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Ncl1-dependent m5C RNA methylation promotes appressorial autophagy and pathogenicity in the rice blast fungus

Xuan Cai1, Hong Hu2, Caiyun Liu3

  • 1Hubei Key Laboratory for Crop Diseases, Insect Pests, and Weeds Control, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China.

Plant Communications
|March 13, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study reveals that 5-methylcytosine (m5C) RNA methylation, regulated by Ncl1, is crucial for the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae to cause infection by enhancing autophagy. This epigenetic mechanism impacts fungal virulence and development.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Epigenetics
  • Plant Pathology

Background:

  • RNA methylation, specifically 5-methylcytosine (m5C), is an understudied epigenetic mechanism in plant pathogenic fungi.
  • Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast, poses a significant threat to global food security.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of m5C RNA methylation in the pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae.
  • To identify the key enzymes involved in m5C RNA methylation and their impact on fungal infection processes.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which m5C RNA methylation influences fungal virulence and autophagy.

Main Methods:

  • Identification and characterization of m5C RNA methyltransferases in M. oryzae, focusing on Ncl1.
  • Genome-wide m5C profiling using m5C-MeRIP-seq.
  • Transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq to assess gene expression changes.
  • Investigation of the impact of Ncl1 on autophagy-related gene expression and protein stability.

Main Results:

  • Ncl1, an m5C RNA methyltransferase, was found to be essential for M. oryzae virulence and appressorium development.
  • m5C MeRIP-seq identified thousands of m5C-modified sites, with the Δncl1 mutant exhibiting widespread hypomethylation.
  • Ncl1-mediated m5C methylation stabilizes ATG5 and ATG16 mRNAs, crucial for autophagy and pathogenicity.
  • Ncl1 protein stability is regulated by the Pmk1 signaling pathway and SUMOylation.

Conclusions:

  • m5C RNA methylation plays a pivotal role in regulating autophagy and pathogenicity in Magnaporthe oryzae.
  • Ncl1 is a key epigenetic regulator controlling fungal virulence through mRNA stabilization and modulation of autophagy.
  • The interplay between epigenetic modifications and post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, SUMOylation) is critical for fungal development and infection.
  • These findings offer potential targets for developing novel antifungal strategies against plant pathogenic fungi.
Keywords:
5-methylcytosineMagnaporthe oryzaeRNA methylationappressorium formationautophagy

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