title: Evidence for a diffusible factor that induces susceptibility in the Colletotrichum-maize disease interaction.
abstract: Colletotrichum graminicola, the causal agent of maize anthracnose, is a hemibiotrophic fungus that initially infects living host cells via primary hyphae surrounded by a membrane. A nonpathogenic mutant disrupted in a gene encoding a component of the signal peptidase complex, and believed to be deficient in protein processing and secretion, regained pathogenicity when it was inoculated onto maize leaf sheaths close to the wild-type fungus. Evidence is presented suggesting that the wild-type produces a diffusible factor(s) that induces the localized susceptibility of host cells at the borders of expanding colonies, causing them to become receptive to biotrophic invasion. The induced susceptibility effect is limited to a distance of approximately eight cells from the edge of the wild-type colony, is dosage dependent and is specific to C. graminicola.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, 201F Plant Science Building, 1405 Veterans Drive, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Diego F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Cuadros
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Vaillancourt
mesh_terms: D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species