Open AccessChitosan and Chitin Deacetylase Activity Are Necessary for Development and Virulence of Ustilago maydis
Author(s) -
Yanina Soledad Rizzi,
Petra Happel,
Sandra Lenz,
Mounashree J. Urs,
Martin Bonin,
Stefan CordLandwehr,
Ratna Singh,
Bruno M. Moerschbacher,
Regine Kahmann
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
mbio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.562
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 2161-2129
pISSN - 2150-7511
DOI - 10.1128/mbio.03419-20
Subject(s) - ustilago , appressorium , fungal pathogen , virulence , smut , pathogen , chitin , hypha , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , cell wall , chitosan , botany , gene , biochemistry
The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize, causing substantial losses in world corn production. This nonobligate pathogen penetrates the plant cell wall with the help of appressoria and then establishes an extensive biotrophic interaction, where the hyphae are tightly encased by the plant plasma membrane.