A5047624558- Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Fungal Biology and Applications
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Yeasts and Rust Fungi Studies
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Plant Surface Properties and Treatments
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Face and Expression Recognition
- Advanced Proteomics Techniques and Applications
- 14-3-3 protein interactions
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2008-2021
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
2001-2020
Max Planck Society
2001-2006
Sainsbury Laboratory
2000
John Innes Centre
2000
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
1994-2000
The Ohio State University
1994
Kennedy Center
1993
Ustilago maydis is an important fungal pathogen of maize, causing corn smut. It well adapted to its host and proliferates in living plant tissue without inducing a defence response. The genome sequence U. has now been determined, the first for biotrophic parasite. Several gene clusters that encode secreted proteins unknown function were identified: genome-wide expression analysis shows clustered genes are upregulated during disease. Mutations these frequently affect virulence, ranging from...
The fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis establishes a biotrophic relationship with its host plant maize (Zea mays). Hallmarks of the disease are large tumours in which proliferation occurs. Previous studies suggested that classical defence pathways not activated. Confocal microscopy, global expression profiling and metabolic now shows U. is recognized early triggers responses. Many these response genes downregulated at later time points, whereas several associated suppression cell death induced....
In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis , switch to filamentous growth and pathogenic development is controlled by a heterodimeric transcription factor consisting of bW bE homeodomain proteins. To identify genes in regulatory cascade triggered bW/bE heterodimer, we have constructed strains which b inducible either arabinose or nitrate. At different time‐points after induction, that are switched on off were identified through modified, non‐radioactive RNA fingerprint procedure. From 348...
In the plant pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis, sexual and development are controlled by multiallelic b mating-type locus. The locus encodes a pair of unrelated homeodomain proteins termed bE bW, with allelic differences clustering in N-terminal domains both polypeptides. Only combinations bW different origin active. We have investigated underlying molecular mechanism for this intracellular self/nonself recognition phenomenon. By using two-hybrid system, we were able to show that dimerize...
Plant pathogenic fungi cause massive yield losses and affect both quality safety of food feed produced from infected plants. The main objective plant is to get access the organic carbon sources their carbon-autotrophic hosts. However, chemical nature source(s) mode uptake are largely unknown. Here, we present a novel, plasma membrane-localized sucrose transporter (Srt1) corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis its characterization as fungal virulence factor. Srt1 has an unusually high substrate...
Abstract In the smut fungus Ustilago maydis, a tightly regulated cAMP signaling cascade is necessary for pathogenic development. Transcriptome analysis using whole genome microarrays set up to identify putative target genes of protein kinase A catalytic subunit Adr1 revealed nine with functions in two high-affinity iron uptake systems. These locate three gene clusters on different chromosomes and include previously identified complementing siderophore auxotroph sid1 sid2 involved...
ABSTRACT Many microorganisms produce surface-active substances that enhance the availability of water-insoluble substrates. Although many these biosurfactants have interesting potential applications, very little is known about their biosynthesis. The basidiomycetous fungus Ustilago maydis secretes large amounts mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) under conditions nitrogen starvation. We recently described a putative glycosyltransferase, Emt1, which essential for MEL biosynthesis and whose...
Summary Ustilago maydis is able to initiate pathogenic development after fusion of two haploid cells with different mating type. On the maize leaf surface, resulting dikaryon switches filamentous growth, differentiates appressoria and penetrates host. Here, we report on plant signals required for filament formation appressorium in U. maydis. In vitro , hydroxy‐fatty acids stimulate via induction pheromone genes this signal can be bypassed by genetically activating downstream MAP kinase...
In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of the H3K36 histone methyltransferases Set2 and Ash1 in filamentous ascomycete Fusarium fujikuroi Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one single methyltransferase, Set2, confers all methylation, while there are two members family fungi, even more higher eukaryotes. Whereas yeast homolog has been analyzed fungi previously, second member family, designated Ash1, not described for any fungus. Western blot ChIP-Seq analyses confirmed that F....
Abstract Motivation: Microarray technology enables the study of gene expression in large scale. The application methods for data analysis then allows grouping genes that show a similar profile and are thus likely to be co-regulated. A relationship among at biological level often presents itself by locally potentially time-shifted patterns their profiles. Results: Here, we propose new method (CLARITY; Clustering with Local shApe-based similaRITY) microarray time course experiments uses local...
Abstract In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis, pathogenic development is controlled by a heterodimer of two homeodomain proteins bE and bW, encoded b-mating-type locus. We have identified b-dependently induced gene, clampless1 (clp1), that required for proliferation dikaryotic filaments in planta. show U. maydis hyphae develop structures functionally equivalent to clamp cells participate distribution nuclei during cell division. clp1 mutant strains, penetrate plant cuticle, but...
The smut Ustilago maydis, a ubiquitous pest of corn, is highly adapted to its host parasitize on organic carbon sources. We have identified hexose transporter, Hxt1, as important for fungal development during both the saprophytic and pathogenic stage fungus. Hxt1 was characterized high-affinity transporter glucose, fructose, mannose; ∆hxt1 strains show significantly reduced growth these substrates, setting main growth. After plant infection, decreased symptom development. However, expression...
Abstract Plant invasion by pathogenic fungi involves regulated growth and highly organized fungal morphological changes. For instance, when the smut fungus Ustilago maydis infects maize (Zea mays), its dikaryotic infective filament is cell cycle arrested, appressoria are differentiated prior to plant penetration. Once enters plant, block released cells begin proliferation, suggesting a tight interaction between morphogenesis control systems. We describe novel factor, Biz1 (b-dependent zinc...
Ustilago maydis contains one repellent and two class I hydrophobin genes in its genome. The gene rep1 has been described previously. It encodes 11 secreted peptides that result from the cleavage of a precursor protein at KEX2 recognition sites. hum2 typical 117 aa, while hum3 is preceded by 17 repeat sequences. These repeats are separated, like peptides, Gene hum2, but not hum3, was shown to be expressed cross compatible wild-type strains, suggesting role former aerial hyphae formation....
Pathogenic development in the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis is controlled by a heterodimer of two homeodomain proteins bE and bW which are encoded b mating type locus. The bE/bW thought to achieve its function as transcriptional regulator pathogenicity genes, either directly binding cis regulatory sequences or indirectly via ‐dependent cascade. In screen for components cascade we have isolated Rum1 ( r egulator U . m aydis 1), protein with similarities human retinoblastoma 2. Deletion...
In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis , sexual and pathogenic development are controlled by multiallelic b mating type locus. The locus encodes a pair of unrelated homeodomain proteins termed bE bW that form heterodimeric complex when both originate from different alleles. heterodimer is presumed to be central regulator for pathogenicity genes. Here, we show translational fusion protein comprising specific domains bE1 bW2 remains biologically active binds sequence motif in promoter...
The cutinase gene from Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi (Nectria haematococca) is induced upon contact with the plant cuticular polymer, cutin, by unique hydroxy fatty acid monomers released carried virulent strains of fungus, and this also catabolite-repressed glucose. Functional elements promoter were studied in vivo transforming F. fusions 5'-flanking regions encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat). DNA-binding proteins analyzed vitro gel shift experiments, methylation interference...