稻瘟病菌是一种模式病原真菌，其细胞自噬途径与致病性密切相关。麦角甾醇是微生物细胞膜的重要组成部分，麦角甾醇在细胞内的动态运输对于维持细胞的正常功能至关重要。本课题组在分析稻瘟病菌细胞自噬互作蛋白时，发现两个参与细胞自噬和致病过程的甾醇运输相关蛋白（MoVast1和MoVast2）。本项目拟围绕两个甾醇运输相关蛋白展开研究，通过基因敲除、点突变等方法获得突变体，结合生理生化分析和细胞学分析，阐明MoVast1和MoVast2的生物学功能；结合荧光定位与定量、磷酸化、蛋白互作、表达谱等分析，确定甾醇动态运输对细胞膜张力、TOR-Ypk1信号途径以及细胞自噬途径的调控，最终阐明细胞膜甾介导的TOR-Ypk1信号途径对细胞自噬过程的调控作用。本项目着重分析稻瘟病菌细胞膜甾醇动态运输及其对细胞自噬信号途径的调控机制，将为稻瘟病的防治提供重要的线索，对新型药物靶标的筛选及研发奠定理论基础。

Magnaporthe oryzae is a model pathogenic fungus, and its pathogenicity is closely related to the autophagy pathway. Ergosterol is an important component of plasma membrane in microbes, and dynamic transportation of ergosterol is essential for cells to maintain normal function. Two ergosterol transport-related proteins (MoVast1 and MoVast2) have been identified when we analyzed the autophagy-interacting proteins in M. oryzae, which are involved in the autophagy and pathogenesis of this fungus. In this project, the biological functions of these two proteins will be clarified using gene knockout and point mutations combined with physiological and biochemical characterization as well as cytological analysis. Fluorescence localization and quantification, phosphorylation, protein interaction, and gene expression profiling will be used to determine the role of the dynamic transportation of ergosterol in plasma membrane tension, TOR-Ypk1 signaling pathway, and regulation of autophagy. Finally, we will elucidate the regulation mechanism of autophagy via TOR-Ypk1 signaling pathway mediated by ergosterol dynamic transportation in the plasma membrane. This project focuses on the analysis of ergosterol dynamic transportation in the plasma membrane, and the signal regulation mechanism of autophagy in M. oryzae. This will provide important clues for the control of rice blast, and provide a theoretical basis for the screening and development of new drug targets.