Novel Secreted Effectors Conserved Among Smut Fungi Contribute to the Virulence of Ustilago maydis

Fungal pathogens deploy a set of molecules (proteins, specialized metabolites, and sRNAs), so-called effectors, to aid the infection process. In comparison to other plant pathogens, smut fungi have small genomes and secretomes of 20 Mb and around 500 proteins, respectively. Previous comparative genomic studies have shown that many secreted effector proteins without known domains, i.e., novel, are conserved only in the Ustilaginaceae family. By analyzing the secretomes of 11 species within Ustilaginaceae, we identified 53 core homologous groups commonly present in this lineage. By collecting existing mutants and generating additional ones, we gathered 44 Ustilago maydis strains lacking single core effectors as well as 9 strains containing multiple deletions of core effector gene families. Pathogenicity assays revealed that 20 of these 53 mutant strains were affected in virulence. Among the 33 mutants that had no obvious phenotypic changes, 13 carried additional, sequence-divergent, structurally similar paralogs. We report a virulence contribution of seven previously uncharacterized single core effectors and of one effector family. Our results help to prioritize effectors for understanding U. maydis virulence and provide genetic resources for further characterization. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

My Personal Journey from the Fascination for Phages to a Tumor-Inducing Fungal Pathogen of Corn

My path in science began with a fascination for microbiology and phages and later involved a switch of subjects to the fungus Ustilago maydis and how it causes disease in maize. I will not provide a review of my work but rather focus on decisive findings, serendipitous, lucky moments when major advances made the U. maydis-maize system what it is now-a well-established model for biotrophic fungi. I also want to share with you the joy of finding the needle in a haystack at the very end of my scientific career, a fungal structure likely used for effector delivery, and how we were able to translate this into a potential application in agriculture. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Nuclear status and leaf tumor formation in the Ustilago maydis-maize pathosystem

Ustilago maydis is a biotrophic fungus causing smut disease in corn. The infectious forms are dikaryotic hyphae. Here we analyze mutants lacking the nlt1 transcription factor and investigate why these mutants are unable to induce leaf tumors. The study involved reverse genetics, complementation, epistasis analysis, microscopy, gene expression analysis by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and virulence assays. We show that nlt1 mutants colonize maize leaves efficiently but fail to undergo karyogamy and are attenuated in late proliferation. Nlt1 activates transcription of ros1, a transcription factor controlling karyogamy, and represses see1, an effector previously shown to contribute to leaf tumor induction. In mononuclate solopathogenic strains, nlt1 mutants cause attenuated leaf tumor formation. In actively dividing maize organs, nlt1 mutants undergo karyogamy and induce tumor formation. Sporisorium reilianum, a smut fungus unable to induce leaf tumors, possesses an ortholog of nlt1 that controls the fusion of dikaryotic nuclei late in infection during cob colonization. Our results have established a regulatory connection between nlt1, ros1 and see1 and suggest the existence of two stages contributing to leaf tumor formation, one before nuclear fusion and involving nlt1 and one after karyogamy that is nlt1 independent.

A small Ustilago maydis effector acts as a novel adhesin for hyphal aggregation in plant tumors

The biotrophic basidiomycete fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize. Hallmarks of the disease are characteristic large tumors in which dark pigmented spores are formed. Here, we functionally characterized a novel core effector lep1 (late effector protein 1) which is highly expressed during tumor formation and contributes to virulence. We characterize lep1 mutants, localize the protein, determine phenotypic consequences upon deletion as well as constitutive expression, and analyze relationships with the repellent protein Rep1 and hydrophobins. In tumors, lep1 mutants show attenuated hyphal aggregation, fail to undergo massive late proliferation and produce only a few spores. Upon constitutive expression, cell aggregation is induced and the surface of filamentous colonies displays enhanced hydrophobicity. Lep1 is bound to the cell wall of biotrophic hyphae and associates with Rep1 when constitutively expressed in hyphae. We conclude that Lep1 acts as a novel kind of cell adhesin which functions together with other surface-active proteins to allow proliferation of diploid hyphae as well as for induction of the morphological changes associated with spore formation.

Population Genomics of the Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis: Demographic History and Role of Virulence Clusters in Adaptation

The tight interaction between pathogens and their hosts results in reciprocal selective forces that impact the genetic diversity of the interacting species. The footprints of this selection differ between pathosystems because of distinct life-history traits, demographic histories, or genome architectures. Here, we studied the genome-wide patterns of genetic diversity of 22 isolates of the causative agent of the corn smut disease, Ustilago maydis, originating from five locations in Mexico, the presumed center of origin of this species. In this species, many genes encoding secreted effector proteins reside in so-called virulence clusters in the genome, an arrangement that is so far not found in other filamentous plant pathogens. Using a combination of population genomic statistical analyses, we assessed the geographical, historical, and genome-wide variation of genetic diversity in this fungal pathogen. We report evidence of two partially admixed subpopulations that are only loosely associated with geographic origin. Using the multiple sequentially Markov coalescent model, we inferred the demographic history of the two pathogen subpopulations over the last 0.5 Myr. We show that both populations experienced a recent strong bottleneck starting around 10,000 years ago, coinciding with the assumed time of maize domestication. Although the genome average genetic diversity is low compared with other fungal pathogens, we estimated that the rate of nonsynonymous adaptive substitutions is three times higher in genes located within virulence clusters compared with nonclustered genes, including nonclustered effector genes. These results highlight the role that these singular genomic regions play in the evolution of this pathogen.

Cell wall-associated effectors of plant-colonizing fungi

Plant-colonizing fungi secrete a cocktail of effector proteins during colonization. After secretion, some of these effectors are delivered into plant cells to directly dampen the plant immune system or redirect host processes benefitting fungal growth. Other effectors function in the apoplastic space either as released proteins modulating the activity of plant enzymes associated with plant defense or as proteins bound to the fungal cell wall. For such fungal cell wall-bound effectors, we know particularly little about their molecular function. In this review, we describe effectors that are associated with the fungal cell wall and discuss how they contribute to colonization.

A cell surface-exposed protein complex with an essential virulence function in Ustilago maydis

Plant pathogenic fungi colonizing living plant tissue secrete a cocktail of effector proteins to suppress plant immunity and reprogramme host cells. Although many of these effectors function inside host cells, delivery systems used by pathogenic bacteria to translocate effectors into host cells have not been detected in fungi. Here, we show that five unrelated effectors and two membrane proteins from Ustilago maydis, a biotrophic fungus causing smut disease in corn, form a stable protein complex. All seven genes appear co-regulated and are only expressed during colonization. Single mutants arrest in the epidermal layer, fail to suppress host defence responses and fail to induce non-host resistance, two reactions that likely depend on translocated effectors. The complex is anchored in the fungal membrane, protrudes into host cells and likely contacts channel-forming plant plasma membrane proteins. Constitutive expression of all seven complex members resulted in a surface-exposed form in cultured U. maydis cells. As orthologues of the complex-forming proteins are conserved in smut fungi, the complex may become an interesting fungicide target.

Creating novel specificities in a fungal nonself recognition system by single step homologous recombination events

In many organisms, two component systems have evolved to discriminate self from nonself. While the molecular function of the two components has been elucidated in several systems, the evolutionary events leading to the large number of different specificities for self-nonself recognition found in most systems remain obscure. We have investigated the variation within a multiallelic nonself recognition system in the phytopathogenic basidiomycete Ustilago maydis by means of sequence analysis and functional studies. The multiallelic b mating type locus of U. maydis ensures outbreeding during sexual development. Nonself recognition is specified by the two homeodomain proteins, bE and bW, encoded by the b locus. While bE-bW combinations from the same allele do not dimerize, bE and bW proteins originating from different alleles form a heterodimeric complex that functions as master regulator for sexual and pathogenic development. We show that novel specificities of the b mating type locus have arisen by single homologous recombination events between distinct b alleles that lead to a simultaneous exchange of subdomains involved in dimerization in both bE and bW, altering the specificity of both proteins in a single step.

The insertion of a mitochondrial selfish element into the nuclear genome and its consequences

Homing endonucleases (HE) are enzymes capable of cutting DNA at highly specific target sequences, the repair of the generated double-strand break resulting in the insertion of the HE-encoding gene ("homing" mechanism). HEs are present in all three domains of life and viruses; in eukaryotes, they are mostly found in the genomes of mitochondria and chloroplasts, as well as nuclear ribosomal RNAs. We here report the case of a HE that accidentally integrated into a telomeric region of the nuclear genome of the fungal maize pathogen Ustilago maydis. We show that the gene has a mitochondrial origin, but its original copy is absent from the U. maydis mitochondrial genome, suggesting a subsequent loss or a horizontal transfer from a different species. The telomeric HE underwent mutations in its active site and lost its original start codon. A potential other start codon was retained downstream, but we did not detect any significant transcription of the newly created open reading frame, suggesting that the inserted gene is not functional. Besides, the insertion site is located in a putative RecQ helicase gene, truncating the C-terminal domain of the protein. The truncated helicase is expressed during infection of the host, together with other homologous telomeric helicases. This unusual mutational event altered two genes: The integrated HE gene subsequently lost its homing activity, while its insertion created a truncated version of an existing gene, possibly altering its function. As the insertion is absent in other field isolates, suggesting that it is recent, the U. maydis 521 reference strain offers a snapshot of this singular mutational event.

The functionally conserved effector Sta1 is a fungal cell wall protein required for virulence in Ustilago maydis

The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes the smut disease of maize. The interaction with its host and induction of characteristic tumors are governed largely by secreted effectors whose function is mostly unknown. To identify effectors with a prominent role in virulence, we used RNA sequencing and found that the gene sta1 is upregulated during early stages of infection. We characterized Sta1 by comparative genomics, reverse genetics, protein localization, stress assays, and microscopy. sta1 mutants show a dramatic reduction of virulence and show altered colonization of tissue neighboring the vascular bundles. Functional orthologues of Sta1 are found in related smut pathogens infecting monocot and dicot plants. Sta1 is secreted by budding cells but is attached to the cell wall of filamentous hyphae. Upon constitutive expression of Sta1, fungal filaments become susceptible to Congo red, β-glucanase, and chitinase, suggesting that Sta1 alters the structure of the fungal cell wall. Constitutive or delayed expression of sta1 during plant colonization negatively impacts on virulence. Our results suggest that Sta1 is a novel kind of effector, which needs to modify the hyphal cell wall to allow hyphae to be accommodated in tissue next to the vascular bundles.

Threats Posed by the Fungal Kingdom to Humans, Wildlife, and Agriculture

The fungal kingdom includes at least 6 million eukaryotic species and is remarkable with respect to its profound impact on global health, biodiversity, ecology, agriculture, manufacturing, and biomedical research. Approximately 625 fungal species have been reported to infect vertebrates, 200 of which can be human associated, either as commensals and members of our microbiome or as pathogens that cause infectious diseases. These organisms pose a growing threat to human health with the global increase in the incidence of invasive fungal infections, prevalence of fungal allergy, and the evolution of fungal pathogens resistant to some or all current classes of antifungals. More broadly, there has been an unprecedented and worldwide emergence of fungal pathogens affecting animal and plant biodiversity. Approximately 8,000 species of fungi and Oomycetes are associated with plant disease. Indeed, across agriculture, such fungal diseases of plants include new devastating epidemics of trees and jeopardize food security worldwide by causing epidemics in staple and commodity crops that feed billions. Further, ingestion of mycotoxins contributes to ill health and causes cancer. Coordinated international research efforts, enhanced technology translation, and greater policy outreach by scientists are needed to more fully understand the biology and drivers that underlie the emergence of fungal diseases and to mitigate against their impacts. Here, we focus on poignant examples of emerging fungal threats in each of three areas: human health, wildlife biodiversity, and food security.

The two paralogous kiwellin proteins KWL1 and KWL1-b from maize are structurally related and have overlapping functions in plant defense

Many plant-pathogenic bacteria and fungi deploy effector proteins that down-regulate plant defense responses and reprogram plant metabolism for colonization and survival in planta Kiwellin (KWL) proteins are a widespread family of plant-defense proteins that target these microbial effectors. The KWL1 protein from maize (corn, Zea mays) specifically inhibits the enzymatic activity of the secreted chorismate mutase Cmu1, a virulence-promoting effector of the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. In addition to KWL1, 19 additional KWL paralogs have been identified in maize. Here, we investigated the structure and mechanism of the closest KWL1 homolog, KWL1-b (ZEAMA_GRMZM2G305329). We solved the Cmu1-KWL1-b complex to 2.75 Å resolution, revealing a highly symmetric Cmu1-KWL1-b heterotetramer in which each KWL1-b monomer interacts with a monomer of the Cmu1 homodimer. The structure also revealed that the overall architecture of the heterotetramer is highly similar to that of the previously reported Cmu1-KWL1 complex. We found that upon U. maydis infection of Z. mays, KWL1-b is expressed at significantly lower levels than KWL1 and exhibits differential tissue-specific expression patterns. We also show that KWL1-b inhibits Cmu1 activity similarly to KWL1. We conclude that KWL1 and KWL1-b are part of a redundant defense system that tissue-specifically targets Cmu1. This notion was supported by the observation that both KWL proteins are carbohydrate-binding proteins with distinct and likely tissue-related specificities. Moreover, binding by Cmu1 modulated the carbohydrate-binding properties of both KWLs. These findings indicate that KWL proteins are part of a spatiotemporally coordinated, plant-wide defense response comprising proteins with overlapping activities.

CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approaches in filamentous fungi and oomycetes

Due to their biotechnological relevance as well as their importance as disease agents, filamentous fungi and oomycetes have been prime candidates for genetic selection and in vitro manipulation for decades. With the advent of new genome editing technologies such manipulations have reached a new level of speed and sophistication. The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology in particular has revolutionized the ways how desired mutations can be introduced. To date, the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system has been established in more than 40 different species of filamentous fungi and oomycetes. In this review we describe the various approaches taken to assure expression of the components necessary for editing and describe the varying strategies used to achieve gene disruptions, gene replacements and precise editing. We discuss potential problems faced when establishing the system, propose ways to circumvent them and suggest future approaches not yet realized in filamentous fungi or oomycetes.

Arbuscular cell invasion coincides with extracellular vesicles and membrane tubules

During establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses, fungal hyphae invade root cells producing transient tree-like structures, the arbuscules, where exchange of photosynthates for soil minerals occurs. Arbuscule formation and collapse lead to rapid production and degradation of plant and fungal membranes, their spatiotemporal dynamics directly influencing nutrient exchange. We determined the ultra-structural details of both membrane surfaces and the interstitial apoplastic matrix by transmission electron microscopy tomography during growth and senescence of Rhizophagus irregularis arbuscules in rice. Invasive growth of arbuscular hyphae was associated with abundant fungal membrane tubules (memtubs) and plant peri-arbuscular membrane evaginations. Similarly, the phylogenetically distant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Gigaspora rosea, and the fungal maize pathogen, Ustilago maydis, developed memtubs while invading host cells, revealing structural commonalities independent of the mutualistic or parasitic outcome of the interaction. Additionally, extracellular vesicles formed continuously in the peri-arbuscular interface from arbuscule biogenesis to senescence, suggesting an involvement in inter-organismic signal and nutrient exchange throughout the arbuscule lifespan.

A kiwellin disarms the metabolic activity of a secreted fungal virulence factor

Fungi-induced plant diseases affect global food security and plant ecology. The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize (Zea mays) plants by secreting numerous virulence effectors that reprogram plant metabolism and immune responses^1,2. The secreted fungal chorismate mutase Cmu1 presumably affects biosynthesis of the plant immune signal salicylic acid by channelling chorismate into the phenylpropanoid pathway³. Here we show that one of the 20 maize-encoded kiwellins (ZmKWL1) specifically blocks the catalytic activity of Cmu1. ZmKWL1 hinders substrate access to the active site of Cmu1 through intimate interactions involving structural features that are specific to fungal Cmu1 orthologues. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that plant kiwellins have a versatile scaffold that can specifically counteract pathogen effectors such as Cmu1. We reveal the biological activity of a member of the kiwellin family, a widely conserved group of proteins that have previously been recognized only as important human allergens.

Manipulation of Phytohormone Pathways by Effectors of Filamentous Plant Pathogens

Phytohormones regulate a large variety of physiological processes in plants. In addition, salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) are responsible for primary defense responses against abiotic and biotic stresses, while plant growth regulators, such as auxins, brassinosteroids (BRs), cytokinins (CKs), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellins (GAs), also contribute to plant immunity. To successfully colonize plants, filamentous pathogens like fungi and oomycetes have evolved diverse strategies to interfere with phytohormone pathways with the help of secreted effectors. These include proteins, toxins, polysaccharides as well as phytohormones or phytohormone mimics. Such pathogen effectors manipulate phytohormone pathways by directly altering hormone levels, by interfering with phytohormone biosynthesis, or by altering or blocking important components of phytohormone signaling pathways. In this review, we outline the various strategies used by filamentous phytopathogens to manipulate phytohormone pathways to cause disease.

Neofunctionalization of the secreted Tin2 effector in the fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis

Plant-pathogenic fungi hijack their hosts by secreting effector proteins. Effectors serve to suppress plant immune responses and modulate the host metabolism to benefit the pathogen. Smut fungi are biotrophic pathogens that also parasitize important cereals, including maize¹. Symptom development is usually restricted to the plant inflorescences. Ustilago maydis is an exception in its ability to cause tumours in both inflorescences and leaves of maize, and in inducing anthocyanin biosynthesis through the secreted Tin2 effector^2,3. How the unique lifestyle of U. maydis has evolved remains to be elucidated. Here we show that Tin2 in U. maydis has been neofunctionalized. We functionally compared Tin2 effectors of U. maydis and the related smut Sporisorium reilianum, which results in symptoms only in the inflorescences of maize and fails to induce anthocyanin. We show that Tin2 effectors from both fungi target distinct paralogues of a maize protein kinase, leading to stabilization and inhibition, respectively. An ancestral Tin2 effector functionally replaced the virulence function of S. reilianum Tin2 but failed to induce anthocyanin, and was unable to substitute for Tin2 in U. maydis. This shows that Tin2 in U. maydis has acquired a specialized function, probably connected to the distinct pathogenic lifestyle of this fungus.

Virulence function of the Ustilago maydis sterol carrier protein 2

The peroxisomal sterol carrier protein 2 (Scp2) of the biotrophic maize pathogen Ustilago maydis was detected in apoplastic fluid, suggesting that it might function as a secreted effector protein. Here we analyze the role of the scp2 gene during plant colonization. We used reverse genetics approaches to delete the scp2 gene, determined stress sensitivity and fatty acid utilization of mutants, demonstrated secretion of Scp2, used quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for expression analysis and expressed GFP-Scp2 fusion proteins for protein localization. scp2 mutants were strongly attenuated in virulence and this defect manifested itself during penetration. Scp2 localized to peroxisomes and peroxisomal targeting was necessary for its virulence function. Deletion of scp2 in U. maydis interfered neither with growth nor with peroxisomal β-oxidation. Conventionally secreted Scp2 protein could not rescue the virulence defect. scp2 mutants displayed an altered localization of peroxisomes. Our results show a virulence function for Scp2 during penetration that is probably carried out by Scp2 in peroxisomes. We speculate that Scp2 affects the lipid composition of membranes and in this way ensures the even cellular distribution of peroxisomes.

Repeat-containing effectors of filamentous pathogens and symbionts

Pathogenic and symbiotic filamentous microbes secrete effectors which suppress host immune responses and promote a successful colonization. Pathogen effectors are engaged in the arms race with their hosts and because of this they are subject to intense evolutionary pressure. Effectors particularly prone to rapid evolution display repeat-containing domains which can easily expand or contract and accumulate point mutations without altering their original function. In this review we address the diversity of function in such repeat-containing effectors, focus on new findings and point out avenues for future work.

The Ustilago maydis repetitive effector Rsp3 blocks the antifungal activity of mannose-binding maize proteins

To cause disease in maize, the biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis secretes a large arsenal of effector proteins. Here, we functionally characterize the repetitive effector Rsp3 (repetitive secreted protein 3), which shows length polymorphisms in field isolates and is highly expressed during biotrophic stages. Rsp3 is required for virulence and anthocyanin accumulation. During biotrophic growth, Rsp3 decorates the hyphal surface and interacts with at least two secreted maize DUF26-domain family proteins (designated AFP1 and AFP2). AFP1 binds mannose and displays antifungal activity against the rsp3 mutant but not against a strain constitutively expressing rsp3. Maize plants silenced for AFP1 and AFP2 partially rescue the virulence defect of rsp3 mutants, suggesting that blocking the antifungal activity of AFP1 and AFP2 by the Rsp3 effector is an important virulence function. Rsp3 orthologs are present in all sequenced smut fungi, and the ortholog from Sporisorium reilianum can complement the rsp3 mutant of U. maydis, suggesting a novel widespread fungal protection mechanism.

The fungus Ustilago maydis secretes many effector proteins to cause disease in maize. Here, Ma et al. show that the repetitive effector Rsp3 is required for virulence by inhibiting the antifungal activity of two mannose-binding proteins that are secreted by the plant cells.

Positively Selected Effector Genes and Their Contribution to Virulence in the Smut Fungus Sporisorium reilianum

Plants and fungi display a broad range of interactions in natural and agricultural ecosystems ranging from symbiosis to parasitism. These ecological interactions result in coevolution between genes belonging to different partners. A well-understood example is secreted fungal effector proteins and their host targets, which play an important role in pathogenic interactions. Biotrophic smut fungi (Basidiomycota) are well-suited to investigate the evolution of plant pathogens, because several reference genomes and genetic tools are available for these species. Here, we used the genomes of Sporisorium reilianum f. sp. zeae and S. reilianum f. sp. reilianum, two closely related formae speciales infecting maize and sorghum, respectively, together with the genomes of Ustilago hordei, Ustilago maydis, and Sporisorium scitamineum to identify and characterize genes displaying signatures of positive selection. We identified 154 gene families having undergone positive selection during species divergence in at least one lineage, among which 77% were identified in the two investigated formae speciales of S. reilianum. Remarkably, only 29% of positively selected genes encode predicted secreted proteins. We assessed the contribution to virulence of nine of these candidate effector genes in S. reilianum f. sp. zeae by deleting individual genes, including a homologue of the effector gene pit2 previously characterized in U. maydis. Only the pit2 deletion mutant was found to be strongly reduced in virulence. Additional experiments are required to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the selection forces acting on the other candidate effector genes, as well as the large fraction of positively selected genes encoding predicted cytoplasmic proteins.

The Biotrophic Development of Ustilago maydis Studied by RNA-Seq Analysis

The maize smut fungus Ustilago maydis is a model organism for elucidating host colonization strategies of biotrophic fungi. Here, we performed an in depth transcriptional profiling of the entire plant-associated development of U. maydis wild-type strains. In our analysis, we focused on fungal metabolism, nutritional strategies, secreted effectors, and regulatory networks. Secreted proteins were enriched in three distinct expression modules corresponding to stages on the plant surface, establishment of biotrophy, and induction of tumors. These modules are likely the key determinants for U. maydis virulence. With respect to nutrient utilization, we observed that expression of several nutrient transporters was tied to these virulence modules rather than being controlled by nutrient availability. We show that oligopeptide transporters likely involved in nitrogen assimilation are important virulence factors. By measuring the intramodular connectivity of transcription factors, we identified the potential drivers for the virulence modules. While known components of the b-mating type cascade emerged as inducers for the plant surface and biotrophy module, we identified a set of yet uncharacterized transcription factors as likely responsible for expression of the tumor module. We demonstrate a crucial role for leaf tumor formation and effector gene expression for one of these transcription factors.

How filamentous plant pathogen effectors are translocated to host cells

The interaction of microbes with "signature" plants is largely governed by secreted effector proteins, which serve to dampen plant defense responses and modulate host cell processes. Secreted effectors can function either in the apoplast or within plant cell compartments. How oomycetes and fungi translocate their effectors to plant cells is still poorly understood and controversial. While most oomycete effectors share a common 'signature' that was proposed to mediate their uptake via endocytosis, fungal effectors display no conserved motifs at the primary amino acid sequence level. Here we summarize current knowledge in the field of oomycete and fungal effector uptake and highlight emerging themes that may unite rather than set apart these unrelated filamentous pathogens.

Comparative analyses of secreted proteins in plant pathogenic smut fungi and related basidiomycetes

In the ten years since the genome sequence of the basidiomycete corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis was published, additional genomes of smut species infecting different hosts became available. In addition, the genomes of related Malassezia species causing skin diseases and of Pseudozyma species not known to infect plants were determined. As secreted proteins are critical virulence determinants in U. maydis we compare here the secretomes of 12 basidiomycete species to gain information about their composition and conservation. For this we classify secreted proteins into those with and without domains using InterPro scans. Homology among proteins is inferred by building clusters based on pairwise similarities and cluster presence is then assessed in the different species. We detect in particular a strong correspondence between the secretomes of Pseudozyma species and plant infecting smuts. Furthermore, we identify a high proportion of secreted proteins to be part of gene families and present an advancement of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology for simultaneous disruption of multiple genes in U. maydis using five genes of the eff1 family as example.

An assay for entry of secreted fungal effectors into plant cells

Successful colonization of plants by prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens requires active effector-mediated suppression of defense responses and host tissue reprogramming. Secreted effector proteins can either display their activity in the apoplast or translocate into host cells and function therein. Although characterized in bacteria, the molecular mechanisms of effector delivery by fungal phytopathogens remain elusive. Here we report the establishment of an assay that is based on biotinylation of effectors in the host cytoplasm as hallmark of uptake. The assay exploits the ability of the bacterial biotin ligase BirA to biotinylate any protein that carries a short peptide (Avitag). It is based on the stable expression of BirA in the cytoplasm of maize plants and on engineering of Ustilago maydis strains to secrete Avitagged effectors. We demonstrate translocation of a number of effectors in the U. maydis-maize system and show data that suggest that the uptake mechanism could be rather nonspecific The assay promises to be a powerful tool for the classification of effectors as well as for the functional study of effector uptake mechanism not only in the chosen system but more generally for systems where biotrophic interactions are established.

A complete toolset for the study of Ustilago bromivora and Brachypodium sp. as a fungal-temperate grass pathosystem

Due to their economic relevance, the study of plant pathogen interactions is of importance. However, elucidating these interactions and their underlying molecular mechanisms remains challenging since both host and pathogen need to be fully genetically accessible organisms. Here we present milestones in the establishment of a new biotrophic model pathosystem: Ustilago bromivora and Brachypodium sp. We provide a complete toolset, including an annotated fungal genome and methods for genetic manipulation of the fungus and its host plant. This toolset will enable researchers to easily study biotrophic interactions at the molecular level on both the pathogen and the host side. Moreover, our research on the fungal life cycle revealed a mating type bias phenomenon. U. bromivora harbors a haplo-lethal allele that is linked to one mating type region. As a result, the identified mating type bias strongly promotes inbreeding, which we consider to be a potential speciation driver.

The WOPR Protein Ros1 Is a Master Regulator of Sporogenesis and Late Effector Gene Expression in the Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis

The biotrophic basidiomycete fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize. Hallmarks of the disease are large tumors that develop on all aerial parts of the host in which dark pigmented teliospores are formed. We have identified a member of the WOPR family of transcription factors, Ros1, as major regulator of spore formation in U. maydis. ros1 expression is induced only late during infection and hence Ros1 is neither involved in plant colonization of dikaryotic fungal hyphae nor in plant tumor formation. However, during late stages of infection Ros1 is essential for fungal karyogamy, massive proliferation of diploid fungal cells and spore formation. Premature expression of ros1 revealed that Ros1 counteracts the b-dependent filamentation program and induces morphological alterations resembling the early steps of sporogenesis. Transcriptional profiling and ChIP-seq analyses uncovered that Ros1 remodels expression of about 30% of all U. maydis genes with 40% of these being direct targets. In total the expression of 80 transcription factor genes is controlled by Ros1. Four of the upregulated transcription factor genes were deleted and two of the mutants were affected in spore development. A large number of b-dependent genes were differentially regulated by Ros1, suggesting substantial changes in this regulatory cascade that controls filamentation and pathogenic development. Interestingly, 128 genes encoding secreted effectors involved in the establishment of biotrophic development were downregulated by Ros1 while a set of 70 “late effectors” was upregulated. These results indicate that Ros1 is a master regulator of late development in U. maydis and show that the biotrophic interaction during sporogenesis involves a drastic shift in expression of the fungal effectome including the downregulation of effectors that are essential during early stages of infection.

The fungus Ustilago maydis is a pathogen of maize which induces tumor formation in the infected tissue. In these tumors huge amounts of fungal spores develop. As a biotrophic pathogen, U. maydis establishes itself in the plant with the help of a large number of secreted effector proteins. Many effector proteins are important for virulence because they counteract plant defense reactions. In this manuscript we have identified and characterized Ros1, a master regulator for the late stages of U. maydis development. This transcription factor is expressed late during infection and controls nuclear fusion, hyphal aggregation and late proliferation. ros1 mutants are still able to induce tumor formation but these are a dead end because they do not contain any spores. We show that Ros1 interferes with the early regulatory cascade controlled by a complex of two homeodomain proteins. In addition, Ros1 triggers a major switch in the effector repertoire, suggesting that different sets of effectors are needed for different stages of fungal development inside the plant.

A Tale of Genome Compartmentalization: The Evolution of Virulence Clusters in Smut Fungi

Smut fungi are plant pathogens mostly parasitizing wild species of grasses as well as domesticated cereal crops. Genome analysis of several smut fungi including Ustilago maydis revealed a singular clustered organization of genes encoding secreted effectors. In U. maydis, many of these clusters have a role in virulence. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of clusters of effector genes is difficult because of their intrinsically fast evolution, which erodes the phylogenetic signal and homology relationships. Here, we describe the use of comparative evolutionary analyses of quality draft assemblies of genomes to study the mechanisms of this evolution. We report the genome sequence of a South African isolate of Sporisorium scitamineum, a smut fungus parasitizing sugar cane with a phylogenetic position intermediate to the two previously sequenced species U. maydis and Sporisorium reilianum. We show that the genome of S. scitamineum contains more and larger gene clusters encoding secreted effectors than any previously described species in this group. We trace back the origin of the clusters and find that their evolution is mainly driven by tandem gene duplication. In addition, transposable elements play a major role in the evolution of the clustered genes. Transposable elements are significantly associated with clusters of genes encoding fast evolving secreted effectors. This suggests that such clusters represent a case of genome compartmentalization that restrains the activity of transposable elements on genes under diversifying selection for which this activity is potentially beneficial, while protecting the rest of the genome from its deleterious effect.

A conserved co-chaperone is required for virulence in fungal plant pathogens

The maize pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis experiences endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress during plant colonization and relies on the unfolded protein response (UPR) to cope with this stress. We identified the U. maydis co-chaperone, designated Dnj1, as part of this conserved cellular response to ER stress. ∆dnj1 cells are sensitive to the ER stressor tunicamycin and display a severe virulence defect in maize infection assays. A dnj1 mutant allele unable to stimulate the ATPase activity of chaperones phenocopies the null allele. A Dnj1-mCherry fusion protein localizes in the ER and interacts with the luminal chaperone Bip1. The Fusarium oxysporum Dnj1 ortholog contributes to the virulence of this fungal pathogen in tomato plants. Unlike the human ortholog, F. oxysporum Dnj1 partially rescues the virulence defect of the Ustilago dnj1 mutant. By enabling the fungus to restore ER homeostasis and maintain a high secretory activity, Dnj1 contributes to the establishment of a compatible interaction with the host. Dnj1 orthologs are present in many filamentous fungi, but are absent in budding and fission yeasts. We postulate a conserved and essential role during virulence for this class of co-chaperones.

Genome editing in Ustilago maydis using the CRISPR-Cas system

This communication describes the establishment of the type II bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system to efficiently disrupt target genes in the fungal maize pathogen Ustilago maydis. A single step transformation of a self-replicating plasmid constitutively expressing the U. maydis codon-optimized cas9 gene and a suitable sgRNA under control of the U. maydis U6 snRNA promoter was sufficient to induce genome editing. On average 70% of the progeny of a single transformant were disrupted within the respective b gene. Without selection the self-replicating plasmid was lost rapidly allowing transient expression of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to minimize potential long-term negative effects of Cas9. This technology will be an important advance for the simultaneous disruption of functionally redundant genes and gene families to investigate their contribution to virulence of U. maydis.

Microbial effectors target multiple steps in the salicylic acid production and signaling pathway

Microbes attempting to colonize plants are recognized through the plant immune surveillance system. This leads to a complex array of global as well as specific defense responses, which are often associated with plant cell death and subsequent arrest of the invader. The responses also entail complex changes in phytohormone signaling pathways. Among these, salicylic acid (SA) signaling is an important pathway because of its ability to trigger plant cell death. As biotrophic and hemibiotrophic pathogens need to invade living plant tissue to cause disease, they have evolved efficient strategies to downregulate SA signaling by virulence effectors, which can be proteins or secondary metabolites. Here we review the strategies prokaryotic pathogens have developed to target SA biosynthesis and signaling, and contrast this with recent insights into how plant pathogenic eukaryotic fungi and oomycetes accomplish the same goal.

Fungal effectors and plant susceptibility

Plants can be colonized by fungi that have adopted highly diverse lifestyles, ranging from symbiotic to necrotrophic. Colonization is governed in all systems by hundreds of secreted fungal effector molecules. These effectors suppress plant defense responses and modulate plant physiology to accommodate fungal invaders and provide them with nutrients. Fungal effectors either function in the interaction zone between the fungal hyphae and host or are transferred to plant cells. This review describes the effector repertoires of 84 plant-colonizing fungi. We focus on the mechanisms that allow these fungal effectors to promote virulence or compatibility, discuss common plant nodes that are targeted by effectors, and provide recent insights into effector evolution. In addition, we address the issue of effector uptake in plant cells and highlight open questions and future challenges.

Fungal model systems and the elucidation of pathogenicity determinants

Fungi have the capacity to cause devastating diseases of both plants and animals, causing significant harvest losses that threaten food security and human mycoses with high mortality rates. As a consequence, there is a critical need to promote development of new antifungal drugs, which requires a comprehensive molecular knowledge of fungal pathogenesis. In this review, we critically evaluate current knowledge of seven fungal organisms used as major research models for fungal pathogenesis. These include pathogens of both animals and plants; Ashbya gossypii, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, Ustilago maydis and Zymoseptoria tritici. We present key insights into the virulence mechanisms deployed by each species and a comparative overview of key insights obtained from genomic analysis. We then consider current trends and future challenges associated with the study of fungal pathogenicity.

Plant surface cues prime Ustilago maydis for biotrophic development

Infection-related development of phytopathogenic fungi is initiated by sensing and responding to plant surface cues. This response can result in the formation of specialized infection structures, so-called appressoria. To unravel the program inducing filaments and appressoria in the biotrophic smut fungus Ustilago maydis, we exposed cells to a hydrophobic surface and the cutin monomer 16-hydroxy hexadecanoic acid. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling at the pre-penetration stage documented dramatic transcriptional changes in almost 20% of the genes. Comparisons with the U. maydis sho1 msb2 double mutant, lacking two putative sensors for plant surface cues, revealed that these plasma membrane receptors regulate a small subset of the surface cue-induced genes comprising mainly secreted proteins including potential plant cell wall degrading enzymes. Targeted gene deletion analysis ascribed a role to up-regulated GH51 and GH62 arabinofuranosidases during plant penetration. Among the sho1/msb2-dependently expressed genes were several secreted effectors that are essential for virulence. Our data also demonstrate specific effects on two transcription factors that redirect the transcriptional regulatory network towards appressorium formation and plant penetration. This shows that plant surface cues prime U. maydis for biotrophic development.

A basic requirement for pathogens to infect their hosts and to cause disease is to detect that they are in contact with the host surface. Plant pathogenic fungi typically respond to leaf surface contact with the development of specialized infection structures enabling the fungus to penetrate the leaf cuticle and to enter the plant tissue. In this study we analyzed the response of the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis to two plant surface cues, such as hydrophobic surface and cutin monomers. Based on genome-wide gene expression analysis we found that these cues trigger the production of secreted plant cell wall degrading enzymes helping the fungus to penetrate the plant surface. In addition, genes were activated that code for a group of secreted proteins, so-called effectors, that affect virulence after penetration. These results demonstrate that plant surface cues trigger fungal penetration of the plant surface and also prime the fungus for later development inside plant tissue. These specific responses required two cell surface proteins that likely function as plant surface sensors.

Characterization of the largest effector gene cluster of Ustilago maydis

In the genome of the biotrophic plant pathogen Ustilago maydis, many of the genes coding for secreted protein effectors modulating virulence are arranged in gene clusters. The vast majority of these genes encode novel proteins whose expression is coupled to plant colonization. The largest of these gene clusters, cluster 19A, encodes 24 secreted effectors. Deletion of the entire cluster results in severe attenuation of virulence. Here we present the functional analysis of this genomic region. We show that a 19A deletion mutant behaves like an endophyte, i.e. is still able to colonize plants and complete the infection cycle. However, tumors, the most conspicuous symptoms of maize smut disease, are only rarely formed and fungal biomass in infected tissue is significantly reduced. The generation and analysis of strains carrying sub-deletions identified several genes significantly contributing to tumor formation after seedling infection. Another of the effectors could be linked specifically to anthocyanin induction in the infected tissue. As the individual contributions of these genes to tumor formation were small, we studied the response of maize plants to the whole cluster mutant as well as to several individual mutants by array analysis. This revealed distinct plant responses, demonstrating that the respective effectors have discrete plant targets. We propose that the analysis of plant responses to effector mutant strains that lack a strong virulence phenotype may be a general way to visualize differences in effector function.

[Limits to arthroscopic treatment of degenerative triangular fibrocartilage complex lesions depending on the ulnar variance]

PURPOSE

The present prospective study investigated the influence of the static ulnar variance on the success of arthroscopic debridement of degenerative TFCC lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

10 patients with an ulnar positive variance ("Ulna+") and 12 patients with ulnar neutral or ulnar negative variance ("Ulna-/0") were examined preoperatively (U0), as well as at 2 (U2) and 6 (U6) months after arthroscopic debridement of degenerative TFCC lesions and compared with each other. After the U2 investigation due to persistent complaints in 9 of 10 patients with an ulnar positive variance there was a need for further surgery, consisting of ulnar shortening osteotomy (USO). The following parameters were recorded in each case: pain at rest and with load, the summed wrist range of motion - consisting of extension and flexion, radial and ulnar deviation, pronation and supination - compared to the contralateral side, the strength of the affected hand compared to the contralateral side, the Mayo modified wrist score (MMWS), the Krimmer score and the DASH score. Preoperatively there were no significant differences between the 2 cohorts "Ulna+" and "Ulna-/0" except for the characteristic "pain at rest".

RESULTS

At 2 months postoperatively (U2), the results in the cohort "Ulna+" remained at a significantly or tendentially poorer level compared to the cohort "Ulna-/0". The subsequent surgical treatment of the subgroup "Ulna+" with USO led to almost complete approximation of the results at 6 months postoperatively (U6). In addition to this, with time (U6) within each subgroup there were tendential or significant improvements of all characteristics compared to the preoperative situation (U0). At U6 four of 22 patients were -unable to work.

CONCLUSION

Degenerative lesions of the TFCC can be treated successfully by arthroscopic debridement in cases of ulnar negative and ulnar neutral variance. Patients with ulnar positive variance and persistent complaints after debridement of the TFCC can be treated successfully with a secondary ulnar shortening osteotomy.

A secreted Ustilago maydis effector promotes virulence by targeting anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize

The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize with characteristic tumor formation and anthocyanin induction. Here, we show that anthocyanin biosynthesis is induced by the virulence promoting secreted effector protein Tin2. Tin2 protein functions inside plant cells where it interacts with maize protein kinase ZmTTK1. Tin2 masks a ubiquitin-proteasome degradation motif in ZmTTK1, thus stabilizing the active kinase. Active ZmTTK1 controls activation of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Without Tin2, enhanced lignin biosynthesis is observed in infected tissue and vascular bundles show strong lignification. This is presumably limiting access of fungal hyphae to nutrients needed for massive proliferation. Consistent with this assertion, we observe that maize brown midrib mutants affected in lignin biosynthesis are hypersensitive to U. maydis infection. We speculate that Tin2 rewires metabolites into the anthocyanin pathway to lower their availability for other defense responses. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01355.001.

A secreted Ustilago maydis effector promotes virulence by targeting anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize

The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize with characteristic tumor formation and anthocyanin induction. Here, we show that anthocyanin biosynthesis is induced by the virulence promoting secreted effector protein Tin2. Tin2 protein functions inside plant cells where it interacts with maize protein kinase ZmTTK1. Tin2 masks a ubiquitin-proteasome degradation motif in ZmTTK1, thus stabilizing the active kinase. Active ZmTTK1 controls activation of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Without Tin2, enhanced lignin biosynthesis is observed in infected tissue and vascular bundles show strong lignification. This is presumably limiting access of fungal hyphae to nutrients needed for massive proliferation. Consistent with this assertion, we observe that maize brown midrib mutants affected in lignin biosynthesis are hypersensitive to U. maydis infection. We speculate that Tin2 rewires metabolites into the anthocyanin pathway to lower their availability for other defense responses. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01355.001.

Degradation of the plant defence hormone salicylic acid by the biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis

Salicylic acid (SA) is a key plant defence hormone which plays an important role in local and systemic defence responses against biotrophic pathogens like the smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Here we identified Shy1, a cytoplasmic U. maydis salicylate hydroxylase which has orthologues in the closely related smuts Ustilago hordei and Sporisorium reilianum. shy1 is transcriptionally induced during the biotrophic stages of development but not required for virulence during seedling infection. Shy1 activity is needed for growth on plates with SA as a sole carbon source. The trigger for shy1 transcriptional induction is SA, suggesting the possibility of a SA sensing mechanism in this fungus.

In vitro translocation experiments with RxLR-reporter fusion proteins of Avr1b from Phytophthora sojae and AVR3a from Phytophthora infestans fail to demonstrate specific autonomous uptake in plant and animal cells

Plant-pathogenic oomycetes have a large set of secreted effectors that can be translocated into their host cells during infection. One group of these effectors are the RxLR effectors for which it has been shown, in a few cases, that the RxLR motif is important for their translocation. It has been suggested that the RxLR-leader sequences alone are enough to translocate the respective effectors into eukaryotic cells through binding to surface-exposed phosphoinositol-3-phosphate. These conclusions were primary based on translocation experiments conducted with recombinant fusion proteins whereby the RxLR leader of RxLR effectors (i.e., Avr1b from Phytophthora sojae) were fused to the green fluorescent protein reporter-protein. However, we failed to observe specific cellular uptake for a comparable fusion protein where the RxLR leader of the P. infestans AVR3a was fused to monomeric red fluorescent protein. Therefore, we reexamined the ability of the reported P. sojae AVR1b RxLR leader to enter eukaryotic cells. Different relevant experiments were performed in three independent laboratories, using fluorescent reporter fusion constructs of AVR3a and Avr1b proteins in a side-by-side comparative study on plant tissue and human and animal cells. We report that we were unable to obtain conclusive evidence for specific RxLR-mediated translocation.

Genome comparison of barley and maize smut fungi reveals targeted loss of RNA silencing components and species-specific presence of transposable elements

Ustilago hordei is a biotrophic parasite of barley (Hordeum vulgare). After seedling infection, the fungus persists in the plant until head emergence when fungal spores develop and are released from sori formed at kernel positions. The 26.1-Mb U. hordei genome contains 7113 protein encoding genes with high synteny to the smaller genomes of the related, maize-infecting smut fungi Ustilago maydis and Sporisorium reilianum but has a larger repeat content that affected genome evolution at important loci, including mating-type and effector loci. The U. hordei genome encodes components involved in RNA interference and heterochromatin formation, normally involved in genome defense, that are lacking in the U. maydis genome due to clean excision events. These excision events were possibly a result of former presence of repetitive DNA and of an efficient homologous recombination system in U. maydis. We found evidence of repeat-induced point mutations in the genome of U. hordei, indicating that smut fungi use different strategies to counteract the deleterious effects of repetitive DNA. The complement of U. hordei effector genes is comparable to the other two smuts but reveals differences in family expansion and clustering. The availability of the genome sequence will facilitate the identification of genes responsible for virulence and evolution of smut fungi on their respective hosts.

The Top 10 fungal pathogens in molecular plant pathology

The aim of this review was to survey all fungal pathologists with an association with the journal Molecular Plant Pathology and ask them to nominate which fungal pathogens they would place in a 'Top 10' based on scientific/economic importance. The survey generated 495 votes from the international community, and resulted in the generation of a Top 10 fungal plant pathogen list for Molecular Plant Pathology. The Top 10 list includes, in rank order, (1) Magnaporthe oryzae; (2) Botrytis cinerea; (3) Puccinia spp.; (4) Fusarium graminearum; (5) Fusarium oxysporum; (6) Blumeria graminis; (7) Mycosphaerella graminicola; (8) Colletotrichum spp.; (9) Ustilago maydis; (10) Melampsora lini, with honourable mentions for fungi just missing out on the Top 10, including Phakopsora pachyrhizi and Rhizoctonia solani. This article presents a short resumé of each fungus in the Top 10 list and its importance, with the intent of initiating discussion and debate amongst the plant mycology community, as well as laying down a bench-mark. It will be interesting to see in future years how perceptions change and what fungi will comprise any future Top 10.

The Top 10 fungal pathogens in molecular plant pathology

The aim of this review was to survey all fungal pathologists with an association with the journal Molecular Plant Pathology and ask them to nominate which fungal pathogens they would place in a 'Top 10' based on scientific/economic importance. The survey generated 495 votes from the international community, and resulted in the generation of a Top 10 fungal plant pathogen list for Molecular Plant Pathology. The Top 10 list includes, in rank order, (1) Magnaporthe oryzae; (2) Botrytis cinerea; (3) Puccinia spp.; (4) Fusarium graminearum; (5) Fusarium oxysporum; (6) Blumeria graminis; (7) Mycosphaerella graminicola; (8) Colletotrichum spp.; (9) Ustilago maydis; (10) Melampsora lini, with honourable mentions for fungi just missing out on the Top 10, including Phakopsora pachyrhizi and Rhizoctonia solani. This article presents a short resumé of each fungus in the Top 10 list and its importance, with the intent of initiating discussion and debate amongst the plant mycology community, as well as laying down a bench-mark. It will be interesting to see in future years how perceptions change and what fungi will comprise any future Top 10.

Identification of O-mannosylated virulence factors in Ustilago maydis

The O-mannosyltransferase Pmt4 has emerged as crucial for fungal virulence in the animal pathogens Candida albicans or Cryptococcus neoformans as well as in the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. Pmt4 O-mannosylates specific target proteins at the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Therefore a deficient O-mannosylation of these target proteins must be responsible for the loss of pathogenicity in pmt4 mutants. Taking advantage of the characteristics described for Pmt4 substrates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we performed a proteome-wide bioinformatic approach to identify putative Pmt4 targets in the corn smut fungus U. maydis and validated Pmt4-mediated glycosylation of candidate proteins by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We found that the signalling mucin Msb2, which regulates appressorium differentiation upstream of the pathogenicity-related MAP kinase cascade, is O-mannosylated by Pmt4. The epistatic relationship of pmt4 and msb2 showed that both are likely to act in the same pathway. Furthermore, constitutive activation of the MAP kinase cascade restored appressorium development in pmt4 mutants, suggesting that during the initial phase of infection the failure to O-mannosylate Msb2 is responsible for the virulence defect of pmt4 mutants. On the other hand we demonstrate that during later stages of pathogenic development Pmt4 affects virulence independently of Msb2, probably by modifying secreted effector proteins. Pit1, a protein required for fungal spreading inside the infected leaf, was also identified as a Pmt4 target. Thus, O-mannosylation of different target proteins affects various stages of pathogenic development in U. maydis.

The O-mannosyltransferase Pmt4 is essential for virulence of animal and plant pathogenic fungi. This protein attaches one mannose at serine/threonine residues of cell wall and secreted proteins modulating their location and function. Thus, the crucial role of Pmt4 in fungal pathogenic development is probably caused by a defective glycosylation of its target proteins altering host-fungus interaction. In this paper, we performed a screen for Pmt4 target proteins employing the fungus Ustilago maydis, which causes smut disease in maize plants. This allowed identifying novel Pmt4 target proteins having a crucial role on its virulence. One of these targets is the signalling mucin Msb2, a conserved protein which acts upstream of MAP kinase cascades in various fungi and regulates early pathogenic development in U. maydis. We propose that Pmt4-dependent glycosylation of the extracellular domain of Msb2 is required for Msb2 activity and hence pathogenic development of U. maydis. This is divergent to the situation in S. cerevisiae where the mannosylated extracellular region of Msb2p possesses a negative regulatory function. In addition, we demonstrate important roles of Pmt4 during later stages of plant infection and identified Pmt4 target proteins which could be responsible for the virulence defect of pmt4 mutants during tumor formation.

Common Motifs in the Response of Cereal Primary Metabolism to Fungal Pathogens are not Based on Similar Transcriptional Reprogramming

During compatible interactions with their host plants, biotrophic plant-pathogens subvert host metabolism to ensure the sustained provision of nutrient assimilates by the colonized host cells. To investigate, whether common motifs can be revealed in the response of primary carbon and nitrogen metabolism toward colonization with biotrophic fungi in cereal leaves, we have conducted a combined metabolome and transcriptome study of three quite divergent pathosystems, the barley powdery mildew fungus (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei), the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis, and the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, the latter being a hemibiotroph that only exhibits an initial biotrophic phase during its establishment. Based on the analysis of 42 water-soluble metabolites, we were able to separate early biotrophic from late biotrophic interactions by hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis, irrespective of the plant host. Interestingly, the corresponding transcriptome dataset could not discriminate between these stages of biotrophy, irrespective, of whether transcript data for genes of central metabolism or the entire transcriptome dataset was used. Strong differences in the transcriptional regulation of photosynthesis, glycolysis, the TCA cycle, lipid biosynthesis, and cell wall metabolism were observed between the pathosystems. However, increased contents of Gln, Asn, and glucose as well as diminished contents of PEP and 3-PGA were common to early post-penetration stages of all interactions. On the transcriptional level, genes of the TCA cycle, nucleotide energy metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis exhibited consistent trends among the compared biotrophic interactions, identifying the requirement for metabolic energy and the rearrangement of amino acid pools as common transcriptional motifs during early biotrophy. Both metabolome and transcript data were employed to generate models of leaf primary metabolism during early biotrophy for the three investigated interactions.