Cutinase and hydrophobin interplay: a herald for pathogenesis?

Journal article

Surface-penetrating phytopathogenic fungi frequently form appressoria. These are specialised infection structure pivotal to fungal ingress into the host. Recently, we demonstrated that one member of a family of cutinases in Magnaporthe grisea is involved in surface sensing, mediating appressorium differentiation and penetration peg formation and hence facilitates host penetration. Cutinase2 serves as an upstream activator of cAMP/PKA and DAG/PKC signalling cascades as is essential for full virulence. Here, we speculate on the role of rice blast hydrophobins as surface interactors facilitating fungal cutinase activity.

Authors: Skamnioti, P; Gurr, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Landes Bioscience
• Journal: Plant Signaling & Behavior
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 248-250
• Publication date: 2008-04-01
• EISSN: 1559-2324
• ISSN: 1559-2316
• Language: English
• Keywords: surface sensing; appressorium; signalling; penetration; hydrophobin; cutinase; rice blast fungus
• Subjects: Plant Sciences