由稻瘟病菌（Magnaporthe oryzae）引起的稻瘟病和麦瘟病严重威胁着世界粮食生产安全。稻瘟病菌群体复杂且无毒基因快速变异是制约稻瘟病持久有效防控的主要原因，需要深入研究阐明稻瘟病菌无毒基因快速变异的分子机制。稻瘟病菌无毒基因的快速变异与基因组中大量存在的转座元件密切相关，但是转座元件的转座活性调控机制尚未明确。最近的研究表明，稻瘟病菌DNA甲基化可以调控转座元件的转录水平，但与其转座活性无关，推测转座元件转座活性的表观调控机制极有可能更为复杂。因此，本项目拟将功能基因组学与表观遗传学结合起来，通过研究稻瘟病菌DNA甲基化、小RNA介导的DNA甲基化、组蛋白甲基化之间的相互关系及其在调控转座元件转座活性过程中的交互作用，深入探索稻瘟病菌转座元件转座活性的表观调控机制，为进一步揭示稻瘟病菌无毒基因的快速变异机制奠定基础。

Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast and wheat blast disease, is a serious threat to global food security, while the complicated population and rapid mutation of avirulence (AVR) genes of the fungus tremendously restricts the persistantly effective diseases management. Further study on molecular mechanism underlying the rapid mutation is of great scientific and practical importance. A large amount of the transposable elements (TEs) in the genome are closely involved in the rapid mutation of the fungal AVR genes, however, the regulatory mechanism for the TE mobilization is not clear yet. Recently, DNA methylation has been proved to play a role in regulating the transcriptional activity rather than the mobilization of TEs in M. oryzae, indicating that the epigenetic regulation of TE mobilization is likely more complex than expected. Therefore, in this study, we will apply functional genomics and epigenetic approaches to further explore the regulatory mechanism for TE mobilization in M. oryzae, through analyzing the interrelation among DNA methylation, histone methylation, and small RNA-mediated DNA methylation, and their potential reciprocal action on the regulation of TE mobilization. Our results will provide new theoretical basis for understanding the rapid mutation mechanism of AVR genes in the rice blast fungus.