title: Magnaporthe oryzae endopolygalacturonase homolog correlates with density-dependent conidial germination.
abstract: Endopolygalacturonases (endoPGs) of some phytopathogens are virulent factors for dicots. To investigate the function of the endoPG of Magnaporthe oryzae, a disruption mutant of MGG_08938, the homolog of endoPG found in the genome database of this fungus, was generated. The pathogenicity, mycelial growth, and appressorium formation of this mutant were comparable with those of the wild-type strain; however, the germination of conidia in a highly concentrated suspension of conidia was affected by the mutation. Whereas the germination of the wild-type strain was inhibited at high concentrations, this effect was canceled out by disruption by the endoPG homolog gene. The authors named the gene MDG1 (M. oryzae density-dependent germination), which delineates this new function in the fungus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kensaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maejima
authors.forename: Hisae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Misako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Himeno
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.forename: Shigetou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namba
mesh_terms: D005800:Genes, Fungal; D020082:Magnaporthe / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D011096:Polygalacturonase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D011096:Polygalacturonase