The early infection phase of Ustilago maydis: adaption to the plant environment

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The transcriptome and metabolome analyses conducted during the first funding period have allowed us to identify distinct cellular processes that are altered in maize tissue infected by U. maydis. The key processes “cell death regulation”, “defence response” and “hormone signalling” are hallmarks of this compatible interaction. In the next funding period we wish to elucidate, how these cellular processes control establishment of biotrophy. We will study the role of cell death modulators like Cystatins and the BAX INHIBITOR-1 for cell death suppression in maize and barley during the interaction with U. maydis and U. hordei. The impact of gibberellin and auxin signalling on compatibility will be studied by silencing of distinct key regulators. To facilitate rapid identification of novel compatibility factors, virus based gene silencing (VIGS) and overexpression (VIOE) systems for maize and barley will be optimised / established. In collaborative approaches, proteins involved in the U. maydis/maize interaction will also be analysed regarding their role in the other pathosystems studied within FOR 666. We expect that this close interconnection of projects will enable the identification of novel, general mechanisms of compatibility providing a variety of possible applications both in basic research as well as in applied sciences.