title: Disruption of MoCMK1, encoding a putative calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase, in Magnaporthe oryzae.
abstract: Ca(2+) is a second messenger in pathways that transduce external signals and activate cellular processes in plants and animals. Ca(2+)-mediated signal transduction is involved in key pathways that contribute to a variety of fundamental physiological processes in eukaryotic cells. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of Ca(2+)-mediated signal transduction in filamentous fungi. In this study, the MoCMK1 gene, encoding a putative Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase, was identified in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Three MoCMK1 deletion mutants were obtained by a targeted gene replacement. Colonies of the MoCMK1 mutants had sparse aerial hyphae and fewer conidia than the wild-type strain on complete medium. Conidial germination and appressorial formation were delayed in the DeltaMocmk1 mutants. In spray inoculation tests, DeltaMocmk1 mutants exhibited a weakened ability to infect the susceptible rice cultivar CO-39, compared to the wild-type strain Guy11. These results showed that MoCMK1 plays key roles in the pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Rice Biology, Biotechnology Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Fu-Cheng
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D020082:Magnaporthe / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009154:Mutation; D012275:Oryza / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases