UvPomt, an O-Methyltransferase Interacting with UvMAT1-1-3, for Regulating Growth, Stress Tolerance, and Virulence in <i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i>

UvPomt, an O-Methyltransferase Interacting with UvMAT1-1-3, for Regulating Growth, Stress Tolerance, and Virulence in <i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i>

Rice false smut (RFS), caused by <i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i> (teleomorph: <i>Villosiclava virens</i>), is a devastating fungal disease that severely impacts global rice production by reducing both yield and grain quality. While the mating-type gene <i>UvMAT1-1-3</i&...

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Main Authors: Zhi Li, Junjie Yu, Mina Yu, Huijuan Cao, Tianqiao Song, Shuchen Wang, Zhongqiang Qi, Yan Du, Xiayan Pan, Yongfeng Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
Subjects:
rice false smut
<i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i>
fungal pathogenicity
fungi sexual reproduction
mating-type gene
O-methyltransferase
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/6/426
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Summary:Rice false smut (RFS), caused by <i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i> (teleomorph: <i>Villosiclava virens</i>), is a devastating fungal disease that severely impacts global rice production by reducing both yield and grain quality. While the mating-type gene <i>UvMAT1-1-3</i> is known to regulate both sexual and asexual reproduction in <i>U. virens,</i> its regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, an interacting protein of UvMAT1-1-3, a putative O-methyltransferase (UvPomt), was identified using yeast two-hybrid screening, and its interaction was further confirmed by co-localization microscopy. A quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed a significant up-regulation of <i>UvPomt</i> expression during the early infection stage of <i>U. virens</i>. Functional characterization revealed that Δ<i>UvPomt</i> mutants exhibited reduced fungal pathogenicity, vegetative growth, conidial production, and stress adaptation. Furthermore, a Western blot analysis revealed that the UvMAT1-1-3 protein level was reduced in Δ<i>UvPomt</i> mutants, whereas the UvPomt protein level was elevated in Δ<i>UvMAT1-1-3</i> mutants. Taken together, these findings suggest a potential reciprocal regulation between UvPomt and UvMAT1-1-3. Understanding <i>UvPomt</i>’s function could provide a potential molecular target for controlling RFS disease.
ISSN:2309-608X

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