Environmental Microbiology (2015) 17, 4672-4689

Joon-Hee Han, Hye-Min Lee, Jong-Hwan Shin, Yong-Hwan Lee and Kyoung Su Kim (2015)
Role of the MoYAK1 protein kinase gene in Magnaporthe oryzae development and pathogenicity
Environmental Microbiology 17 (11), 4672-4689
Abstract: Conidiation and appressorium differentiation are key processes for polycyclic dissemination and infection in many pathogens. Our previous study using DNA microarray led to the discovery of the MoYAK1 gene in Magnaporthe oryzae that is orthologous to YAK1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although the mechanistic roles of YAK1 in S. cerevisiae have been described, roles of MoYAK1 in M. oryzae, a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for rice blast, remain uncharacterized. Targeted disruption of MoYAK1 results in pleiotropic defects in M. oryzae development and pathogenicity. The DeltaMoyak1 mutant exhibits a severe reduction in aerial hyphal formation and conidiation. Conidia in the DeltaMoyak1 are delayed in germination and demonstrate decreased glycogen content in a conidial age-dependent manner. The expression of hydrophobin-coding genes is dramatically changed in the DeltaMoyak1 mutant, leading to a loss of surface hydrophobicity. Unlike the complete inability of the DeltaMoyak1 mutant to develop appressoria on an inductive surface, the mutant forms appressoria of abnormal morphology in response to exogenous cyclic adenosine-5'-monophosphate and host-driven signals, which are all defective in penetrating host tissues due to abnormalities in glycogen and lipid metabolism, turgor generation and cell wall integrity. These data indicate that MoYAK1 is a protein kinase important for the development and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Yong-Hwan Lee

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pyricularia oryzae