Carbon acquisition during pathogenic development of Ustilago maydis and Colletotrichum graminicola

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Jörg Kämper; Professor Dr. Norbert Sauer
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Organismische Interaktionen, chemische Ökologie und Mikrobiome pflanzlicher Systeme ; Pflanzenzüchtung, Pflanzenpathologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2006 bis 2013
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 15847441

The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis infects corn and induces the formation of tumors. In order for the fungus to proliferate in the infected tissue, U. maydis has to redirect the metabolism of the host to the site of infection. We wish to elucidate how this is accomplished. To this end we will perform transcript profiling during the time course of infection for both, the fungus and the maize plant. This will be complemented by metabolome analysis of different tissues during infection as well as by apoplastic fluid analysis. The goals will be to identify the carbon sources taken up by the fungus during biotrophic growth, to identify the transporters required for uptake, determine their specificity and elucidate how these carbon sources are provided by the plant. Fungal mutants affected in discrete stages of pathogenic development will be included in these studies. Likely candidate genes for carbon uptake/supply as well as for redirecting host metabolism will be functionally characterized by generating knockouts in the fungus and by isolating plants carrying mutations in respective genes or by generating transgenic plants expressing RNAi constructs.

• DFG-Verfahren: Forschungsgruppen
• Teilprojekt zu: FOR 666: Mechanisms of compatibility: Reprogramming of plant metabolism by fungal effector molecules