Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Genome-wide Analysis of Histone Modifications Distribution using the Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing Method in Magnaporthe oryzae
09:25

Genome-wide Analysis of Histone Modifications Distribution using the Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing Method in Magnaporthe oryzae

Published on: June 2, 2021

Autophagy and cell wall integrity pathways coordinately regulate the development and pathogenicity through MoAtg4

Pusheng Guo1,2, Yurong Wang1,2, Jiayun Xu1,2

  • 1Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.

Plos Pathogens
|January 30, 2024
PubMed

Insights

In rice blast fungus, two kinases phosphorylate MoAtg4, regulating autophagy and cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling. This coordination is vital for fungal development and pathogenicity.

Area of Science:

  • Plant Pathology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Autophagy and Cell Wall Integrity (CWI) signaling are crucial stress responses in plant-pathogen interactions.
  • In Magnaporthe oryzae, autophagy-related (ATG) proteins regulate virulence by phosphorylating CWI kinases, but the interplay is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the coordination mechanism between autophagy and CWI signaling in M. oryzae.
  • To identify key regulatory processes involving ATG proteins and CWI signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Phosphorylation analysis of ATG protein MoAtg4.
  • Investigating the roles of MoAtg1 and MoMkk1 in MoAtg4 phosphorylation.
  • Assessing the impact of phosphorylation on MoAtg8 deconjugation and recycling.

Main Results:

  • MoAtg1 and MoMkk1 were found to phosphorylate MoAtg4, inhibiting MoAtg8 deconjugation and recycling.
  • These dual phosphorylation events maintain optimal autophagy levels.
  • Proper autophagy levels are essential for coordinating fungal development and pathogenicity.

Conclusions:

  • Phosphorylation of MoAtg4 by both MoAtg1 and MoMkk1 is a key regulatory node coordinating autophagy and CWI signaling.
  • This coordination is critical for the virulence of the rice blast fungus M. oryzae.

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