神经酰胺调控稻瘟病菌附着胞发育和侵染的分子机制研究

稻瘟病是水稻的主要真菌病害之一，严重危害我国粮食安全；稻瘟病由子囊真菌—稻瘟病菌引起，附着胞形成是稻瘟病菌侵染水稻的一个关键环节。通过前期代谢组学分析及分子遗传研究初步明确神经酰胺是附着胞形成及侵染过程的必要因子，为进一步阐明其分子调控机制及其对稻瘟病菌生长发育的可能影响，本项目借助基因敲除、亚细胞定位、靶标脂质检测等手段鉴定神经酰胺产生途径及关键影响基因；利用体内药物实验、蛋白含量分析、细胞器的标记与观察，明确神经酰胺所参与的信号传导途径，并研究其对细胞极性、细胞周期、自噬、细胞骨架重塑、脂质稳态等的影响；最后通过蛋白-蛋白互作及代谢物-蛋白互作方法解析神经酰胺的信号网络系统。此项研究将阐明稻瘟病菌神经酰胺的生物学功能与调控机制，为稻瘟病菌的致病机理研究奠定良好基础。

Rice blast is one of the main fungal diseases of rice, seriously endangering food safety. The rice blast fungus, Mangnaporthe oryzae, belongs to ascomycetes and infects host by producing a special structure named appressorium. Appressorium formation is a key step during rice blast infection. Our previous study has revealed the necessity of ceramide in appressorium development and infection. To further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism for the regulatory role of ceramide signaling pathway in the growth and development of rice blast fungus, we will perform a series of experiments. Firstly, we will explore the pathway of ceramide production and identify the critical genes via gene knockout, subcellular localization and target lipid detection. Secondly, by in vivo drug experiments, western blot analysis, organelle labeling and observation, the signal pathways involving ceramide will be sought out and the effects of ceramide on cell polarity, cell cycle, autophagy, cytoskeleton remodeling, and lipid homeostasis will be studied. Finally, we will dissect the regulatory networks of ceramide via protein-protein interaction as well as metabolite-protein interaction analyses. This project will clarify the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of ceramide, and lay a solid foundation for the research on the pathogenic mechanism of rice blast fungus.