The role of phytohormone biosynthesis in the Ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea

植物-病原真菌已被证明产生所有主要的植物激素；它们在寄主-病原菌相互作用中的作用已被假定，但对这一作用仍缺乏明确的证据。在大多数情况下，在生物合成基因被鉴定的情况下，表明真菌途径是特殊的，不同于植物。细胞分裂素参与了几个寄主-病原体系统，但到目前为止，真菌的途径和各自的基因还没有确定。结果表明，麦角菌在无菌培养条件下产生CKs，并首次鉴定出真菌CK生物合成基因。对CK突变体的分析首次证实了这些真菌激素在寄主-病原菌相互作用中的作用，而且对真菌本身的营养生长和分化也是一个新的有趣的方面。本项目致力于揭示真菌CK的生物合成途径，并确认和详细分析这些激素在真菌毒力和营养生长发育中的作用。

Plant-pathogenic fungi have been shown to produce all major phytohormones; their function in host-pathogen interaction has been postulated, but unequivocal proof for this role is still lacking. In most cases where the biosynthetic genes were identified, it was shown that the fungal pathways are special and different from plants. Cytokinins have been implied in several host-pathogen systems, but sofar the fungal pathways and the respective genes have not been identified. We could show that the Ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea produces CKs in axenic culture and identify the first fungal CK biosynthesis genes. The analysis of CK mutants for the first time substantiated a role of these fungal hormones in host-pathogen interaction, and moreover in vegetative growth and differentiation of the fungus itself, a new and interesting aspect. This project focuses on unraveling the fungal CK biosynthetic pathway, and on confirmation and detailed analysis of the role of these hormones in virulence and vegetative development of the fungus .