Functional analysis of MCNA, a gene encoding a catalytic subunit of calcineurin, in the rice blast fungus magnaporthe oryzae.
Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast, forms a specialized infection structure, called an appressorium, which is crucial for penetration and infection of the host plant. Pharmacological data suggest that calcium/calmodulin-dependent signaling is involved in appressorium formation in this fungus. To understand the role of the calcium/ calmodulin-activated protein phosphatase on appressorium formation at the molecular level, MCNA, a gene encoding the catalytic subunit of calcineurin, was functionally characterized in M. oryzae. Transformants expressing sense/antisense RNA of MCNA exhibited significant reductions in mycelial growth, conidiation, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity. cDNA of MCNA functionally complemented a calcineurin disruptant strain (cmp1::LEU2 cmp2::HIS3) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These data suggest that calcineurin A plays important roles in signal transduction pathways involved in the infection-related morphogenesis and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.
Choi
Jin Hee
JH
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Agricultural Biomaterials, and Center for Fungal Genetic Resources, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Yangseon
Y
Lee
Yong-Hwan
YH
D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics*; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D020082:Magnaporthe / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012275:Oryza / Q000382:microbiology; D034622:RNA Interference; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D016572:Cyclosporine; D019703:Calcineurin