title: Morphological and molecular differences in two strains of Ustilago esculenta.
abstract: Ustilago esculenta is a fungal endophyte of Zizania latifolia that plays an important agricultural role in this vegetable crop. The purpose of this study was to characterize sporidial (T) and mycelial (M-T) strains of U. esculenta isolated from sporulating and non-sporulating galls on plants growing in Zhejiang province, China. Morphological comparisons of the T strain and M-T strain were made by optical and scanning electron microscope observation. Genetic differences were examined by sequencing the ITS region of the fungus and examining differential protein expression by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS. The sporidial (T) and mycelial (M-T) strains differed in morphological characteristics of their in vitro single colony formations and in cell shape. Alignment of ITS sequences of the T strain and M-T strain revealed a single mutation between the T strain and M-T strain, but the sequences were the same within strains. A total of 146 proteins were only expressed in the M-T strain, and 242 proteins were only expressed in the T strain isolated from infected plants. A total of 222 proteins were up-regulated or down-regulated in the T strain when compared with the M-T strain. Of these, 18 proteins were identified and eight were associated with processes involving energy metabolism and the cytoskeleton. Two morphology-related proteins, MAP kinase kinase and actin, were differentially expressed. The differences noted in the T strain and M-T strain may lead to a better understanding of the life cycle and morphogenesis in U. esculenta.
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China.
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Keqin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Zihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014588:Ustilago / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005656:Fungal Proteins