Cloning and characterization of genes specifically expressed during infection stages in the rice blast fungus.
We isolated promoters of 12 genes from the rice blast fungus based on the sequences of randomly selected expressed sequence tags (ESTs) (appressorium formation stage cDNA library of Magnaporthe available from GenBank). These promoters (and the 5' coding regions if any) were fused in frame with egfp, and their expression patterns were examined under the epifluorescence microscope. Among them, two turned out to be specifically active in structures necessary for infection, viz. a promoter of adenylate cyclase interacting protein 1-like gene expressed in conidia, germ tubes, and appressoria, and a promoter of putative membrane-associated or secreted protein gene specifically expressed in appressoria. Although targeted knockout mutants of either gene failed to show detectable phenotypic alterations under laboratory conditions, these ESTs should be useful for identification of genes expressed during infection stages.
Banno
Shinpei
S
Laboratory for Remediation Research, Plant Science Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
Kimura
Makoto
M
Tokai
Takeshi
T
Kasahara
Shin
S
Higa-Nishiyama
Arisa
A
Takahashi-Ando
Naoko
N
Hamamoto
Hiroshi
H
Fujimura
Makoto
M
Staskawicz
Brian J
BJ
Yamaguchi
Isamu
I
D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D015723:Gene Library; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020082:Magnaporthe / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D016296:Mutagenesis; D012275:Oryza / Q000382:microbiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins