稻瘟病菌蛋白精氨酸甲基转移酶MoPRMT1的功能分析

甲基化，泛素化和乙酰化等蛋白质翻译后修饰在生命体中具有十分重要的作用。其中，蛋白质精氨酸甲基化对蛋白功能起重要调节作用，对其调控机制研究是近年来兴起的一个热门研究领域。由蛋白质翻译后修饰介导的病原菌与寄主植物互作机制是目前国际植物病理学研究领域的一个热点、难点问题。本课题组前期研究表明，稻瘟病菌基因组编码4个蛋白精氨酸甲基转移酶基因（Protein Arginine Methyltransferases, MoPRMT1,2,3,4），基因敲除和互补实验证明MoPRMT1对稻瘟病菌的生长发育与致病性起重要作用。基于此，本项目将通过遗传学，分子生物学与生物化学等研究手段，筛选鉴定MoPRMT1靶标蛋白，通过基因敲除，质谱鉴定及点突变等实验，研究MoPRMT1通过调节靶标蛋白的精氨酸甲基化修饰控制稻瘟病菌生长发育及致病性的机理。预期研究结果可为开发稻瘟病防控新策略提供理论基础与技术支持。

Post-translational modifications, such as methylation,ubiquitination, and acetylation play an important role for various biological functions. Protein arginine methylation, one of the most abundant post-translational modifications, widely exists in eukaryotic cells, is imporant in regulating the function of proteins. Post-translational modifications such as protein arginine methylation is critical for host defense against pathogens. Further understanding of the extent and nature of post-translational modifications changes during the plant-microbes interaction remains to be elucidated. Our preliminary data showed that rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae genome encodes four protein arginine methyltransferases, named MoPRMT1, 2, 3, 4. Gene knock out and phenotype analysis indicated that MoPRMT1 plays an important role in regulating the growth and pathogenic of M. oryzae. In this study, we will integrate genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry appoaches to reveal MoPRMT1-mediated growth and pathogenesis through regulation of substrate protein argininie methylation level in M. oryzae. Revealing the mechanism of MoPRMT1-mediated protein methylation regualtion of M. oryzae growth and pathogenicity will not only pave the way for understanding the epigenetic regulation roles in fungal pathogenesis, but also provide theoretical basis for developing new targets of fungicide, and offer insights for the development of novel strategies for crop disease control.