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Small heat shock proteins (HSP12, HSP20 and HSP30) play a role in Ustilago maydis pathogenesis

Anupama Ghosh1

  • 1Division of Plant Biology, Bose Institute, Centenary campus, Kolkata, West Bengal, India ghosh.anupama@jcbose.ac.in.

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|September 25, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Small heat shock proteins (HSPs) in Ustilago maydis are crucial for fungal stress response and pathogenicity. Their expression increases during plant infection and oxidative stress, confirming their vital roles.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Plant Pathology
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Small heat shock proteins (HSPs) regulate cellular growth and survival under stress.
  • Some small HSPs are implicated in microbial pathogenesis.
  • The Ustilago maydis genome encodes multiple small HSPs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Ustilago maydis small HSPs in fungal pathogenicity and stress response.
  • To compare small HSP expression with other HSPs during host plant infection and abiotic stress.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to assess gene expression levels.
  • Analysis of small HSP gene expression during Zea mays infection.
  • Assessment of small HSP expression under oxidative stress.
  • Generation and analysis of deletion and complementation strains for three small HSPs.

Main Results:

  • Small HSPs exhibited increased differential expression under both infection and oxidative stress conditions, unlike other HSPs.
  • This suggests a significant role for small HSPs in U. maydis pathogenicity and stress adaptation.
  • Experimental validation using mutant and complemented strains supported these findings.

Conclusions:

  • Small heat shock proteins are key players in Ustilago maydis's ability to cope with environmental challenges and infect its host.
  • Targeting small HSPs could be a potential strategy for controlling U. maydis infections.
Keywords:
Ustilago maydisZea maysheat shock proteinoxidative stress pathogenicity

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