modifications plays crucial roles in multiple biological processes of eukaryotic organisms. Botrytis cinerea is a devastating fungal pathogen and capable of infecting plant hosts at low temperature. However, the molecular mechanisms of low-temperature adaptation are largely unknown in fungi. Combining with biochemical methods and biological analyses, we report that SUMOylation regulates pathogen survival at low temperature and oxidative DNA damage response during infection in B. cinerea. The heat shock protein (Hsp70) BcSsb and E3 ubiquitin ligase BcRad18 were identified as substrates of SUMOylation; moreover, their SUMOylation both requires a single unique SUMO-interacting motif (SIM). SUMOylated BcSsb regulates β-tubulin accumulation, thereby affecting the stability of microtubules and consequently mycelial growth at low temperature. On the contrary, SUMOylated BcRad18 modulates mono-ubiquitination of the sliding clamp protein proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which is involved in response to oxidative DNA damage during infection. Our study uncovers the molecular mechanisms of SUMOylation-mediated low-temperature survival and oxidative DNA damage tolerance during infection in a devastating fungal pathogen, which provides novel insights into low-temperature adaptation and pathogenesis for postharvest pathogens as well as new targets for inhibitor invention in disease control.

MoLrp1-mediated signaling induces nuclear accumulation of MoMsn2 to facilitate fatty acid oxidation for infectious growth of the rice blast fungus

Fatty acid β-oxidation is critical for fatty acid degradation and cellular development. In the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, fatty acid β-oxidation is reported to be important mainly for turgor generation in the appressorium. However, the role of fatty acid β-oxidation during invasive hyphal growth is rarely documented. We demonstrated that blocking peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation impaired lipid droplet (LD) degradation and infectious growth of M. oryzae. We found that the key regulator of pathogenesis, MoMsn2, which we identified previously, is involved in fatty acid β-oxidation by targeting MoDCI1 (encoding dienoyl-coenzyme A [CoA] isomerase), which is also important for LD degradation and infectious growth. Cytological observations revealed that MoMsn2 accumulated from the cytosol to the nucleus during early infection or upon treatment with oleate. We determined that the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein MoLrp1, which is also involved in fatty acid β-oxidation and infectious growth, plays a critical role in the accumulation of MoMsn2 from the cytosol to the nucleus by activating the cyclic AMP signaling pathway. Our results provide new insights into the importance of fatty acid oxidation during invasive hyphal growth, which is modulated by MoMsn2 and its related signaling pathways in M. oryzae.

MoMaf1 Mediates Vegetative Growth, Conidiogenesis, and Pathogenicity in the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

In eukaryotes, Maf1 is an essential and specific negative regulator of RNA polymerase (Pol) III. Pol III, which synthesizes 5S RNA and transfer RNAs (tRNAs), is suppressed by Maf1 under the conditions of nutrient starvation or environmental stress. Here, we identified M. oryzae MoMaf1, a homolog of ScMaf1 in budding yeast. A heterogeneous complementation assay revealed that MoMaf1 restored growth defects in the ΔScmaf1 mutant under SDS stress. Destruction of MoMAF1 elevated 5S rRNA content and increased sensitivity to cell wall agents. Moreover, the ΔMomaf1 mutant exhibited reduced vegetative growth, conidiogenesis, and pathogenicity. Interestingly, we found that MoMaf1 underwent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuffling, through which MoMaf1 accumulated in nuclei under nutrient deficiency or upon the interaction of M. oryzae with rice. Therefore, this study can help to elucidate the pathogenic molecular mechanism of M. oryzae.

MoIug4 is a novel secreted effector promoting rice blast by counteracting host OsAHL1-regulated ethylene gene transcription

Magnaporthe oryzae secretes several effectors that modulate and hijack rice processes to colonize host cells, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We report on a novel cytoplasmic effector MoIug4 that targets the rice ethylene pathway as a transcription repressor to subvert host immunity. We found that MoIug4 binds to the promoter of the host OsEIN2 gene that encodes a central signal transducer in the ethylene-signaling pathway. We also identified a MoIug4 interacting protein, OsAHL1, which acts as an AT-hook motif-containing protein binding to the A/T-rich promoter regions. Our knockout and overexpression studies showed that OsAHL1 positively regulates plant immunity in response to M. oryzae infection. OsAHL1 exhibits transcriptional regulatory activities by binding the OsEIN2 promoter region, similar to MoIug4. Intriguingly, we found that MoIug4 exhibits a higher binding affinity than OsAHL1 to the OsEIN2 promoter, suggesting differential regulatory specificities. These results revealed a counter-defense strategy by which the pathogen effector suppresses the activation of host defense genes by interfering with host transcription activator functions.

Co-evolved plant and blast fungus ascorbate oxidases orchestrate the redox state of host apoplast to modulate rice immunity

Apoplastic ascorbate oxidases (AOs) play a critical role in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated innate host immunity by regulating the apoplast redox state. To date, little is known about how apoplastic effectors of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae modulate the apoplast redox state of rice to subvert plant immunity. In this study, we demonstrated that M. oryzae MoAo1 is an AO that plays a role in virulence by modulating the apoplast redox status of rice cells. We showed that MoAo1 inhibits the activity of rice OsAO3 and OsAO4, which also regulate the apoplast redox status and plant immunity. In addition, we found that MoAo1, OsAO3, and OsAO4 all exhibit polymorphic variations whose varied interactions orchestrate pathogen virulence and rice immunity. Taken together, our results reveal a critical role for extracellular redox enzymes during rice blast infection and shed light on the importance of the apoplast redox state and its regulation in plant-pathogen interactions.

Silica nanoparticles protect rice against biotic and abiotic stresses

BACKGROUND

By 2050, the world population will increase to 10 billion which urged global demand for food production to double. Plant disease and land drought will make the situation more dire, and safer and environment-friendly materials are thus considered as a new countermeasure. The rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, causes one of the most destructive diseases of cultivated rice worldwide that seriously threatens rice production. Unfortunately, traditional breeding nor chemical approaches along control it well. Nowadays, nanotechnology stands as a new weapon against these mounting challenges and silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) have been considered as potential new safer agrochemicals recently but the systematically studies remain limited, especially in rice.

RESULTS

Salicylic acid (SA) is a key plant hormone essential for establishing plant resistance to several pathogens and its further affected a special form of induced resistance, the systemic acquired resistance (SAR), which considered as an important aspect of plant innate immunity from the locally induced disease resistance to the whole plant. Here we showed that SiO₂ NPs could stimulate plant immunity to protect rice against M. oryzae through foliar treatment that significantly decreased disease severity by nearly 70% within an appropriate concentration range. Excessive concentration of foliar treatment led to disordered intake and abnormal SA responsive genes expressions which weaken the plant resistance and even aggravated the disease. Importantly, this SA-dependent fungal resistance could achieve better results with root treatment through a SAR manner with no phytotoxicity since the orderly and moderate absorption. What's more, root treatment with SiO₂ NPs could also promote root development which was better to deal with drought.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our findings not only revealed SiO₂ NPs as a potential effective and safe strategy to protect rice against biotic and abiotic stresses, but also identify root treatment for the appropriate application method since it seems not causing negative effects and even have promotion on root development.

MoErv29 promotes apoplastic effector secretion contributing to virulence of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

During plant-pathogenic fungi and host plants interactions, numerous pathogen-derived proteins are secreted resulting in the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. For efficient trafficking of secretory proteins, including those important in disease progression, the cytoplasmic coat protein complex II (COPII) exhibits a multifunctional role whose elucidation remains limited. Here, we discovered that the COPII cargo receptor MoErv29 functions as a target of MoHac1, a previously identified transcription factor of the UPR pathway. In Magnaporthe oryzae, deletion of MoERV29 severely affected the vegetative growth, conidiation and biotrophic invasion of the fungus in susceptible rice hosts. We demonstrated that MoErv29 is required for the delivery of secreted proteins through recognition and binding of the amino-terminal tripeptide motifs following the signal peptide. By using bioinformatics analysis, we predicted a cargo spectrum of MoErv29 and found that MoErv29 is required for the secretion of many proteins, including extracellular laccases and apoplastic effectors. This secretion is mediated through the conventional endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi secretion pathway and is important for conferring host recognition and disease resistance. Taken together, our results revealed how MoErv29 operates on effector secretion, and our findings provided a critical link between COPII vesicle trafficking and the UPR pathway.

The Peroxisomal-CoA Synthetase MoPcs60 Is Important for Fatty Acid Metabolism and Infectious Growth of the Rice Blast Fungus

Fatty acid metabolism is important for the maintenance of fatty acid homeostasis. Free fatty acids, which are toxic in excess, are activated by esterification with coenzyme A (CoA) and then subjected to β-oxidization. Fatty acid β-oxidation-related genes play critical roles in the development and virulence of several phytopathogens. In this study, we identified and characterized a peroxisomal-CoA synthetase in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, MoPCS60, which is a homolog of PCS60 in budding yeast. MoPCS60 was highly expressed during the conidial and early infectious stages and was induced under oleate treatment. Targeted deletion of MoPCS60 resulted in a significant reduction in growth rate when oleate and olive oil were used as the sole carbon sources. Compared with the wild-type strain Guy11, the ΔMopcs60 mutant exhibited fewer peroxisomes, more lipid droplets, and decreased pathogenicity. The distribution of MoPcs60 varied among developmental stages and was mainly localized to peroxisomes in the hyphae, conidia, and appressoria when treated with oleate. Our results suggest that MoPcs60 is a key peroxisomal-CoA synthetase involved in fatty acid β-oxidation and pathogenicity in rice blast fungi.

A double-edged sword: reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the rice blast fungus and host interaction

Magnaporthe oryzae is a hemibiotrophic fungus that also needs host nutrients for propagation during infection. During its interaction with rice, reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate important signaling reactions impacting both the pathogen and the host. In M. oryzae, the accumulation of ROS is important for the formation and maturation of the infectious structure appressorium. On the other hand, upon M. oryzae infection, rice generates further ROS to restrict invasive hyphae (IH) spreading. Despite ROS receptors remaining to be identified, M. oryzae recruits several strategies to respond and suppress ROS accumulation through the secretion of various effector molecules. These findings suggest that the balance between the generation and scavenging of ROS is sophisticatedly controlled during M. oryzae-rice interaction. In this review, we discuss advances to understand the regulation mechanisms for the generation, accumulation, and transduction of ROS.

Alternative Splicing of MoPTEN Is Important for Growth and Pathogenesis in Magnaporthe oryzae

Human PTEN, a dual-phosphatase tumor suppressor, is frequently dysregulated by alternative splicing. Fungi harbor PTEN homologs, but alternative splicing of fungal PTENs has not been reported as far as we know. Here, we described an alternative splicing case in the PTEN homolog of Magnaporthe oryzae (MoPTEN). Two splice variants of MoPTEN were detected and identified, which are resulted from an intron retention and exclusion (MoPTEN-1/2). Both proteins were different in lipid and protein phosphatase activity and in expression patterns. The MoPTEN deletion mutant (ΔMoPTEN) showed the defects in conidiation, appressorium formation, and pathogenesis. ΔMoPTEN could be completely restored by MoPTEN, but rescued partially by MoPTEN-1 in the defect of conidium and appressorium formation, and by MoPTEN-2 in the defect of invasive development. Assays to assess sensitivity to oxidative stress reveal the involvement of MoPTEN-2 in scavenging exogenous and host-derived H₂O₂. Taken together, MoPTEN undergoes alternative splicing, and both variants cooperatively contribute to conidium and appressorium development, and invasive hyphae growth in plant cells, revealing a novel disease development pathway in M. oryzae.

Auxilin-like protein MoSwa2 promotes effector secretion and virulence as a clathrin uncoating factor in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Plant pathogens exploit the extracellular matrix (ECM) to inhibit host immunity during their interactions with the host. The formation of ECM involves a series of continuous steps of vesicular transport events. To understand how such vesicle trafficking impacts ECM and virulence in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, we characterised MoSwa2, a previously identified actin-regulating kinase MoArk1 interacting protein, as an orthologue of the auxilin-like clathrin uncoating factor Swa2 of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that MoSwa2 functions as an uncoating factor of the coat protein complex II (COPII) via an interaction with the COPII subunit MoSec24-2. Loss of MoSwa2 led to a deficiency in the secretion of extracellular proteins, resulting in both restricted growth of invasive hyphae and reduced inhibition of host immunity. Additionally, extracellular fluid (ECF) proteome analysis revealed that MoSwa2-regulated extracellular proteins include many redox proteins such as the berberine bridge enzyme-like (BBE-like) protein MoSef1. We further found that MoSef1 functions as an apoplastic virulent factor that inhibits the host immune response. Our studies revealed a novel function of a COPII uncoating factor in vesicular transport that is critical in the suppression of host immunity and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.

Involvement of the Mitochondrial Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase PTPM1 in the Promotion of Conidiation, Development, and Pathogenicity in Colletotrichum graminicola

The phosphorylation status of proteins, which is determined by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), governs many cellular actions. In fungal pathogens, phosphorylation-mediated signal transduction has been considered to be one of the most important mechanisms in pathogenicity. Colletotrichum graminicola is an economically important corn pathogen. However, whether phosphorylation is involved in its pathogenicity is unknown. A mitochondrial protein tyrosine phosphatase gene, designated CgPTPM1, was deduced in C. graminicola through the use of bioinformatics and confirmed by enzyme activity assays and observation of its subcellular localization. We then created a CgPTPM1 deletion mutant (ΔCgPTPM1) to analyze its biological function. The results indicated that the loss of CgPTPM1 dramatically affected the formation of conidia and the development and differentiation into appressoria. However, the colony growth and conidial morphology of the ΔCgPTPM1 strains were unaffected. Importantly, the ΔCgPTPM1 mutant strains exhibited an obvious reduction of virulence, and the delayed infected hyphae failed to expand in the host cells. In comparison with the wild-type, ΔCgPTPM1 accumulated a larger amount of H2O2 and was sensitive to exogenous H2O2. Interestingly, the host cells infected by the mutant also exhibited an increased accumulation of H2O2 around the infection sites. Since the expression of the CgHYR1, CgGST1, CgGLR1, CgGSH1 and CgPAP1 genes was upregulated with the H2O2 treatment, our results suggest that the mitochondrial protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPM1 plays an essential role in promoting the pathogenicity of C. graminicola by regulating the excessive in vivo and in vitro production of H2O2.

A self-balancing circuit centered on MoOsm1 kinase governs adaptive responses to host-derived ROS in Magnaporthe oryzae

The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a ubiquitous defense response in plants. Adapted pathogens evolved mechanisms to counteract the deleterious effects of host-derived ROS and promote infection. How plant pathogens regulate this elaborate response against ROS burst remains unclear. Using the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, we uncovered a self-balancing circuit controlling response to ROS in planta and virulence. During infection, ROS induces phosphorylation of the high osmolarity glycerol pathway kinase MoOsm1 and its nuclear translocation. There, MoOsm1 phosphorylates transcription factor MoAtf1 and dissociates MoAtf1-MoTup1 complex. This releases MoTup1-mediated transcriptional repression on oxidoreduction-pathway genes and activates the transcription of MoPtp1/2 protein phosphatases. In turn, MoPtp1/2 dephosphorylate MoOsm1, restoring the circuit to its initial state. Balanced interactions among proteins centered on MoOsm1 provide a means to counter host-derived ROS. Our findings thereby reveal new insights into how M. oryzae utilizes a phosphor-regulatory circuitry to face plant immunity during infection.

Genome-wide functional analysis of phosphatases in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Phosphatases, together with kinases and transcription factors, are key components in cellular signalling networks. Here, we present a systematic functional analysis of the phosphatases in Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening fungal meningoencephalitis. We analyse 230 signature-tagged mutant strains for 114 putative phosphatases under 30 distinct in vitro growth conditions, revealing at least one function for 60 of these proteins. Large-scale virulence and infectivity assays using insect and mouse models indicate roles in pathogenicity for 31 phosphatases involved in various processes such as thermotolerance, melanin and capsule production, stress responses, O-mannosylation, or retromer function. Notably, phosphatases Xpp1, Ssu72, Siw14, and Sit4 promote blood-brain barrier adhesion and crossing by C. neoformans. Together with our previous systematic studies of transcription factors and kinases, our results provide comprehensive insight into the pathobiological signalling circuitry of C. neoformans.

Phosphatases are key components in cellular signalling networks. Here, the authors present a systematic functional analysis of phosphatases of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, revealing roles in virulence, stress responses, O-mannosylation, retromer function and other processes.

Systematic Review of Plant Ribosome Heterogeneity and Specialization

Plants dedicate a high amount of energy and resources to the production of ribosomes. Historically, these multi-protein ribosome complexes have been considered static protein synthesis machines that are not subject to extensive regulation but only read mRNA and produce polypeptides accordingly. New and increasing evidence across various model organisms demonstrated the heterogeneous nature of ribosomes. This heterogeneity can constitute specialized ribosomes that regulate mRNA translation and control protein synthesis. A prominent example of ribosome heterogeneity is seen in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, which, due to genome duplications, has multiple paralogs of each ribosomal protein (RP) gene. We support the notion of plant evolution directing high RP paralog divergence toward functional heterogeneity, underpinned in part by a vast resource of ribosome mutants that suggest specialization extends beyond the pleiotropic effects of single structural RPs or RP paralogs. Thus, Arabidopsis is a highly suitable model to study this phenomenon. Arabidopsis enables reverse genetics approaches that could provide evidence of ribosome specialization. In this review, we critically assess evidence of plant ribosome specialization and highlight steps along ribosome biogenesis in which heterogeneity may arise, filling the knowledge gaps in plant science by providing advanced insights from the human or yeast fields. We propose a data analysis pipeline that infers the heterogeneity of ribosome complexes and deviations from canonical structural compositions linked to stress events. This analysis pipeline can be extrapolated and enhanced by combination with other high-throughput methodologies, such as proteomics. Technologies, such as kinetic mass spectrometry and ribosome profiling, will be necessary to resolve the temporal and spatial aspects of translational regulation while the functional features of ribosomal subpopulations will become clear with the combination of reverse genetics and systems biology approaches.

Shedding light on autophagy coordinating with cell wall integrity signaling to govern pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae

Cells are faced with various stresses during their growth and development, and autophagy is a degradative process in which cells can break down their own components to recycle macromolecules and provide energy under these stresses. For pathogenic fungi that utilize cell wall as the first barrier against external stress, the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway also provides an essential role in responding to these stresses. However, the specific connection between autophagy and CWI remains elusive in either the model fungi including budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae or the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Here, we provided evidence that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is highly induced during M. oryzae infection and that CWI MAP kinase kinase MoMkk1 (S. cerevisiae Mkk1/2 homolog) was subject to phosphorylation regulation by MoAtg1, the only identified kinase in the core autophagy machinery. We also identified MoMkk1 serine 115 as the MoAtg1-dependent phosphorylation site and this phosphorylation could activate CWI, similar to that by the conserved MAP kinase kinase kinase MoMck1 (S. cerevisiae Bck1 homolog). Together with the first report of MoMkk1 subjects to phosphorylation regulation by MoAtg1, we revealed a new mechanism by which autophagy coordinates with CWI signaling under ER stress, and this MoAtg1-dependent MoMkk1 phosphorylation is essential for the pathogenicity of M. oryzae.Abbreviations: A/Ala: alanine; Atg: autophagy-related; Bck1: bypass of C kinase 1; co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; CWI: cell wall integrity;DTT: dithiothreitol; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; GFP: green fluorescent protein; Mo: Magnaporthe oryzae; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; Mkk1: mitogen-activated protein kinase-kinase 1; MS: mass spectrometry; PAS: phagophore assembly site; RFP: red fluorescent protein; RT: room temperature; S/Ser: serine; Slt2: suppressor of the lytic phenotype 2; T/Thr: threonine; UPR: unfolded protein response; Y2H: yeast two-hybrid screen.

MoMCP1, a Cytochrome P450 Gene, Is Required for Alleviating Manganese Toxin Revealed by Transcriptomics Analysis in Magnaporthe oryzae

Manganese, as an essential trace element, participates in many physiological reactions by regulating Mn associated enzymes. Magnaporthe oryzae is a serious pathogen and causes destructive losses for rice production. We identified a cytochrome P450 gene, MoMCP1, involving the alleviation of manganese toxin and pathogenicity. To identify the underlying mechanisms, transcriptomics were performed. The results indicated that many pathogenicity related genes were regulated, especially hydrophobin related genes in ∆Momcp1. Furthermore, the Mn²⁺ toxicity decreased the expressions of genes involved in the oxidative phosphorylation and energy production, and increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which might impair the functions of mitochondrion and vacuole, compromising the pathogenicity and development in ∆Momcp1. Additionally, our results provided further information about Mn associated the gene network for Mn metabolism in cells.

Every Coin Has Two Sides: Reactive Oxygen Species during Rice⁻Magnaporthe oryzae Interaction

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in many important processes, including the growth, development, and responses to the environments, in rice (Oryza sativa) and Magnaporthe oryzae. Although ROS are known to be critical components in rice⁻M. oryzae interactions, their regulations and pathways have not yet been completely revealed. Recent studies have provided fascinating insights into the intricate physiological redox balance in rice⁻M. oryzae interactions. In M. oryzae, ROS accumulation is required for the appressorium formation and penetration. However, once inside the rice cells, M. oryzae must scavenge the host-derived ROS to spread invasive hyphae. On the other side, ROS play key roles in rice against M. oryzae. It has been known that, upon perception of M. oryzae, rice plants modulate their activities of ROS generating and scavenging enzymes, mainly on NADPH oxidase OsRbohB, by different signaling pathways to accumulate ROS against rice blast. By contrast, the M. oryzae virulent strains are capable of suppressing ROS accumulation and attenuating rice blast resistance by the secretion of effectors, such as AvrPii and AvrPiz-t. These results suggest that ROS generation and scavenging of ROS are tightly controlled by different pathways in both M. oryzae and rice during rice blast. In this review, the most recent advances in the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ROS accumulation and signaling during rice⁻M. oryzae interaction are summarized.

Histone acetyltransferase MoHat1 acetylates autophagy-related proteins MoAtg3 and MoAtg9 to orchestrate functional appressorium formation and pathogenicity in Magnaporthe oryzae

Macroautophagy/autophagy is critical for normal appressorium formation and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, but the molecular base of autophagy linked to pathogenicity remains elusive in this or other pathogenic fungi. We found that MoHat1, a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) homolog, had a role in the regulation of autophagy through the acetylation of autophagy related proteins MoAtg3 and MoAtg9. We also found that MoHat1 was subject to regulation by the protein kinase MoGsk1 that modulated the translocation of MoHat1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm with the assistance of MoSsb1, a protein chaperone. The alternation of intracellular location affected MoHat1 in the modification of cytosolic autophagy proteins that maintained normal autophagy. Furthermore, we provided evidence linking acetylation of MoAtg3 and MoAtg9 by MoHat1 to functional appressorium development and pathogenicity. Together with the first report of MoAtg9 being subject to acetylation regulation by MoHat1, our studies depicted how MoHat1 regulated autophagy in conjunction with MoGsk1 and how normal autophagy was linked to appressorium formation and function and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Abbreviations: A/Ala: alanine; AP: autophagosome; Atg genes/proteins: autophagy-related genes/proteins; BiFC: bimolecular fluorescence complementation; co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; DAPI: 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; D/Asp: aspartic acid; GFP: green fluorescent protein; GSK3: glycogen synthase kinase 3; HAT: histone acetyltransferase; Hsp70: heat-shock protein 70; IH: invasive hyphae; K/Lys: lysine; MMS: methyl methanesulfonate; Mo: Magnaporthe oryzae; PAS: phagophore assembly site; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PtdIns3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; R/Arg: arginine; S/Ser: serine; T/Thr: threonine; TOR: target of rapamycin; WT: wild type; YFP: yellow fluorescent protein.

The seven transmembrane domain protein MoRgs7 functions in surface perception and undergoes coronin MoCrn1-dependent endocytosis in complex with Gα subunit MoMagA to promote cAMP signaling and appressorium formation in Magnaporthe oryzae

Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins primarily function as GTPase-accelerating proteins (GAPs) to promote GTP hydrolysis of Gα subunits, thereby regulating G-protein mediated signal transduction. RGS proteins could also contain additional domains such as GoLoco to inhibit GDP dissociation. The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae encodes eight RGS and RGS-like proteins (MoRgs1 to MoRgs8) that have shared and distinct functions in growth, appressorium formation and pathogenicity. Interestingly, MoRgs7 and MoRgs8 contain a C-terminal seven-transmembrane domain (7-TM) motif typical of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) proteins, in addition to the conserved RGS domain. We found that MoRgs7, but not MoRgs8, couples with Gα MoMagA to undergo endocytic transport from the plasma membrane to the endosome upon sensing of surface hydrophobicity. We also found that MoRgs7 can interact with hydrophobic surfaces via a hydrophobic interaction, leading to the perception of environmental hydrophobiccues. Moreover, we found that MoRgs7-MoMagA endocytosis is regulated by actin patch-associated protein MoCrn1, linking it to cAMP signaling. Our studies provided evidence suggesting that MoRgs7 could also function in a GPCR-like manner to sense environmental signals and it, together with additional proteins of diverse functions, promotes cAMP signaling required for developmental processes underlying appressorium function and pathogenicity.

Heat-Shock Proteins MoSsb1, MoSsz1, and MoZuo1 Attenuate MoMkk1-Mediated Cell-Wall Integrity Signaling and Are Important for Growth and Pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) MoMkk1 governs the cell-wall integrity (CWI) pathway in rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. To understand the underlying mechanism, we have identified MoSsb1 as one of the MoMkk1-interacting proteins. MoSsb1 is a stress-seventy subfamily B (Ssb) protein homolog, sharing high amino acid sequence homology with the 70-kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70s). Hsp70 are a family of conserved and ubiquitously expressed chaperones that regulate protein biogenesis by promoting protein folding, preventing protein aggregation, and controlling protein degradation. We found that MoSsb1 regulates the synthesis of nascent polypeptide chains and this regulation is achieved by being in complex with other members of Hsp70s MoSsz1 and 40-kDa Hsp40 MoZuo1. MoSsb1 is important for the growth, conidiation, and full virulence of the blast fungus and this role is also shared by MoSsz1 and MoZuo1. Importantly, MoSsb1, MoSsz1, and MoZuo1 are all involved in the regulation of the CWI MAPK pathway by modulating MoMkk1 biosynthesis. Our studies reveal novel insights into how MoSsb1, MoSsz1, and MoZuo1 affect CWI signaling that is involved in regulating growth, differentiation, and virulence of M. oryzae and highlight the conserved functional mechanisms of heat-shock proteins in pathogenic fungi.