Membrane component ergosterol builds a platform for promoting effector secretion and virulence in Magnaporthe oryzae.

Abstract

The plasma membrane (PM) functions as a physical border between the extracellular and cytoplasmic environments that contribute to the interaction between host plants and pathogenic fungi. As a specific sterol constituent in the cell membrane, ergosterol plays a significant role in fungal development. However, the role of ergosterol in the infection of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae remains unclear. In this study, we found that a sterol reductase, MoErg4, is involved in ergosterol biosynthesis and the regulation of plasma membrane integrity in M. oryzae. We found that defects in ergosterol biosynthesis disrupt lipid raft formation in the PM and cause an abnormal distribution of the t-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein MoSso1, inhibiting its interaction with the v-SNARE protein MoSnc1. In addition, we found that MoSso1-MoSnc1 interaction is important for biotrophic interface complex development and cytoplasmic effector protein secretion. Our findings suggested that ergosterol-enriched lipid rafts constitute a platform for interactions among various SNARE proteins that are required for the development and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.

• Authors: Ziqian Guo, Xinyu Liu, Nian Wang, Pengcheng Mo, Ju Shen, Muxing Liu, Haifeng Zhang, Ping Wang, Zhengguang Zhang
• Journal: The New phytologist (New Phytol) Vol. 237 Issue 3 Pg. 930-943 (02 2023) ISSN: 1469-8137 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 36300785 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2022 New Phytologist Foundation.

Chemical References

• Fungal Proteins
• SNARE Proteins

Topics

• Virulence
• Fungal Proteins (metabolism)
• Magnaporthe
• Ascomycota (metabolism)
• SNARE Proteins (metabolism)
• Oryza (metabolism)
• Plant Diseases (microbiology)