Project description:mRNAs comparison between Ustilago maydis wild type grown in diluted YEPS (control) and in cell-free supernatants of Ustilago maydis wild type treated with H202 in two different concentrations (0.4% and 0.7%).
Project description:Zea mays transcriptome profiling of infected seedlings by the Ustilago maydis wildtype and the seedling specific effector mutant demonstrated the variation of gene expression in the mutant and the classes of genes that are absent in the mutant as compared to the wildtype U. maydis SG200 strain. Two dye competitive hybridizations were performed on Agilent Oligo arrays.
Project description:Ustilago maydis is a plant-pathogenic fungus that establishes a biotrophic relationship with its host Zea mays. The biotrophic interaction is initiated upon host penetration, and involves expansion of the host plasma membrane around hyphae, which is thought to facilitate the exchange of nutrients and virulence factors. Transcriptional regulators involved in the establishment of an infectious dikaryon and penetration into the host have been identified, however, regulators involved in the post-penetration stages remained to be elucidated. In the study we report the identification of an Ustilago maydis forkhead transcription factor, Fox1, which is exclusively expressed during biotrophic development. Deletion of fox1 results in reduced virulence and impaired tumour development in planta. Microarray analyses of Δfox1-infected plant tissue identified Fox1 as a transcriptional activator, involved in the expression of secreted effectors required for virulence.
Project description:The fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis establishes a biotrophic relationship with its host plant maize. Hallmarks of the disease are large plant tumors in which fungal proliferation occurs. Plants have developed various defense pathways to cope with pathogens. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression during the infection process of Ustilago maydis in its host plant to get insights into the defense programs and the metabolic reprogramming needed to supply the fungus with nutrients. Keywords: time course
Project description:The fungus Ustilago maydis is a biotrophic pathogen of corn. In its genome we have identified an ortholog of YAP1 from Saccharomyces cerevisae which regulates the oxidative stress response in this organism. yap1 mutants of U. maydis displayed higher sensitivity to H2O2 than wild type cells and their virulence was significantly reduced. U. maydis yap1 could partially complement the H2O2 sensitivity of a yap1 deletion mutant of S. cerevisiae and a Yap1-GFP fusion protein showed nuclear localization after H2O2 treatment, suggesting that Yap1 in U. maydis functions as a redox sensor. Mutations in two cysteine residues prevented accumulation in the nucleus and the respective mutant strains showed the same virulence phenotype as Dyap1 mutants. DAB staining revealed an accumulation of H2O2 around yap1 mutant hyphae which was absent in wild type. Inhibition of the plant NADPH oxidase prevented this accumulation and restored virulence. During the infection Yap1 showed nuclear localization after penetration up to 2-3 days after infection. Through array analysis a large set of yap1 regulated genes were identified and these included two peroxidase genes. Deletion mutants of these genes were attenuated in virulence. These results suggest that U. maydis is using its yap1 controlled H2O2 detoxification system for coping with early plant defense responses. Keywords: Oxidative stress, yap1 dependent genes, Ustilago maydis
Project description:Study of gene regulation basidiocarps development in Ustilago maydis using transcriptomic analysis. In 2012, Cabrera-Ponce et al. established conditions allowing a completely different developmental program in U. maydis when grown on solid medium containing Dicamba (synthetic auxin) in dual cultures with maize embryogenic calli.
Project description:Anthocyanin induction in plant is considered a general defense response against biotic and abiotic stresses. The infection by Ustilago maydis, the corn smut pathogen, is accompanied with anthocyanin induction in leaf tissue. We revealed that anthocyanin is intentionally induced by the virulence promoting secreted effector protein Tin2. Tin2 protein functions inside plant cells where it interacts with cytoplasmic maize protein kinase ZmTTK1. Tin2 masks an ubiquitin-proteasome degradation motif in ZmTTK1 leading to a more stable active kinase. Active ZmTTK1 controls transcriptional activation of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway rerouting phenylalanine away from lignin biosynthesis. Therefore, we performed microarray analysis to understand how maize gene transcription in phenylpropanoid pathway is differentially changed after infection with Ustilago maydis SG200 (wild type) and SG200Dtin2 (anthocyanin-inducing effector mutant).