From a large expressed sequence tag (EST) database representing several developmental stages of Puccinia triticina, we discovered a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) with homology to kinases with known pathogenic functions in other fungi. This PtMAPK1 is similar to the Ustilago maydis MAPK, Ubc3/Kpp2, but has a longer N-terminal extension of 43 amino acids (aa) with identities to U. maydi...

BACKGROUND The utilization of raw biomass components such as cellulose or hemicellulose for the production of valuable chemicals has attracted considerable research interest in recent years. One promising approach is the application of microorganisms that naturally convert biomass constituents into value added chemicals. One of these organisms--Ustilago maydis--can grow on xylan, the second mos...

Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of the experimental pathosystem constituted by Ustilago maydis and Arabidopsis thaliana were performed. Haploid or diploid strains of U. maydis inoculated in A. thaliana plantlets grew on the surface and within the plant tissues in the form of mycelium, inducing chlorosis, anthocyanin formation, malformations, necrosis and adventitious roots development, ...

In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago hordei, one locus with two alternate alleles, MAT-1 and MAT-2, controls mating and the establishment of the infectious dikaryon (bipolar mating). In contrast, for U. maydis, these functions are associated with two different gene complexes, called a and b (tetrapolar mating); the a complex has two alternate specificities, and the b gene complex is multialle...

The toxicity of Ustilago maydis and the possible synergism with fumonisin B1 (FB1) were studied in Fischer rats by evaluating pathological changes and biochemical parameters in blood serum (LDH, ALT, GGT, ChE) and tissue homogenate of brain and liver (AChE, ChE, GGT, ALP). One experimental group (US) consumed diet with 70% of U. maydis galls and the other group (US+FB1) was fed pellets containi...

BACKGROUND Septins are a highly conserved family of GTP-binding proteins involved in multiple cellular functions, including cell division and morphogenesis. Studies of septins in fungal cells underpin a clear correlation between septin-based structures and fungal morphology, providing clues to understand the molecular frame behind the varied morphologies found in fungal world. METHODOLOGY/PRI...

BACKGROUND In the last years, the biotechnological production of platform chemicals for fuel components has become a major focus of interest. Although ligno-cellulosic material is considered as suitable feedstock, the almost inevitable pretreatment of this recalcitrant material may interfere with the subsequent fermentation steps. In this study, the fungus Ustilago maydis was used to produce it...

Ustilago maydis is a biotrophic pathogen causing maize (Zea mays) smut disease. Transcriptome profiling of infected maize plants indicated that a gene encoding a putative cystatin (CC9) is induced upon penetration by U. maydis wild type. By contrast, cc9 is not induced after infection with the U. maydis effector mutant Δpep1, which elicits massive plant defenses. Silencing of cc9 resulted in a ...