Fungal Cell Wall-Associated Effectors: Sensing, Integration, Suppression, and Protection

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Plant Pathology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The fungal cell wall (CW) is critical for plant-pathogen interactions.
• Secreted proteins associated with the CW, termed CWAEs, are vital for fungal development and host engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the biological functions of fungal CWAEs in plant-fungal interactions.
• To provide context on fungal CW architecture and protein secretion mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and systematic presentation of existing research on CWAEs.
• Analysis of fungal CW structure and protein incorporation mechanisms.
• Discussion of CWAE functions across various plant-fungal pathosystems.

Main Results:

• CWAEs integrate signals, modulate host immunity, and protect fungi against plant defenses.
• Chitin-interacting effectors are prominent, aiding CW modification and immune suppression.
• Diverse and sometimes lineage-specific CWAE functions are reported, alongside conserved roles.

Conclusions:

• Fungal CWAEs exhibit a wide array of functions essential for successful plant colonization.
• Understanding CWAE mechanisms offers insights into fungal pathogenicity and host-pathogen dynamics.
• CWAEs represent a conserved yet diverse class of fungal proteins crucial for plant interactions.