title: The transcription factor Rbf1 is the master regulator for b-mating type controlled pathogenic development in Ustilago maydis.
abstract: In the phytopathogenic basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, sexual and pathogenic development are tightly connected and controlled by the heterodimeric bE/bW transcription factor complex encoded by the b-mating type locus. The formation of the active bE/bW heterodimer leads to the formation of filaments, induces a G2 cell cycle arrest, and triggers pathogenicity. Here, we identify a set of 345 bE/bW responsive genes which show altered expression during these developmental changes; several of these genes are associated with cell cycle coordination, morphogenesis and pathogenicity. 90% of the genes that show altered expression upon bE/bW-activation require the zinc finger transcription factor Rbf1, one of the few factors directly regulated by the bE/bW heterodimer. Rbf1 is a novel master regulator in a multilayered network of transcription factors that facilitates the complex regulatory traits of sexual and pathogenic development.
authors.affiliation: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Genetics, Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heimel
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vranes
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.forename: Chetsada
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pothiratana
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vincon
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Finkernagel
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flor-Parra
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kämper
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D002469:Cell Separation; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014588:Ustilago / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors